Smoking "ups" a show's rating?

[sam_gordon]

Anyone else notice this? I'm not talking about quality rating, but the content rating. Watching shows on Netflix and Amazon, when they put up the content rating (TV-PG, TV-14, TV-R, TV-MA), I see the normal "violence, nudity, language, etc", but now many shows have also included "smoking" in the description.

Don't get me wrong, I'm against smoking. But it's still legal (at least in the US). Is it really some kind of trigger that viewers need to be warned about it?

 

[Wendy1985]

I don’t get it either although with Covid I can see it as it being more of a warning

 

[GreatLakes]

Foul language, nudity, and some of the violence is legal too.

I suspect it is so you know if your kids are going to see smoking in the show.

 

[ronandannette]

Not since Mad Men can I remember seeing any "good" characters smoking on-screen. It's hardly glamourous in any way.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If I had to guess it's because for the last several decades they've tried really hard to curb youth smoking. All the "truth" campaigns and whatnot and vaping in recent years.

Makes sense that it would be added to a rating structure/warning depiction that is aimed at parental guidance.

 

[tvguy]

I wonder if METV and classic TV show channels will have to change their ratings to reflect smoking? It was normal in shows shot in the 1950's and 1960's. An extreme case is Father Knows Best. A wholesome show whose sponsor was Kent cigarettes. The sponsorship was part of the show open with the star, wholesome Robert Young puffing on the sponsors product while he greets his clean cut family.

 

[prairie_girl]

I watched a movie recently where they did have an updated rating to include smoking. They also added a second screen (with voiceover) saying that the movie is being shown in its original format, and includes sexual assault. I think that’s a good addition because it can be triggering for some people who have experienced it.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Now that you mention it, yes I have seen the warning flash on the screen, but haven't really thought much about it.

I am old, I grew up seeing people smoke all the time so it does not have much effect on me.

 

[sam_gordon]

Foul language, nudity, and some of the violence is legal too.

I suspect it is so you know if your kids are going to see smoking in the show.

Well, I'd say you don't usually see nudity and violence out in public. Foul language, yes, but I'd say it's still unusual. Smoking you could see walking down the street.

I'm guessing it is so parents would know if there's smoking and they could judge if they want their kids watching the show. But I don't understand the why (on the parents side). Maybe because I grew up seeing people smoke (and still see people take smoke breaks) that seeing it doesn't really trigger me.

 

[mom2rtk]

Not since Mad Men can I remember seeing any "good" characters smoking on-screen. It's hardly glamourous in any way.

I recall noticing it having quite a presence in "The Crown".

 

[BrianL]

I don't know that it actually ups the rating, like to TV-MA, but it does get mentioned in the descriptors. Even on Disney+ it will note when something contains tobacco depictions. Even REturn of the Jedi has it because Jabba smokes a hookah - though that's not actually Tobacco, he is inhaling the water those little frog-creatures he was eating swim in!

 

[ronandannette]

Well, I'd say you don't usually see nudity and violence out in public. Foul language, yes, but I'd say it's still unusual. Smoking you could see walking down the street.

I'm guessing it is so parents would know if there's smoking and they could judge if they want their kids watching the show. But I don't understand the why (on the parents side). Maybe because I grew up seeing people smoke (and still see people take smoke breaks) that seeing it doesn't really trigger me.

I wish this were true. Swearing is ubiquitous and you'll get a robust defense here on the DIS of why it's perfectly fine and even perhaps desirable to let 'er rip. Interesting though that smoking, at least where I live, has almost entirely become a private activity. It's prohibited to smoke practically anywhere in public, including walking down the sidewalk within 20 m of the entrance to public buildings or in parks, for example.

I recall noticing it having quite a presence in "The Crown".

My yes - you're so right! I'd forgotten about it. Of course though it does depict an entirely different time. I'm imagining some of the shows I watch that are set in modern-day. Take Billions or Succession for example - of all the abhorrent and outrageous behaviour those characters get up to, they don't stoop low enough to smoke cigarettes.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Anyone else notice this?...

Yes. I'm not a smoker either, but had pretty much the same reaction as you - thinking "Is this really a big enough thing to change the rating?"

 

[sam_gordon]

But are there parents that are concerned over their kids seeing people smoke in TV shows/movies? I get wanting to know about the other items (language, nudity, violence), but I'm not following the logic on being notified about smoking.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

they may be changing those to "minor violence, mature situations, alcohol use, tobacco use, people standing too close together without masks on"

 

[disneychrista]

I don’t even pay attention to the tv rating. I watch all my TV via Hulu, does it even have ratings.? Other than when they decide it is for mature audiences?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

These ratings can't be applied to what physically goes on in the public so saying you saw smoking growing up yeah that's not the point unless we should have comic book bubbles walking around with us giving other people warning lol.

The ratings and the descriptions are often a reflection of the changing of the society. It's really that simple.

 

[GreatLakes]

Well, I'd say you don't usually see nudity and violence out in public. Foul language, yes, but I'd say it's still unusual. Smoking you could see walking down the street.

I'm guessing it is so parents would know if there's smoking and they could judge if they want their kids watching the show. But I don't understand the why (on the parents side). Maybe because I grew up seeing people smoke (and still see people take smoke breaks) that seeing it doesn't really trigger me.

I'm about as anti-smoking as you can be but I agree. It isn't something anyone won't see in the real world, though hopefully less and less. I'm frankly more worried about my kid vaping as opposed to smoking.

 

[sam_gordon]

These ratings can't be applied to what physically goes on in the public so saying you saw smoking growing up yeah that's not the point unless we should have comic book bubbles walking around with us giving other people warning lol.

The reason I brought up seeing smoking growing up is because maybe that makes it seem "normal" to me (although I'm against it)". The other things usually included in content ratings (violence, nudity, sexual situations, language, etc) I generally don't see out in public. Granted, I'll hear foul language, but not usually in "polite" company.

The ratings and the descriptions are often a reflection of the changing of the society. It's really that simple.

And so I'm asking... are there parents who want to know if a show includes smoking so they can either keep their child from watching it or talk about it ahead of time? That's what I don't get.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The reason I brought up seeing smoking growing up is because maybe that makes it seem "normal" to me (although I'm against it)". The other things usually included in content ratings (violence, nudity, sexual situations, language, etc) I generally don't see out in public. Granted, I'll hear foul language, but not usually in "polite" company.

It's not about what you see in public although those other things you've mentioned I'm quite certain we've all seen some form of we just don't see it as eye brow raising for most of it.

And so I'm asking... are there parents who want to know if a show includes smoking so they can either keep their child from watching it or talk about it ahead of time? That's what I don't get.

You could contact the appropriate rating division if you want their answer but TBH you'd likely get a canned one.

The thing is I *think* you're trying to make the argument that what's the point in shielding kids they're going to see it at some point anyways you can't prevent a kid from never seeing smoking ever but that's not what these ratings are about (and apologies if that's not where you're getting at). They just reflect the changing times. What parents do with this knowledge or what they choose to watch themselves (as it's not always just the parent here) is up to them. So if they feel like the rating or description or both means a talk ahead that's what it means or maybe it means they just don't watch it. The point is they rate based on changing criteria and provide descriptions as they feel needed and what the consumer does with that is entirely up to them.

As the decades have gone on what constitutes acceptable violence has changed so has inappropriate language so has sexual situations. I remember a thread on here about the big uproar over Incredibles 2 and some joke or word used that parents/people on here were aghast that Disney would let in and with it being rated PG but if you go to the description it plainly reads "Rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language"

We've seen the "tobacco use" or "smoking" descriptions and they just are there as an update to reflect what is on the minds of society. While clearly different as it's a safety thing flashing light sequences warnings are of similar vein. At some point we decided that might be a good thing to warn about but it wasn't done immediately.

I do get where you're coming from in that it's really just started getting around as far as a lot of things including it in. I guess I just sorta saw it as it took time and well here we are now kind of thing.