[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 ). 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?