jdg@ncrcae.UUCP (Jim Griggers) (02/11/85)
This posting is in response to Steve's concerns about TV's "Consenting Adult". First of all, this was a movie based on a BOOK. "Consenting Adult" was written in 1975 about the time period in the *1960's*. Thats why things seemed to be a little out of date. I think only a few things were changed to bring the story into the 1980s (there were other story changes, but these don't deal with the time period). One change was the reference to AIDS and another dealt with the bar room scuffle (originally the Stonewall riot). I agree with you that TV seems to go out of its way to avoid showing affection between two men. I agree with you that the characters they chose were "sanitized for your protection". But what do you expect from TV that gives us a view of reality such as "Dukes of Hazzard" (sp?). Maybe they really do drive that way in Hollywood 8-). I can't say that I look to TV for anything but entertainment and certainly not for a look at reality. I wish they (TV producers) would present a more modern view of homosexuality, however. But I am not holding my breath. Lastly, I liked the show. At least something on the subject of homosexuality was aired. There is such a vacuum on TV about this subject that this show was a welcome relief. However, I do agree with you that it could have been better. -Jim Griggers NCR Corp. By the cold and religious we were taken in hand. Shown how to feel good and told to feel bad. -Pink Floyd
sdo@brunix.UUCP (Scott Oaks) (02/16/85)
I too liked Consenting Adult. Okay, it admittedly had some problems-- but given its persepective (that of the mother, not of Jeff) I thouht that it worked pretty well for what it was trying to do. SUre, we all know that Jeff must have had a harder time working things out for himself and that his role was not well-developed, but you can't do everything in two hours. I am still amazed that prime-time even tried. I remember when Making Love first came out (no pun intended), a lot a people compared it to the early Sidney Portier movies: they too weren't terribly realistic, presented easy-to-accept, squeaky-clean images, etc. Consenting Adult seems to be in this genre as well, which may be a stage through which the entertainment media must pass (it seemed to be a stage for the Portier movies, for example; the movies [if not TV] then went on to more realistic portrayals of Black people after that [though they might be in retrograde again]). Perhaps it's sort of like aversion therapy--you have to get straight people used to the fact that gay men touch before you get them used to the fact that they kiss. This last fact is somewhat unfortunate, but it seems to be the way things work, and it seems as if that's what we have to work against. But, however tentative, this at least seems to be a start.