BO's hit drama series Game of Thrones is known for several things: Its jaw-dropping plot twists, its sprawling cast of characters, its fantasy nerd-appeal, and — above all — its many (many) naked women. The show's relentless use of nudity has become so outlandish, says Anna Holmes at The Washington Post, that it "often overshadows or distracts from the actual story." While critics continue to extol the Emmy-winning drama, which chronicles a power struggle in a fantasy medieval kingdom, its soft-porn leanings can no longer be forgiven, Holmes argues. Is the show's nudity groaningly gratuitous?
Absolutely: The nudity is "completely unnecessary and throws me out of the story," says Corrina Lawson at Wired. It's too often used as a cheat to punch-up scenes in which dry chunks of backstory are delivered. The most offensive example: Petyr Baelish recalls his character's personal history while two prostitutes randomly pleasure each other in the background. George R. R. Martin's books are so rich that the TV adaptation needn't resort to such desperate titillation. Other cable series pack in sex and nudity but their eroticism feels more integral.
"Game of Thrones: The sexplanation show"
Actually the nudity is thoughtful and necessary: The nudity is used strategically to shed light on characters' personalities in clever ways, says Alyssa Rosenberg at Think Progress. When, for example, the prostitute Ros flashes Theon, she shows "her comfort with her body as a commodity while also reinforcing Theon as kind of a randy idiot." Such scenes aren't gratuitous because they carry the sort of subtext that gives the female characters "personality and humanity they don't have in the novels."
"A (partial) defense of nudity in Game of Thrones"
At least be fair about it: It's bad enough that Game of Thrones' nudity is so cynical and expedient, says Holmes. At the very least, the show could be egalitarian about it. "There is something wearying and numbing about the series' relentless ogling at the female form." Does HBO honestly think Game of Thrones is only watched by heterosexual men? How about some male eye candy, too? By my count, only one male character has bared all — hardly fair.
"Skin is wearing thin on HBO's Game of Thrones"
- How typeface influences the way we read and think
- Huawei's new super-thin P6 smartphone is also perfect for selfies
- WATCH: Australia's army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse
- The last telegram ever is about to be sent
- 5 takeaways from Obama's sit-down with Charlie Rose
- The last word: He said he was leaving. She ignored him.
- Can fetuses masturbate?
- The 10-cent revolution: Everything you need to know about Brazil's massive protests
- Is the momentum for gay marriage real, or just media hype?
- New Snowden leak: NSA, Britain's GCHQ, eavesdropped on foreign leaders
- WATCH: Australia's army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse
- How typeface influences the way we read and think
- The last word: He said he was leaving. She ignored him.
- Why are Japanese teenagers licking each other's eyeballs?
- Sarah Palin's Fox return proves conservative media outlets don't care about conservatism
- The week's best photojournalism
- Where are the honest atheists?
- Scientists discover an entirely new human body part… in the eye
- Girls on Film: Of course we need more female directors!
- Why conservatives can't whitewater Obama
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
