General Discussion

LittleBlue

(10,362 posts)

14. Abortions aren't very pleasant for fiction or reality TV

Reply to cthulu2016 (Original post)

Wed Apr 30, 2014, 01:14 PM

Apr 2014

TV dramas rely on extending the drama to keep interest. Who wants to sit there for the rest of the movie/show and think about a dead fetus? Not when the baby can be a constant source of laughter and tension. The producers would be accused of making money on the dead. And anyway, babies are cute! *squee*

My guess is that the people running the networks know that dead fetuses don't fare well in prime time.

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Abortion not an Option in Popular Culture [View all] cthulu2016 Apr 2014 OP

Good observation. nt ZombieHorde Apr 2014 #1

I have long noticed this about television sitcoms Tom Ripley Apr 2014 #2

Erica Kane had one on All My Children in 1973. Brickbat Apr 2014 #3

Thanks. Tom Ripley Apr 2014 #6

Erica Kane is a great example of what we are discussing, because years later they reversed it. StevieM Apr 2014 #40

Roseanne me b zola Apr 2014 #7

Claire Underwood on House of Cards. LeftyMom Apr 2014 #31

Spenser For Hire hamsterjill Apr 2014 #33

Hollywood Cartoonist Apr 2014 #4

Nobody should dictate content, of course. cthulu2016 Apr 2014 #16

I'm old enough to remember the outcry over "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" Coventina Apr 2014 #5

Abortion peaked right around Fast Times. Early 1980s. cthulu2016 Apr 2014 #10

Agreed. Abortion is a moral & positive choice that liberates women, saves lives, & protects families PeaceNikki Apr 2014 #8

Exactly LittleGirl Apr 2014 #27

I have thought the same thing for a long time NV Whino Apr 2014 #9

TV series Parenthood ALBliberal Apr 2014 #11

Love that show LittleGirl Apr 2014 #32

Not a teen, but Gray's Anatomy covered it in prime time PeaceNikki Apr 2014 #12

You are absolutely correct. MicaelS Apr 2014 #13

Abortions aren't very pleasant for fiction or reality TV LittleBlue Apr 2014 #14

And apparently, many Americans are psychologically on the level of small children... nomorenomore08 Apr 2014 #41

You just noticed this? LittleBlue Apr 2014 #44

Lucy Ewing (played by Charlene Tilton) had an abortion on "Dallas" in 1982. Nye Bevan Apr 2014 #15

Around the same time as FAST TIMES (as discussed upthread) cthulu2016 Apr 2014 #19

Only one show comes to mind... skypilot Apr 2014 #17

Take notice, too, of pregnancy-test advertising. kentauros Apr 2014 #18

or depressed over a positive result. nt Ligyron Apr 2014 #25

I can understand not having that result in a commercial kentauros Apr 2014 #29

Part of that might be that people trying to get pregnant buy more tests. LeftyMom Apr 2014 #36

Okay, never thought of that point. kentauros Apr 2014 #37

Come to think of it, does/did anyone on the soaps ever have an abortion? since 1973? raccoon Apr 2014 #20

General Hospital Ghost of Tom Joad Apr 2014 #22

I just did a project on teen pregnancy arikara Apr 2014 #21

Nordic countries are so smart LittleGirl Apr 2014 #34

Maude volstork Apr 2014 #23

Thanks for posting this. hamsterjill Apr 2014 #39

You're welcome volstork May 2014 #45

Boy isn't that the truth! hamsterjill May 2014 #46

K & R SunSeeker Apr 2014 #24

Ever notice houses that the kids on Teen Mom live in and the cars that they drive? blueamy66 Apr 2014 #26

Great "conservative correctness" on the part of "liberal Hollywood". alp227 Apr 2014 #28

You're exactly right Ron Obvious Apr 2014 #30

I agree with you get the red out Apr 2014 #38

Reality TV isn't very "realistic" to me. hamsterjill Apr 2014 #35

DING DING DING! Cthulu, you're our grand prize winner! rocktivity Apr 2014 #42

thank you rocktivity angel823 Apr 2014 #43

Joan on Mad Men was given a referreral and chided for having an earlier abortion bettyellen May 2014 #47