On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 3:39 PM, JW <[email protected]> wrote: > Ellen Morgan coming out is what comes to mind. "Ellen" was, IIRC, not > a ratings juggernaut, so the hype they were able to create served > ABC's purposes while the producers were able to make the statement > they wanted to. The Office, being the rare NBC success, doesn't need > to engender controversy. Your point about Pam's unmarried pregnancy no > longer being controversial is well-taken.
The Ellen show is a good case in point - but I think it illustrates a different point. I don't think Ellen Morgan came out as a ratings ploy (though perhaps ABC let them do that thinking they didn't have that much to lose). The character of Ellen Morgan came out because the people making the show wanted to explore what they saw as an important issue. The actress could have come out without her character coming out, but they thought there were themes worth provoking discussion about. I think Kevin is right that it would be interesting to see a show take atheism seriously, without cheating or marginalizing it, just to explore some worthwhile issues. And the fact that we have not really been allowed to see abortion depicted and talked about seriously on television very much (thanks for the examples cited in this thread) has deprived us of one avenue for exploring that important issue. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
