AllLiesAndJest

I'm just beginning Day 10 (hurrah!). Conscious that I'm still at a stage when I am overly-conscious of others doing things that I'm trying not to, but.....
The amount of boozing on our TV screens (at least here in the UK) is incredible.
Virtually all our soap operas (the most popular are watched by millions: over 10 % of the population at any one time) have group conversations based in the pub - and the booze flows freely, even at lunch times.
Last evening I watched the concluding episode of story about a journalist trying to work out his true parentage, having discovered that he'd been adopted. At every stress point in the story line we saw him wrapping himself around strong alcohol.
These days it's pretty unusual to see someone smoking on TV in the UK - to the extent that one notices it as being a little odd. Why are we still portraying alcohol as a prop?
I hope over time this will not bother me. At the moment, I could do without it. And as a culture, I think we could do without it also.
AL&J

Dee74

I noticed that drinking seemed to be everywhere when I quit - especially TV - but now it simply doesn't register for me.

I don't know whether it registers as strongly for people who aren't alcoholics or not.

D

Reset

The act of drinking doesn't register that much with me any more but the advertising still does. It is everywhere.

billsaintjames

One of my favorite TV Shows is How I Met Your Mother. They are pretty much always drinking on that show. When I was a user it was sort of a trigger, but now I just marvel at how much they are drinking.

Another one of my favorites is Mad Men, which is pretty famous for its portrayal of the alcoholics on the show. Actually I think it does a pretty good job of showing the destruction alcohol causes. It's just a great show all-around IMO.

StPeteGrad

I noticed that too a couple weeks back. We were watching some of my wife's drama type shows and there was wine or drink in nearly every scene! Since I watch primarily science type TV rarely see it on my shows. Even my wife commented on it.

Eagles Fan

I was late to the Mad Men party and started watching from season 1 on a couple of months ago. What stood out to me even more than the drinking was the smoking. I was quitting cigarettes at the time I started watching the show.

At first it made me crave a smoke, but then it slowly made me disgusted by them. Excellent show though.

Ronan

ha!

It actually irks me too. I mean I used to watch Eastenders and the amount drunk is just depressing. It seems they base their characters around what kind of drinks they like. The muslims are all clean and sober and would be considered "boring". The well-to-do's will drink wine in every scene and the serious characters will generally be seen drinking straight hard liquor!

ItWillBeWorthIt

That is one of my favorites too Bill... another favorite is Cougar Town and they drink a lot of wine on that show. I am just glad it isn't me. Doesn't really bother me.

CincyShine

Yep, it's everywhere. I am reading a book right now that talks about 90% of either humans or Americans drinking. It's on soap operas, every night time TV show, in advertising, in magazines. EVERYWHERE.

sanjug

Ya, it's everywhere.

AllLiesAndJest

" ... 90% of either humans or Americans" ?
Please, don't be so hard on Americans - even over here in the UK we accept that they are more-or-less human !! ;-))

Mcribb

I think the booze is catching up to Don Draper on Mad Men. He had that all nighter throwing up with peggy. Several bad episodes with alcohol and there was a "Zooming" in scene on a bottle when he was craving it during an meeting.

Kjell

You know, I love me some TV, but I find the less I watch, the happier I am.

Kjell~

artsoul

I often have the TV going in the background while I work..... what gets to me are the people who go on those judge shows (claims court)...... I bet at least 8 out of 10 of the cases brought up in court involves someone drinking. Same with the reality cop/detective shows.

EmeraldRose

I notice alot of shows that have alcohol. A few in particular are constant and annoying and I usually flip the channel. Not that I can't handle ot but because I have a different take on social drinking anymore.
But same as if I was watching my weight I notice all the commercials and shows were people were eating pizza, ice cream and candy!

LaFemme

I don't own a tv and am happier for it. But I was horriified while watching tv at my parents tbis weekend...I saw "its always sunny in philadelphia". The episode mocked the idea of intervention. Also I rented Absolutely Fabulous awhile back...I lovwd the show when it was first on and it horrified me now.

SingleDad421

That episode of Sunny, "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention," has a DVD commentary with Dr. Drew who gives some insightful observations. He goes on to say that some scenes make him very uncomfortable and forces him worry about the health of the characters. If one is going to see just one episode of Sunny its definitely not that one. However, it brings to light why were are all here.