Why is it so hard to do religion in prime time?

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/why-is-it-so-hard-to-do-religion-in-prime-time/2012/03/14/gIQA9QDTCS_story.html

By Piet Levy| Religion News Service, Updated: Wednesday, March 14, 1:10 PM

Many TV network executives, advertisers and producers would sell their souls to get the kind of audience God has. But giving religion a starring role in prime time? Not so much.

Religion, God and spirituality have made cameos across the dial from “The Sopranos” to “The Simpsons” — though usually as a prop or walk-on role. But shows where religion is a central part of the premise are rare, and the ratings are generally far from heavenly.

Short of touchy-feely shows like “Touched By an Angel” or “Highway to Heaven,” why is religion so radioactive in Hollywood?

This month, cable network TLC canceled “All-American Muslim” after only about 700,000 viewers watched the season finale of the reality show featuring Muslims in Dearborn, Mich.

more at link

[rhett o rick]

1. IMO most Americans are not very religious.

Although they may claim to be religious and go to church on Easter and Christmas, they really are secularists. Many go to church because they think it is the socially "thing to do". But when they get home they use contraception if they want to or eat fish on friday or pork on tuesday or whatever God's helpers tell them not to do. And they notice that lightening doesnt strike them dead.

[cbayer]

2. I think most Americans are quietly religious.

They don't speak of it unless asked, which is why polls show higher numbers that I generally anticipate. They don't really *practice* it, except, as you say, during times of significant ritual.
They may rely on their belief systems when faced with difficult decisions or challenging times.
They may revel in it at times of great happiness.

But I don't think they want to watch it on TV.

OTOH, I love all kinds of documentaries and I really like those about religions, particularly if they are about religions that I know little about.

[rhett o rick]

18. I would be interested in the statistics. I see "quietly religious" as not much

different than decent secularists. Thom Hartmann said on his show the other day that he thought that a lot of people that go to church are secular/religious. I am not sure where the line is between a moral secularist and a religious person.

[longship]

8. Gees! Haven't you been paying attention?

Not very religious? Are you f*cking kidding me, or are f*cking you kidding yourself.

The US is one of the most religious countries on the planet. Look it up. I presume you know how to do basic research and know how to use The Google.

The problem, which almost anybody who's paying attention is that there's one political party in this country which has been gobbled up by a religious cabal. I would love for an investigative reporter to delve into the darker, more insidious corridors of the theocratic Republicans. (Likewise, the Democratic party, to be fair and balanced --- I have no doubt of the outcome.)

The longer we delay this, the worse the outcome for everyone.

[rhett o rick]

12. Wow, does someone have issues.

" I presume you know how to do basic research and know how to use The Google. "

I dont need that. Go away.

[longship]

13. Yes, I have issues, as should any rational human

Religion and politics is a toxic mix. This is as it has always been. The entent to which a political party marries itself to a religious ideology is the extent to which one can ask the question Are you a political party or are you a religious cult? The Republican party is nothing more and nothing less than just that. And if you don't see that, you may be blinded by your own religious ideology.

I have no problem with religious people, however I do have a problem with those who give comfort to the wackaloons who, under the guise of religion, use it for their own personal gains, whether that be mega-church millionaires or presidential aspirations.

All of them are charlatans, every one of them.

So, yes, I have issues. I firmly believe that those who do not have issues in theses regards are likely blind to some insidious cultural dangers.

[Brettongarcia]

15. Check out "The Family"? About Republican theocratic conspiracies?

[Angry Dragon]

23. You are confusing being religious with just

calling themselves religious
big difference in my world

[lob1]

3. It's hard to make good drama when God can fix everything.

[msongs]

4. millions of people watch channels that are all religion all the time nt

[cbayer]

5. Very true. The article is more about prime time, major networks.

[rexcat]

6. It has nothing to do about Hollywood per se...

but about ratings, advertising and money. Just maybe the people who watch network TV during primetime are not interested in religion or have had their fill in other ways therefore the ratings are low. Advertisers are not necessarily willing to go out on a limb with their products with hot button topics like religion.

It could also be that the surveys are not as accurate as they say they are. People might say they are "religious" in a survey but in reality they are not as religious. Who knows and who really cares.

[rhett o rick]

7. I would be real interested in seeing how many millions. nm

[Thats my opinion]

10. And in the main they are rotten money leeches.nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. I wonder how "Rev." would go down in the US?

Not only did the first series attract the praise of the "Archbish" himself – Dr Rowan Williams loved it for revealing "something about the continuing commitment of the church to run-down and challenging areas" as well as depicting someone who "prays honestly" – but the show also won a Bafta for best comedy into the bargain.

For those yet to catch up, Rev follows an inner city parish priest called Adam Smallbone, played to perfection by Tom Hollander. Among the storylines in the last series were church attendance by non-believers in order to get into their preferred school ("on your knees, avoid the fees&quot , the occasionally creepy power and influence of the charismatic wing of the church on more traditional Anglicanism, and the ongoing doubts of our main man – the boozing, tabbing Rev himself.

Hollander plays him as gentle and funny, with vulnerability and an occasional steeliness that is both winning and highly plausible. He could easily have been played by a shouty comedian, but Hollander's quieter, more introspective more actorly approach suits a part where, for the only time I can recall, we heard a Christian praying and seriously discussing his doubts with his God in a mainstream sitcom.

Not everyone liked Rev's first season. Some critics felt it was too gentle, while others seemed offended at the church being given more airtime on British television. There were also complaints that evangelicals were caricatured unfairly.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/nov/10/rev-comedy-bbc2

I suspect there'd be a lot of complaints that it wasn't as touchy-feely and "everything's perfect if you leave it to God" as "Touched By An Angel" was. My friend who is a (non-Anglican) minister says it's all too accurate.

[skepticscott]

19. Or Father Ted?

Nahhh..I pretty much know. Bill Donohoe and his ilk would blow a gasket.

[Warpy]

11. There was a run of saccharine fare (Touched by an Angel?) in the late 80s to mid 90s

but "reality" TV pretty much killed the trend by offering cheaper fare than sitcoms or dramas. About the only dramas left are the multiple spinoff from the CSI and related franchises, crime shows.

In addition, once you leave Dixie or some parts of flyover country, you pretty much leave theocracy behind and most people would rather you didn't shove it at them during the week, thanks, even if they are faithful Sunday churchgoers. I should also mention that "whose religion?" is also a bit of a problem since that big "Christian" umbrella only exists for Republican Party purposes and tends to break down in real life.

People in Hollywood aren't any more or less religious than their counterparts in much of the rest of the country and probably more religious than the average New Englander. However, they know what their target audience wants, and if they want something preachy, they'd tune in to one of the bible stations.

[Humanist_Activist]

14. Generally speaking because people don't want religion in their entertainment...

or it has to be in a format that is palpable. For example, brief commentary, or possibly showing ritual(weddings/funerals for example), outside of that, they simply don't want it.

In addition, in order to have a wide audience, you have to try not to offend, and the best way to avoid that is to avoid the subject altogether. Or, if you have a main character that is sympathetic and/or a good guy on the show who is religious, they cannot be too religious, so no preaching, for example, and they also must be extremely liberal in their interpretations of their faith, due to not wanting to offend, and frankly to not become an unlikeable character.

I'm reminded of Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU as primary examples of this, particular DA McCoy and Detective Elliot Stabler. Both were Catholic in the show, but also both were extremely liberal, and disagreed with the church on a number of issues, from homosexuality to contraception. Even then, it was only rarely brought up, usually because of an episode that was topical, such as dealing with the sex abuse scandal of the Church, or something dealing with their social lives.

[skepticscott]

17. Even more to the point

People don't want other people's religion in their entertainment. Unless, perhaps, it's highly comedic, in which case the adherents of THAT religion get bent out of shape.

[trotsky]

16. Because the commitment of almost every Christian to their religion...

conservative and liberal alike, is a mile wide and an inch deep.

They appreciate, without even realizing it, that secularism has made it possible for them to compartmentalize their religion to that thing they do on Sundays and occasionally post on Facebook. Oh, and demonize those who disagree with them, of course.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. The one serious treatment of religion that I can recall from recent years, "Nothing Sacred"

about a Roman Catholic parish, was cancelled in midseason due to pressure from conservative Roman Catholics.

It (gasp!) showed the priests and nuns as full-fledged human beings with problems, not as plaster saints. It was not in any sense anti-religious, but evidently the conservative Catholic outfits couldn't stand the thought that a priest might be portrayed having personal problems.

Not only was it cancelled in mid-season (although the full series was shown in other countries), but it has never been released on DVD or put into syndication.

In other words, the networks decided, "We aren't going to do that again."

So my response is that anything less than the Touched by an Angel approach will bring down the wrath of the humorless conservatives.

Judging from my huge collection of British DVDs and my avid appreciation for MHz Worldview's International Mystery series and international film and video festivals, I notice that British and other European TV and movies have no trouble dealing with religious themes in either a positive or negative manner.

[dmallind]

21. It's hard to avoid one or more of three deadly options

1) Saccharin glurge (touched by an angel)
2) Tedium (Bishop Fulton)
3) Offense of some group or other (Father Ted etc)

[jeepnstein]

22. They don't need the headache.

If you do a show centering around religion you can pretty much be assured that one side will complain and the other side will demonize you. You would make nobody happy, including the nice people who pay for advertising. It just doesn't make sense for them to even try. The divide between the religious and the godless is so great these days that mass media really can't deliver much in the way of programming that bridges the gap.

I will say that most of what's on TV these days is downright vulgar. I don't spend much time in front of the tube as a result. I will admit I enjoy watching people blow stuff up on the Discovery Channel and get a kick out of The Bigfoot Hunters and their hijinks on Animal Planet. How's that for low brow at it's finest? Most of it isn't fit for a family to watch together and I certainly don't want to have to drag my nine year olds through some of the trash that is commonly accepted as entertainment on the networks. I say let them be innocent for a while longer.

[brooklynite]

24. What about "Good Christian B______"?

What aspect of religion do you feel isn't being presented?

[2ndAmForComputers]

25. That's like lamenting there's too little carbon monoxide in the ar.

[struggle4progress]

26. It depends on the religion: commodity fetishism remains popular at prime time.