A controversial scene in a new Netflix drama has been hit with strong criticism from viewers.
Fans of the streaming giant are hitting back at a graphic scene in a new TV show that’s airing right now.
The drama – based on Tom Wolfe’s best-selling novel of the same name – sees real estate mogul Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels) defend his empire following a catastrophic fall from grace.
The show’s official synopsis reads: “Facing relentless foes and sudden bankruptcy, an Atlanta real estate tycoon must claw his way back to the top when his empire begins to crumble.”
But it’s not the storyline that’s got people up in arms.
There’s one scene, in particular, that has generated a lot of controversy, and once you see it, it’s pretty understandable why.
While the show does feature a warning for ‘s**, language, s** reference, s**ual images, and injury detail’, it doesn’t provide a warning for the scene in question.
In the final episode, actor Tom Pelphrey’s character – Raymond Peepgrass – has just taken some V**gra.
He then drops his bedsheet in front of Croker to reveal the results…
Viewers have been left particularly horrified by the scene as there’s a lack of warning.
Mary Killen – Gogglebox star and columnist at the Spectator – says, per the Daily Mail: “I don’t want to see graphic s**ual images when I’m watching a drama. There is too much already and it is reducing us to no better than barnyard animals.
“Viewers shouldn’t be forced to see p****graphy. This trend will end in tears as it’s depressing, unmysterious, and taking away some of life’s magic.”
Radio 4 contributor Anne Atkins writes: “Where are the boundaries now, Netflix? A visibly erect p**is is not only revolting to many normal viewers but artistically completely unnecessary: a glance down, a raised eyebrow would have done far more.”
Tory MP Alexander Stafford adds, per National World: “If Netflix is serving up this sort of low-grade, p****graphic rubbish, we need to give Ofcom full oversight of the streaming giant’s output as soon as possible.”
Fellow Tory MP Sara Britcliffe comments: “Streaming services are available at any time of day, so watershed protection doesn’t apply.”
Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, states: “In applying generally accepted standards, broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context.”
There is no explicit ban on the depiction of an erect p**is.
The organization’s Broadcasting Code states that s** and nudity scenes must be after the watershed and not be easily accessible to children, but, as Britcliffe suggested, because Netflix is a streaming service that falls within the jurisdiction of Holland, Ofcom has no power to issue sanctions on the platform, per Radio Times.
People have been loving the series despite the scene, with one writing on X, formerly Twitter: “Such a fun series with the craziest ending I have ever seen.”
A second person jokes: “What was the show called? Just making sure I know which one it is, so I can avoid it…”
While a third laughs: “The show is called A Man in Full, if that’s not a warning then there is no helping them.”
Netflix is voluntarily signed up to the British Board of Film Classification, and A Man in Full is rated 15+ by the platform.
