The Tudors concludes its lusty inaugural season on Showtime next week. This was a time - the dawning of the Renaissance - that is perfect for exposition in the almost no-holds-barred television that HBO pioneered with The Sopranos, and Showtime is now pursuing with series such as Dexter and The Tudors.
These shows are intellectually daring - The Tudors has Thomas More talking about what to do about Martin Luther and his Protestant Reformation. Presumably the FCC would have no problem with that.
But the shows also have lots of sex and nudity. Precisely what would be lopped off if the FCC and Congress get their way, and extend their unconstitutional regulation of network television to cable. Until now, cable has gotten something a free ride, because it's not broadcast over the hallowed "public airways".
The sex on The Tudors has been passionate and frisky, if not as multi-faceted as on HBO's Rome, which still holds the record for the best sex in a sophisticated television drama (someone should come up with an Emmy for that).
But The Tudors has had at least one very prime shot of a derriere, and enough bosoms in various states of dress and undress to open a department store.
All of that would be gone if the FCC and Congress have their way with us and our cable.
The feisty, delightful Renaissance drama would be turned into a show about a monastery, or just another bloodless, political chess game.
It's time to stop playing games with Congress and the FCC, and let them know how we feel about their depriving us of our right to enjoy television, like Rome or The Tudors.
If you like these shows, bear that in mind the next time you hear what the FCC and Congress are trying to do with their new legislation. If they have their druthers, that's precisely what you will no longer be able to see on your television screen.
Useful links:
History So Colorful You Can Taste It ... History So Real You Can Feel It ... Penalty of Royalty ... Madrigal Musical Chairs ... Tectonic Chess ... Henry's Imperfect Apothecary ... Limits of Power ... Wolsey Falls in a Soaring Performance ... my reviews of The Tudors
Naked Bodies, Three Showings a Week, No Commercials:
The Sopranos as a Nuts-and-Bolts Triumph of Non-Network TV my 2002 article
Good Sex on HBO's Rome, Bad FCC in Washington like it says...
The Plot to Save Socrates
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
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