24 hours of graphic violence
Has anyone noticed how brutally graphic the television show 24 has become?
In last night’s episode Morris (Carlo Rota) was beaten to a pulp. That wasn’t enough gore for Fox though. A Muslim terrorist named Fayed took a power drill and pushed it into Morris’ back so that he’d arm a nuclear bomb. Just in case you didn’t believe Morris’ screams of pain, blood was spattered on the faces of people as the drill went into Morris’ back.
At this point in the show I felt sick. Sick as in, how I felt when I watched Michael Madsen’s character cut off a policeman’s ear in the Tarantino film, Resrevoir Dogs.
Does anyone in the US or Canada see a problem with showing this kind of violence on television? Is seeing a nipple on the half-time show of the Super Bowl worse than this kind of violence?
Fox seems more concerned with stories like, Controversy Sprouts Over Prince’s Super Bowl Halftime Show than the graphic violence in their shows. I mean come on, are people really that bent out of shape about seeing Prince’s shadow?
I don’t want to sound like a prude or a hypocrite but I was more than a little surprised by last night’s episode and I’m starting to lose interest in the show. Maybe I’m just getting too old for this stuff.
Stumble It!Posted in Television at 4:17 PM
Comments
I think your bang on Jay, now that I’m a proud dad it’s clear to me TV’s rating system is clearly off. Shows are becoming more and more violent, cartoons included. European countries show nudity all the time on TV and not so much violence, they have much lower crime rates then our partners from the south.
Don’t get me wrong I like to watch all the CSI’s, Prison Break and many other graphic shows, however I have seen an increase in the graphic violence which has made me turn my head more then once.
Posted by: Tim on February 13, 2007 7:40 PM
I stopped watching this season of 24. When the first nuke went off, that was nuts, but the show is the same crap over and over again. The political machinations, the endless chasing of the chain of suspects. Jack saying ‘damn it’ and ‘there isn’t enough time’. Same tired story.
Posted by: Ryan Glover on February 13, 2007 10:15 PM
Who kidnapped Jay Kerr? Come on now, who wrote this? Clearly it wasn’t the Jay we all know. Daniel, are you playing with your Daddy’s computer again?
Posted by: Paul Nethercott on February 14, 2007 9:36 AM
I know. Doesn’t sound like the bloodthirsty Bombippy some of you know.
I mentioned this post to some people and they assure me that 24 has always been this ultra-violent. I’m currently watching season 3 on DVD and the plot similarities from season to season to season are becoming a repetitive blur.
I’m not sure I’ll bother with season 5 and 6. I think I’d rather watch some old fashion film noir instead.
Posted by: Jay Kerr on February 14, 2007 3:25 PM
I had enough problems with a few scenes in Pan’s Labyrinth (don’t tell me you didn’t cringe at the face/mouth cutting/self-stitching and then him drinking afterward), even though I thought it was a good film. I’ve never seen 24, but graphic violence is getting to me. I was so bothered in Saving Private Ryan that the only reason I didn’t walk out was because I’d have to uncover my eyes and unplug my ears.
Ok, I know I’ve only mentioned films so far, but with either film or tv it seems like there’s more gore, and there is only so much I can take. And that isn’t much to begin with.
Less is more, people. Less is more.
(Also, major ugh with you on the ear scene in Dogs.)
Posted by: Shiz on February 15, 2007 2:49 PM
I don’t watch the show, but my buddy Brian at work actually made the exact same comment this week. Maybe it’s because as Canadians, we don’t need to dehumanize the evil Muslim terrorists as urgently. Dunno.
Posted by: James McNally 
on February 15, 2007 4:41 PM
The worst contender so far in my opinion is the movie Hostel. I know I’ve harped on this before but its been over a year since I saw it and it still bothers me.
Posted by: Paul Robertson on February 16, 2007 7:21 AM
Hey Jay!!
Good one. Just caught a few scenes from Apocalypto…thought it was well suited for your post. Not sure if I can finish it.
Maybe you should give us a top 10 listing here?
Posted by: Youssef on February 16, 2007 2:49 PM
