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HBO’s New Teen Drama “Euphoria” Causing Controversy for Explicit Content

HBOs new teen drama, “Euphoria”,  has caused controversy for it’s explicit sexual content, violence and depiction of extreme drug usage. In one episode there were no fewer than 30 penises on show. In the pilot episode there is the rape of a 17 year old trans girl, and a teen sex scene involving choking. The show is described as  the most unflinching  and explicit take on modern American adolescence to be seen on TV.

The show’s creator Sam Levinson, 34, son of director Barry Levinson, says the show is based on his own experiences growing up and dealing with drug addiction.

HBO has been trying to make a name for itself creating edgy content, that pushes back the barriers. However, for many parents this will be seen as a step too far as Parents Television Council president Tim Winter argues that the series “appears to be overtly, intentionally marketing extremely graphic adult content — sex, violence, profanity and drug use — to teens and preteens.”

Reportedly one actor, Brian “Astro” Bradley, 22, a former X-factor contestant, left during the filming, as he was reportedly unhappy with changes to the script in the pilot, which would see him in an intense sex scene. Furthermore it’s suggested he was unhappy with his character exploring homosexuality in future episodes.

Read More: Hollywood Reporter

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The Newsroom: “We Just Decided To” Review – IGN

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by RL Shaffer JUNE 24, 2012

In 1976, world renowned filmmaker Sidney Lumet made a film called “Network”, with Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and William Holden. In the film’s most famous sequence, a news anchor named Howard Beale (Finch) has a mental breakdown on camera. He engages his audience directly and rants for several minutes about the nature of journalism and humanity’s failings, culminating in one of cinema’s greatest lines,”I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

…”The Newsroom” (premiering Sunday, 6/24 at 10pm PST/EST), where Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) has a similar outburst after being asked why America is the best country on the planet. While he’s nothing but calm, jovial and humorous in the moments preceding his rant…

While McAvoy’s anti-American outburst is perceived as ugly by the public and his peers, the rant is nothing more than an angry follow-up to Beale’s “Mad as hell” rant from more than 30 years ago…

…Naturally, “The Newsroom” does feature the usual left-of-center commentary from Sorkin, but for those who’ve long fallen in love with the writer’s ideals, cynical take on politics and hope for a better future, there’s much to adore about this new series. And Sorkin does his best to keep things refreshing, despite having played in similar sandboxes in the past, with shows like “Sports Night” and “The West Wing”, and with movies like “Charlie Wilson’s War” and even “The Social Network”.

“The Newsroom” debuts Sunday, June 24th at 10pm ET/PT on HBO.

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