Alcohol on television

[Shaun]

I'm not sure if, because my mum doesn't drink, this is just down to my family being far below average in alcohol consumption but almost every TV show my family watch seems to feature extensive drinking.

Take the soaps: Eastenders, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks (all of them really) feature characters who regularly get drunk to drown their sorrows, and more corks are popped than cherries at Woody Allen's house. Plenty of serious dramas are famous for their characters' ability to knock back drinks (Mad Men, The Wire). In chat shows, celebrities are presented with glasses of wine (or in Alan Carr's case, tacky brands :p). Even animated shows depict alcoholics quite freely (Brian Griffin, Roger Smith, Barney Gumble, Bender), and there're plenty of comedies too (Cheers, Will & Grace)

Do you think this has anything to do with the rise of binge drinking or do you believe the use of alcohol is merely the bye-product of social patterns?

[arista]

I'm not sure if, because my mum doesn't drink, this is just down to my family being far below average in alcohol consumption but almost every TV show my family watch seems to feature extensive drinking.

Take the soaps: Eastenders, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks (all of them really) feature characters who regularly get drunk to drown their sorrows, and more corks are popped than cherries at Woody Allen's house. Plenty of serious dramas are famous for their characters' ability to knock back drinks (Mad Men, The Wire). In chat shows, celebrities are presented with glasses of wine (or in Alan Carr's case, tacky brands :p). Even animated shows depict alcoholics quite freely (Brian Griffin, Roger Smith, Barney Gumble, Bender), and there're plenty of comedies too (Cheers, Will & Grace)

Do you think this has anything to do with the rise of binge drinking or do you believe the use of alcohol is merely the bye-product of social patterns?


Is this For your Education Course Work?

Soaps are trying to do what goes on in Real Life
I think Drinks are cheaper in Supermarket Bulk Deals
that many Jump At.


Is this about you getting Drunk so much?


I think you need to stop Over Drinking
your missing Life and Orgasms



Feel The Force

[Mystic Mock]

I like Arista's way of thinking.

[Josy]

Hmm I'm not sure if its got something to do with the rise of binge drinking or vice versa but there is definitely more alcohol shown on tv these days than there used to be imo, even in the adverts too, every couple of ads theres one for booze and every holiday, season, special days like mothers/fathers day etc just seem to give them an excuse to promote it even more.

People always go on about the harm that smoking or taking drugs can cause well what about alcohol abuse?

[joeysteele]

Hmm I'm not sure if its got something to do with the rise of binge drinking or vice versa but there is definitely more alcohol shown on tv these days than there used to be imo, even in the adverts too, every couple of ads theres one for booze and every holiday, season, special days like mothers/fathers day etc just seem to give them an excuse to promote it even more.

People always go on about the harm that smoking or taking drugs can cause well what about alcohol abuse?

Really well pointed out Josy, I agree, the other thing I hate is in supermarkets where as you walk in the door you are greeted with boxes and boxes of alcohol on offer.

There certainly does seem lots more alcohol related scenes in soaps and other programmes.
Deaths and serious illnesses related to alcohol are massively on the rise especially in younger people too so there is likely a partial link to what is shown on TV.

Also the social aspects of alcohol too, I haven't seen someone get their head kicked in, glassed or knifed because of cigarettes but I have from people who have had way too much to drink.

As a footnote to this, has anyone noticed how in the Kabin on Coronation Street the cigarettes display often is clearly visible at times behind Rita or Norris when they are talking, surprised at that too.

[Kizzy]

I'm not sure if, because my mum doesn't drink, this is just down to my family being far below average in alcohol consumption but almost every TV show my family watch seems to feature extensive drinking.

Take the soaps: Eastenders, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks (all of them really) feature characters who regularly get drunk to drown their sorrows, and more corks are popped than cherries at Woody Allen's house. Plenty of serious dramas are famous for their characters' ability to knock back drinks (Mad Men, The Wire). In chat shows, celebrities are presented with glasses of wine (or in Alan Carr's case, tacky brands :p). Even animated shows depict alcoholics quite freely (Brian Griffin, Roger Smith, Barney Gumble, Bender), and there're plenty of comedies too (Cheers, Will & Grace)

Do you think this has anything to do with the rise of binge drinking or do you believe the use of alcohol is merely the bye-product of social patterns?

Wow you are going back a bit there shaun :)
I agree, advertising has to be quite ethical in its approach to selling the stuff,however it seems that programming doesen't follow...
Its interesting how the worst culprits are the ones geared towards the 'inbetweeners' (simpsons, family guy, american dad...)
Cop shows usually depict the main characters as 'work hard play hard types' or desprately lonely workaholics who cuddle up to a bottle of famous grouse every night.
Chat shows and comedies do increasingly show wine being used as a way to socialise and to 'wind down' ...maybe it is a way to encourage the UK to behave like the rest of Europe? Have one glass and put the bottle in the fridge.....
Unfortunatly for Brits this is an alien concept haha.
Soaps are quite fair in their depiction recently, the peter barlow story has handled the alcoholism story well showing how it can and does destroy lives.
However the great british boozer is part of our culture so it wouldn't be true to life if the vic and the rovers disappeared.

Binge drinking has always gone on but alcohol creeps into all social occasions now more than ever. Even those on come dine with me end up steaming every night I'm surprised they even taste the food...

Whoever dreamed up 24hr drinking in city centres has a lot to answer for...We have not adopted the 'cafe culture' we just stagger from bar to bar for 24 hours till someone kindly takes us to A&E....
Either that or swig a quarter bottle of voddy from bargain booze and partake of the latest 'legal high'

[arista]

Really well pointed out Josy, I agree, the other thing I hate is in supermarkets where as you walk in the door you are greeted with boxes and boxes of alcohol on offer.

There certainly does seem lots more alcohol related scenes in soaps and other programmes.
Deaths and serious illnesses related to alcohol are massively on the rise especially in younger people too so there is likely a partial link to what is shown on TV.

Also the social aspects of alcohol too, I haven't seen someone get their head kicked in, glassed or knifed because of cigarettes but I have from people who have had way too much to drink.

As a footnote to this, has anyone noticed how in the Kabin on Coronation Street the cigarettes display often is clearly visible at times behind Rita or Norris when they are talking, surprised at that too.


No Joey
its all about Control.


Now Shaun has lost his Control

He needs a Holiday in Saudi Arabia
that would Correct him.

Life In The Fast Lane

[Marc]

I think its down to my parents and family. But I have noticed pretty much every American TV programme shows people drinking with dinner or just casually.

[arista]

I think its down to my parents and family. But I have noticed pretty much every American TV programme shows people drinking with dinner or just casually.



Blame the Americans


A International Poster will want to Spank you for that

[Shaun]

Arista I'm not on an education course and I don't need a holiday, thanks, you condescending bore.

[Marc]

I never blamed the Americans....? :suspect:

[arista]

Arista I'm not on an education course and I don't need a holiday, thanks, you condescending bore.


But a Saudi Arabia Month Fun Time
would be no drinks.


If I was to Fund you
it would be Bliss


and Shaun your Tone is Touchy?

[arista]

I never blamed the Americans....? :suspect:

But will that International Poster
see it that way?

[Marc]

They will now.

[Mystic Mock]

I think Alcohol has always been a big problem in the UK anyway on a percentage scale, but it's just being highlighted more now as more people in the country equals seeing more people drunk out of there minds.

[arista]

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmyTctSl-z8k0VhGNVhR5RvOZeWvM9B39B5jQr360ug1N3z7PZ6w


http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT83W-1inbSZj77lOR_de-JHC_kDbkfX5ZW7LE755H_pu8LdO9TOg


Yes to many drunk ladys
I mean thats no way to behave
is it Kizzy?

[Redway]

arista, leave it out. This is actually an interesting thread and we don't need it polluted by your crap.

[LemonJam]

My family tends to have a drink or two every night but nothing excessive. I think in terms of television it's mainly an excuse to rationalize characters extreme actions and it's sort of lazy writing in my opinion. I think it's at its most harmful in shows like Skins that really glorify it and make it seem like if you don't have a bottle of Glenns in your handbag you're not cool enough.

[Ninastar]

I think all these shows like 'Jershey Shore' glorify drinking to a point where underage people then get the wrong ideas. There's a terrible false ideology that goes with the drinking culture.

I don't think that this has to do with the rise of binge drinking though. I think it's always been bad, but the behaviour to do with drinking has gotten excessively worse because parenting has become so appalling.

if what I said doesn't make sense, I'll expand on it later.