"Doctors": Suitable Lunchtime Viewing?

[OrcadianOil]

Given that this programme is aired at 1:45 Mon - Fri, and that some of its storylines have involved, for example, overt homosexuality, both male and female, is it the kind of viewing which should be broadcast at this time?

Today's storyline involved a guy who was a transvestite, or as his uncannily understanding wife referred to it whilst trying to calm their seemingly traumatised 20ish year old daughter looking at her dad dressed in female clothing complete with wig and make up, that her husband/man in a dress/daughter's father "suffers from a condition called gender dysphoria". Try explaining that to an over curious 5 or 6 year old, sitting there asking mummy or daddy what "gender dysphoria" is???

[squarebear]

Wouldn't children be at school then?

[ummmm]

While they are at school. Or should be at school. Younger than that I don't think they would pay much attention tbh...

[cazzz1975]

my take is that children would be at school at that time its on and the ones who are not at school would not be old enough to understand the programme.

[jackthehat]

There are TV channels specifically given over to childrens programmes..........I would imagine children watching TV at lunchtimes would be watching one of them.

[another-view]

I would assume the adult in charge of the child would switch it over if they thought it was unsuitable. No need to punish everyone else because some people can't find the off button.

[OrcadianOil]

Okay, for all pedants on here, let's just, for the sake of argument, imagine that not every child the length and breadth of the land is either at school or watching Andy Pandy on the CBBC channels, right?

There now, that wasn't difficult, was it? In fact, let's make it even easier for your dull imaginations, and say that it's half term, summer hols etc?

[another-view]

Well let's also imagine that I won the lottery and the moon was made of cheese. About as many children watch "Doctors" as watch "Newsnight". Zero.

[cazzz1975]

still fine, I remember as a child the carry on films from the 70s were treated as harmless viewing for a sunday afternoon despite the nudity and the overtly smutty overtones

[ummmm]

Do you actually think it might damage them...many of these kids watch eastenders..

[bibblebub]

No worse than those four women gabbing on about showbiz fluff and their innuendo?

[cazzz1975]

the benny hill show was another smutty show, what about the cross dressing antics of dick emery?

thankfully I have reached adulthood unscathed ;)

[OrcadianOil]

The programme is becoming so sanitised, everyone is so PC that the "odd" one who isn't gets shunned and almost ostracised by the rest of the cast. Everyone has to be seen to be tolerant, but if not, the message is sent out loudly and clearly that their behaviour and views are unacceptable. Even today's episode ended with the hitherto outraged daughter finally accepting her cross dressing father.

The point is that this is far too heavy fare for lunchtime viewing when, for example, they wouldn't dare show things like nudity, have swearwords, show horror films etc, but they're quite happy to broadcast subjects in the name of drama which many parents/adults would find totally taboo and would have extreme difficulty explaining to their kids.

Let's have some realism, we shouldn't have lunchtime programmes sending out political messages, can we just have some good, old fashioned drama?

[poodicat]

Hear Hear,love you orcadian...

[jackthehat]

I believe that parents are quite capable of deciding whether to let their children watch a variety of programmes..

The point is that I (for my sins) quite enjoy watching Doctors at lunchtime........

[hc4361]

Homosexuality is legal and it is not improbable that a gay couple could live next to you and your children - you could even be invited to their civil partnership ceremony.

Yes, shock, horror - this scenario happens in the UK 6 days a week. Overt homosexuality is considered normal today, and a child would only be shocked by it if his parents had a bad attitude towards it.

I don't think most kids would blink an eye at a cross dresser.

[cc1]

Why does the rest of the population have to have its viewing censored because lazy parents dump their children in front of the TV, I would have thought a medical drama was hardly suitable viewing for a 5 or 6 six year old at all.
The universe does not revolve around your child, believe it or not!
I'm the mother of 2 by the way!

[oscarina]

It is daytime TV but in saying that anything goes, no consideration for children who may be home at that time! Parents need eyes in the back of their heads nowadays trying to protect their kids from adverse telly is a struggle.News bulletins are just as bad murder mayhem whatever!

[chrissa1]

I don't agree with you Orcadianoil.I enjoy Doctors whilst having my lunch. As others have said before me, if you don't want your children to watch, turn it off. My children are adults now but when they were young, I didn't have time to watch daytime TV and they wouldn't have sat down to watch it either, preferring Postman Pat etc.
How about changing your name to Mary Whitehouse?

[Greedyfly]

I don't see why children can't be told about things like this at that age. Maybe in simpler terms. I knew A LOT when I was five years old about birds and bees and gay and straight and women and men. I turned out fine for it. Why shouldn't we educate our children about stuff like this earlier in simpler terms so they understand?

As for the programme, if you don't want your kids to see it don't let them watch it....

[joeluke]

There is such a thing as the 9 o'clock watershed and any programmes containing homosexual content should have to be broadcast after that time in order to shelter impressionable young children