Constantine Will Not Be Allowed to Smoke on TV

[K12]

Called it months ago: demons, satanism, all okay for TV. Smoking = BAD.

Though I suppose there is some understanding to it. I've heard it's getting harder and harder to find a building you're allowed to smoke in, even film and TV studios so there's at least some logistics behind things. And it's a preferable compromise to flashing the surgeon general's warning every five minutes.

Still, this reduces te show to "not supernatural".

To be fair Demons and Satanism never actually killed anyone but smoking does so you could argue that it is more

Having said that I imagine falling down stairs probably kills more people,than smoking and we can't ban stairs... or gravity. I would enjoy watching the "no gravity on TV" rule pan out.

 

[Devin Barker]

I've said if before, DC just doesn't have it when it comes to a (non animated) cinematic anything.

 

[BrotherRool]

Sure, but there's a big difference between "Tobacco company paying to advertise smoking" and "Main character is dying of lung cancer because of smoking". If your aim is to put people off smoking, banning even negative portrayal really doesn't make sense.

That said, there's probably a much better argument to be made for such a ban on the grounds of actor health. Even if the actor is already a smoker themselves, forcing them to smoke a load more for their job is surely going to open you up to all kinds of suing if they actually do end up getting cancer.

Oh yeah that's definitely a good point. But I don't think it's an outright ban (except in places like Wales where it's banned for health reasons for the actors and the people consuming second hand smoke) it's just they've got a load of hoops you have to jump through and it was decided that it wasn't worthwhile in this case.

 

[Fox12]

I have never understood this about American TV. You can have a show about a cannibalistic serial killer but one guy smoking is going too far?

I will still give the show a chance but does this mean we will not get the Cancer story line?

The thing is, most people have a strong disposition against being a cannibalistic serial killer whereas it's not out of the bounds of possibility that someone may indeed take up a cigarette. The tobacco companies used to pay heavily to make all the cool characters in films chain smokers and it totally worked. They managed to create the perception that spending money buying their products was cool, when they were already bribing researchers to bury the health risks. There have probably been few more effective advertising campaigns than that one to be honest, they created a whole genre of cinema where chain smoking was meant to be a character trait.

I think these restrictions on the portrayal of smoking are effective to. I don't know about where you are but in the UK smoking has a pretty big stigma attached to it nowadays when it used to be the opposite way round. Now people do the apologetic face when they tell you they smoke. The public ban helped* that to because there are few sights more sad than seeing someone stand outside in a shelter during the rain because they'll get twitchy otherwise, but the TV restrictions and advertising restrictions helped.

Maybe they could do a Sherlock and make him an ex-smoker and do the cancer subplot from there? I've never read Constatine so I don't know if it's feasible.

The problem is that they're not glorifying the smoking. It gave him cancer. Of course, rules are rules, and most networks won't make exceptions. It's the same reason cartoons can't feature guns anymore, even if it doesn't make sense in context to leave them out. Instead of taking a side on an issue, they just ignore it altogether.

 

[DrOswald]

They can't be seen to be "Promoting smoking"?

He has FUCKING CANCER because of it?

While I agree that they should have left it in, how long does it take for him to get cancer? I mean, if it takes 3 seasons of this character smoking before he gets cancer then they are promoting smoking for 3 seasons. Secondly, he gets cancer, but that must be some weak cancer because he can still do his job. I've seen what cancer can do to a person, and it isn't pretty. And how long does he survive with his cancer? Because this is a TV show, it would be years most likely. Basically this would have the unintended message of "if you smoke you could get cancer, but cancer isn't that bad so don't worry about it."

 

[BrotherRool]

The problem is that they're not glorifying the smoking. It gave him cancer. Of course, rules are rules, and most networks won't make exceptions. It's the same reason cartoons can't feature guns anymore, even if it doesn't make sense in context to leave them out. Instead of taking a side on an issue, they just ignore it altogether.

It's not actually banned, it's just there were guidelines they'd have to follow which they decided not to bother with. I don't think Constantine is devoid of the glorifying stuff either. I literally just googled Constantine and these are all within the first page of images

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

I imagine it's that kind of imagery that they'd have to get approved or whatever. It makes sense they'd run into these problems because Constantine is full of the kind of trappings from a genre of films made at the height of the cigarette company advertising.

But I do agree it's silly that they're having trouble running a story about dealing with lung cancer because of anti-cigarette regulations

 

[Hdawger]

This upsets me way more than I thought it would. Smoking is a pretty integral part of the character. Also, I love how alcohol is still allowed everywhere on network TV, when it has ruined far more lives than tobacco ever has.

 

[Moeez]

Even just the smoking gave a lot of charm to Keanu Reeves' Constantine. I love that movie so much, my favourite of his roles.

 

[tzimize]

I love how the thumbnail frame is of him with flames pouring out his hands next to a headline about not being able to smoke.

Noticeably even the fire is failing to emit smoke however, NBC dont fuck around.

Hahahahahahahahaha, yeah that was funnier than it needs to be. Also, while I absolutely have no problems stomping on the tobacco industry, this is a big part of the character, and it seems silly to cut it.

The smoking and cancer thing is a big part of who he is, honestly I can tell already its gonna be more poorly adapted bland basic cable garbage like Arrow and smallville. Yeah I said it smallville was boring teen drama reskinned with an occasional special effect so they could call it superman. Arrow is a generic tv drama with a douche in a green suit so they can call it green arrow.

My exact thoughts. Now I also have to say, that while smallville was absolutely horrible (with the exception of everything about Lex), Arrow is actually pretty interesting. They do stuff with DC universe roles and actually use the source material instead of shoving it to the side. Also the plot is moving forward at the speed of light, compared to Smallvilles status quo.

 

[Vicount Tinselby]

So only cable companies can show smoking? i thought AMC was a major channel in America, and Mad Men is basically 'SMOKING the series'

 

[softclocks]

What a joke.

Apparently they need a half-assed tv-adaption to go with their half-assed movie-adaption.

 

[Dragon Zero]

I distinctly remember NCIS had a character that chain smoked all the time! Hell was he even smoking in a hospital in one of his first scenes until a nurse told him to stop. If I remember correctly, his name was Mike Franks and he was played by the always awesome Muse Watson. Granted it wasn't a main cast member but a recurring character, so maybe it has to be a main character. Either that or CBS can do what NBC can't.

 

[Nowhere Man]

I saw this coming for months when the show was first announced. That's stupid Political Correctness for ya. I have a feeling NBC will cancel the show early in it's run anyway (that's network television for ya).

This is a show that should be on cable, or better yet HBO or Showtime.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I have never understood this about American TV. You can have a show about a cannibalistic serial killer but one guy smoking is going too far?

I also got to question the logic of this. I mean presumably this show isn't going to be marketed at impressionable young people. And even if it was, I think showing mass murders and such as just a bit worse than showing a character smoking.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not fan of smoking and I'd rather it not be glorified, but priorities FFS.

 

[Poetic Nova]

Not a fan of smoking but it is part of Constantine's character. Shame, I was looking forward to this. Ohwell, there's still the movie, which I really like.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

In other news, Gotham's Seleina Kyle won't be stealing because that's a negative message to kids, Sam and Dean of Supernatural fame won't be drinking or sleeping with sexy women anymore, and finally all the Houses of Game of Thrones have agreed to a peace summit this Fall to be held on Sesame Street!

 

[happyninja42]

I have never understood this about American TV. You can have a show about a cannibalistic serial killer but one guy smoking is going too far?

I don't watch Hannibal so I can't say about how they portray him or not. But I think the distinction is whether or not the character in question is being portrayed as the protagonist and role model. Pretty sure Hannibal doesn't depict him as the "good guy" so it's ok to show him doing despicable things. (again, don't watch the show, so I could be wrong here) But with Constantine, he's going to be the Good Guy, the Rugged Hero, fighting to save innocents from the forces of hell and all that. So he will be someone that (in theory) viewers might try to emmulate. Thus, they don't want to imply that they condone smoking.

I will still give the show a chance but does this mean we will not get the Cancer story line?

He could still have cancer. Lots of people get cancer of different types that have nothing to do with smoking.

 

[Dr. Octogonopus]

Can HBO just be in charge of all tv adaptations? Please?

Now I haven't read the comics but why choose to adapt it into a tv series if you're going to drop one of the main characteristics of Constantine? I mean who are they trying to market this to? Can't be the fans of the comic and if it's aimed at the general public, why base it off of an established IP?

I generally try not to view a series in a negative light while it's still in development, but this just sounds like Supernatural clone #37624

I understand that smoking on tv is bad because "Think of the children" but a Hellraiser series is obviously not something that should be aimed at or viewed by children.

Does anyone know if this has been given an age rating yet? Because if it's PG13 I'm out.