What was your opnion when tv shows were given ratings in 1997?


Though I have nothing against it, but some networks have them covering most the screen.

I really didn't notice them and when I did, I really didn't care.  They never affected my viewing habits.  I didn't need them to tell me that NYPD Blue had strong language, violence and mild sexual content.  I kinda figured that out on my own.

I'm suprised they didn't get them in the late 1980s or early 1990s myself. 

Yea I remember when the ratings just started to appear, there was a lot of talk about it then. I think it was a good idea to advise people on the content of TV programs.

Yea I remember when the ratings just started to appear, there was a lot of talk about it then. I think it was a good idea to advise people on the content of TV programs.


Was "South Park" part of the reason?  That show really blew away so many boundaries when it premiered in 1997, although it's cable so it's not so much of a big deal.  Even today most networks probably wouldn't air it unless it was really late at night or something.

The early and even middle 1990s had a lot less explicit TV than the '00s.

Was "South Park" part of the reason?  That show really blew away so many boundaries when it premiered in 1997, although it's cable so it's not so much of a big deal.  Even today most networks probably wouldn't air it unless it was really late at night or something.

The early and even middle 1990s had a lot less explicit TV than the '00s.


This was just after they started putting the ratings on the video games too. Yea I think "South Park" is part of the reason, more explicit shows like that were appearing and a lot of those parent groups were complaining, I think the congress was putting pressure on them too. So the TV networks got together and created this rating system.

This was just after they started putting the ratings on the video games too. Yea I think "South Park" is part of the reason, more explicit shows like that were appearing and a lot of those parent groups were complaining, I think the congress was putting pressure on them too. So the TV networks got together and created this rating system.


Is NYPD Blue the prime cause of the looser censorship rules?  Because up to early 1993 TV was really clean.

Is NYPD Blue the prime cause of the looser censorship rules?  Because up to early 1993 TV was really clean.




It's part of a trend. Really I think there has been a trend in the last 15 years or so of more explicit things becomming more acceptable on tv or on the radio, not highly explicit stuff but more suggestive stuff. A lot of things you hear on network tv nowadays you probably wouldn't hear in 1985.

I hate how big the ratings boxes are.  When I'm watching a TV show, that big black ratings box appears in the corner, and usually blocks something important to the plot of the show  >:(

It's part of a trend. Really I think there has been a trend in the last 15 years or so of more explicit things becomming more acceptable on tv or on the radio, not highly explicit stuff but more suggestive stuff. A lot of things you hear on network tv nowadays you probably wouldn't hear in 1985.


So around 1991ish, you'd say it occurred?

Were there like, you know stuff like eating deer wangs and crushing people into bloody pulps and stuff in the early '90s or is that level more a late '90s thing?  I do think that the trend probably originates back to as early as 1986 or 1987.

So around 1991ish, you'd say it occurred?

Were there like, you know stuff like eating deer wangs and crushing people into bloody pulps and stuff in the early '90s or is that level more a late '90s thing?  I do think that the trend probably originates back to as early as 1986 or 1987.


In the early '90s there were mostly family sitcoms I think on network tv, I watched Nickelodeon mostly then so I can't say I know for sure, lol. I don't believe there were any CSI type shows though.

In the early '90s there were mostly family sitcoms I think on network tv, I watched Nickelodeon mostly then so I can't say I know for sure, lol. I don't believe there were any CSI type shows though.


Yeah.  That sounds right.

There were a few CSI type shows in the early 90's ... Law and Order, NYPD Blue, Homicide : Life on the Street

[quote author=whis

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Law & Order: SVU and the early Law & Order were pretty damn explicit, I think of the '90s as when TV really got gorey. I remember when that happened in 1997, I thought it was very perturbing at the time (I was seven and wanted to seem older, I guess  ::)), but now I think it's probably a good idea...even I think there's too much sex and violence for no particular reason on TV these days.

Homicide and NYPD both premiered in 1993, that's really more mid '90s. Law and Order though premiered in 1990 so I'd count it.


How gory is your typical 199 early '90s Law And Order episode? I'm not asking you in particular, but anyone.  Describe (not too graphically, because there are kids here!) the most disturbing scene.

Some 1990 Season 1 Synopses:

When Logan and Greevey investigate how a family man came to be found unconscious in Central Park, they uncover a very high-class call girl operation run by a well-educated socialite.

Greevey and Logan investigate the death of a little girl in a respectable middle class family and uncover an unsuspected battered wife and evidence of long-time child abuse

An artist noted for his sadomasochism themes is found dead under suspicious circumstances, and an arts commissioner and a socialite come under investigation.

The detectives investigate the claims of a black teenager that she was raped by white policemen, which is grabbed by a publicity hungry black politician who harasses Stone and Robinette to prosecute.

The accidental shooting of two children by a 14-year-old hired killer leads to a drug dealer and a real estate agent.

Stone and Robinette are reluctant to prosecute a gay man for "assisting" the suicides of AIDS sufferers.

Some 1990 Season 1 Synopses:

When Logan and Greevey investigate how a family man came to be found unconscious in Central Park, they uncover a very high-class call girl operation run by a well-educated socialite.

Greevey and Logan investigate the death of a little girl in a respectable middle class family and uncover an unsuspected battered wife and evidence of long-time child abuse

An artist noted for his sadomasochism themes is found dead under suspicious circumstances, and an arts commissioner and a socialite come under investigation.

The detectives investigate the claims of a black teenager that she was raped by white policemen, which is grabbed by a publicity hungry black politician who harasses Stone and Robinette to prosecute.

The accidental shooting of two children by a 14-year-old hired killer leads to a drug dealer and a real estate agent.

Stone and Robinette are reluctant to prosecute a gay man for "assisting" the suicides of AIDS sufferers.


That could indeed be CSI!

But, for 1990 that was the very worst it got.  There was no "South Park" then, or even "Beavis and Butt-head".

Yeah...TV was pretty bland, by and large, until the mid-1990s. I also think some of it could've been stuff like Ren and Stimpy, Seinfeld, The Simpsons which had some more adult themes and was exposed easily to children, leading to outrage. But yeah, early '90s Law and Order was probably the first show that had strip clubs and S&M on TV, and I think that was pretty controversial for its time. I also think TV was even blander and cleaner in the '80s than the '70s, which had shows that had more sexual and explicit themes on them. '80s TV was just very, very bland, and saw the rise of all these conservative groups influencing it.

Yeah...TV was pretty bland, by and large, until the mid-1990s. I also think some of it could've been stuff like Ren and Stimpy, Seinfeld, The Simpsons which had some more adult themes and was exposed easily to children, leading to outrage. But yeah, early '90s Law and Order was probably the first show that had strip clubs and S&M on TV, and I think that was pretty controversial for its time. I also think TV was even blander and cleaner in the '80s than the '70s, which had shows that had more sexual and explicit themes on them. '80s TV was just very, very bland, and saw the rise of all these conservative groups influencing it.


Yeah, I love the '80s but the TV just sucked then.  The '70s had "All in the Family" at least.

Yeah, I love the '80s but the TV just sucked then.  The '70s had "All in the Family" at least.


All in the Family is great, I love that show, lol. '80 TV was alright but not quite as funny as some of those '70s shows.

'70s TV was pretty progressive for back then, it had stuff like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude, M*A*S*H, Barney Miller, Chico and the Man, Rhoda, Taxi, The Jeffersons, and Alice. When you get a severe decade backlash like '70s-'80s you gain and lose stuff. We got better, more original music and lost decent TV for mindless fluff-the '80s was a blankspot in TV that aged very badly, about as badly as the '00s will age in terms of TV. The '70s and '90s are more timeless TV decades.

'70s TV was pretty progressive for back then, it had stuff like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude, M*A*S*H, Barney Miller, Chico and the Man, Rhoda, Taxi, The Jeffersons, and Alice. When you get a severe decade backlash like '70s-'80s you gain and lose stuff. We got better, more original music and lost decent TV for mindless fluff-the '80s was a blankspot in TV that aged very badly, about as badly as the '00s will age in terms of TV. The '70s and '90s are more timeless TV decades.



That's very true. Other than a couple of shows that came out in the late part of the decade(87+) there really weren't a whole lot of memorable 80's sitcoms. I generally think the same thing about the 2000's as well. Unless t.v gets better in the later part of this decade then I agree that the t.v of the 00's wont date well.

I'm suprised they didn't get them in the late 1980s or early 1990s myself. 

Me too. In '91, when I was 11, I watched a lot of shows that might now fall in the category of TVY or TVY7 (i.e., children's programs).

Yeah, I think '80s TV has dated worse than that of any other decade...stuff like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Odd Couple from the '70s is basically timeless, and '90s TV like Seinfeld and the early The Simpsonsi will probably continue to be applicable to daily life. '00s TV will also probably date pretty badly, and I'm including the primetime soaps, crime analysis shows, and sci-fi dramas in that, along with the abhorrent reality TV (about 95% of it sucks balls.)

Yeah, I think '80s TV has dated worse than that of any other decade...stuff like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Odd Couple from the '70s is basically timeless, and '90s TV like Seinfeld and the early The Simpsonsi will probably continue to be applicable to daily life. '00s TV will also probably date pretty badly, and I'm including the primetime soaps, crime analysis shows, and sci-fi dramas in that, along with the abhorrent reality TV (about 95% of it sucks balls.)



Reality TV is a genre that is sort of designed for this period of time. I think once it dies It'll be one of those things that never comes back.

^I think so too.  Trends that actually began in the '00s are very limited to the Zero Decade.  Does anyone really think glam rap and emo will still be hot in 2016?

In the early '90s there were mostly family sitcoms I think on network tv,

Like Full House and Family Matters...those were the ones I enjoyed watching most in the early 90s.

Like Full House and Family Matters...those were the ones I enjoyed watching most in the early 90s.


I watched Family Matters quite a bit too throughout the '90s, watched Full House a little.

I watched Family Matters quite a bit too throughout the '90s, watched Full House a little.

Yeah...Family Matters ran for nine seasons, I think. It was probably during its final season when the TV rating system started. It may have gotten TVG or TVPG ratings, depending on what happened in each episode.

I remember watching Family Matters in the late nineties, I think.  TV was sure different in the nineties, unlike music.

^I think so too.  Trends that actually began in the '00s are very limited to the Zero Decade.  Does anyone really think glam rap and emo will still be hot in 2016?


Nope, they're like the Dating Game and polyester leisure suits and pet rocks to the '70s. Something we'll all look back on and cry about collectively.

^I think so too.  Trends that actually began in the '00s are very limited to the Zero Decade.  Does anyone really think glam rap and emo will still be hot in 2016?



The 00's are like the 80's in that regard as well. Alot of trends in that decade were limited to the 80's and once we moved into the 90's they got left by the wayside. Glam rap will be about as popular in 2016 as hair metal was in 1996 ;D

really i used to think the ratings would be a big deal in the future but then it just didnt really matter :o

They don't much matter to me...I was 16 or 17 when they were launched, so they never really affected me. :-\\