Nudity, Sex And Censorship

From covered up navels and married couples sleeping in separate beds, to
skimpy bikinis, barely-there dance costumes and in-your-face sexual
encounters, TV Guide Network pulls back the sheets for the
first-ever special dedicated to the evolution of nudity, sexual content
and censorship on American television. Narrated by actress Brenda Strong
of the racy television series Desperate Housewives, SEX ON TV premieres
Sunday, August 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

With archival clips and commentary from media and pop culture experts, SEX ON TV documents the progression of titillation, nudity and sex that
has been captivating television audiences since the 1950s. The two-part
special shows how television pushed the envelope by making once taboo
topics trendy. From the characters of Gidget and I Dream of Jeannie,
who were required to cover their navels, and the birth of jiggle TV
with Charlies Angels, to the popular yet risqu shows of today, SEX
ON TV examines the changing landscape of television, including how
the networks regulated content to reflect the evolution of society with
the understanding that less clothing meant higher ratings.


Sex hasn’t changed over the years but how Americans view sex through
television certainly has. This special focuses on how the country’s
views on sex have evolved, says Diane Robina, TV Guide Networks
Executive Vice President of Programming and Marketing.

SEX ON TV highlights historical television moments including
the first interracial kiss between Nancy Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and
the first same-sex kiss on L.A. Law that provoked nationwide debate
and encouraged television to reflect a more progressive society. The
two-part special also examines the argument between salacious nudity
versus nudity deemed justified by being a reflection of real-life events
such as in the mini-series Roots.

As network television slowly tested the sexual boundaries, NYPD Blue
aired an uncompromising sex scene in the series premiere that became a
pivotal moment in sex on television. Despite the public outcry over the
minute-long scene, the drama became a critical and commercial hit and
paved the way for networks to take more risks.

SEX ON TV also looks at beginning of basic and premium cable
channels and how they influenced network television.