It seems like, over the past decade, steamy TV love scenes were all the rage. And it was a long time coming. As television expanded from three networks in the early days to 600 scripted shows, countless unscripted, and hundreds of channels and streamers today, the content that was acceptable for viewers also expanded.
We went from not being able to show Ricky and Lucy sleeping in the same bed to watching Khaleesi and Drago fall in love by learning how to have sex with each other. This was a natural progression.
'Game of Thrones'
HBO
But sex in TV over the last few years has sort of tapered off.
We talked about sex in cinema having a similar trajectory, so it seems like it's a cross-medium trend. The fact is, the sex we're seeing now is kind of lame.
We went from passionate Bridgerton, ruin-the-sheets sex to some furtive glances. While people may say that is sexy, it's not sex.
The Sex and the City reboot was sparse. In fact, a lot of the show was spent complaining about who wasn't having it, and then cutting away if it ever began, minus that Miranda kitchen incident.
And while Euphoria tends to have the most sex on TV, it's all very traumatic. There is rape, sex desensitization due to drugs, and some really pervasive abuse. The only tender scenes in this season happened briefly in flashback.
'Euphoria'
CREDIT: Warner Bros. Television Distribution
So why, after TV seemed to have a sexual revolution of steamy scenes in recent years, does it seem like things have been drastically pulled back? Especially when, thanks to intimacy coordinators, we're able to have the most control and comfort shooting these scenes than ever before?
Part of this has to do with cyclical trends. We had a lot, and now we're moving to a little, but I also think audience appetites continue to shift. People liked when the media could titillate them because they didn't get it in other places.
Now, there are all types of pornography readily available if they actually want that. Also, we just don't have the stigmas that used to exist, and I'm talking only a few years ago, when it comes to gay sex, polyamory, extramarital affairs, swings, etc. In the 1990s, the idea of Indecent Proposalwas an extremely sexy precedent. Now, we literally have TV shows where you tempt someone's spouse.
TV is still trying to find its way as streaming changes the landscape. While people used to turn to movies for sensuality, TV has stepped in big time to arouse and attract viewers. It will be interesting to see where it expands in the future.
Sex used to be a selling point, now it's just part of a show. But along with sex come expectations of the audience on how you use it. While each show has a different mandate, Hollywood tends to trend together.
We'll see if we can track where they go.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
