Two Bits – Am I a prude by today’s TV standards?

Channel surfing the other night, I clicked on the show Vikings and was confronted by a full-screen image of a warrior fellow loudly and lustily banging his wife/girlfriend/slave with all the sound effects, visuals and whatever else thrown in.
How far have we come since the days that Hollywood could only film couples in bed if the man had one foot on the floor! I must confess my eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling as I wondered what young eyes were taking this in. I wonder how seeing this on the screen models their behaviour?
Or is it me who is out of step? Growing up in a prudish society where our young and insatiably curious eyes were shielded from any remotely sexual behaviour onscreen or in print by the notorious Film and Publications Board, has obviously modelled my generation. So does my being shocked now only indicate that I should get out more?
Research conducted in 25 European countries shows that around one-third of parents worry about their children seeing inappropriate content online – and are more concerned about this than their children’s use of alcohol or drugs. So I’m not alone in disapproving of explicit sex being screened in the family entertainment area.
It got me thinking about DSTV in general, what I’m paying for and whether it’s worth it. In truth, we watch a miniscule number of the couple of hundred channels. ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ is a favourite, we watch a few movies a month and the rest of the time I watch sport or the news. Couldn’t care a hoot about the rest, but I’m paying plenty for them anyway.
So am I really getting value for the R800 plus subscription? I don’t think so. News, sport and a couple of the documentary-style channels serve up fresh content, but the rest are interminable repeats. It explains why people are glued to Masterchef – they crave fresh content.
I am intrigued by Netflix and might take up their offer of a free trial. A friend says their home ADSL line copes well with the downloads, but a trial will test that for me. To get a huge choice of movies and series for the price of a monthly movie ticket is attractive. I can live without sport – with a wrench – and I can get news on the radio, in the paper or online.
We live in a fast-changing world. Uber taxis, AirBnB, online shopping, online everything, is changing our world so fast it makes my head spin.
Netflix has evolved from a one-at-a-time DVD rental company to the world leader in streaming video. It forsaw the future, took action and is now reaping the rewards.
I wonder if the writing isn’t on the wall for subscription TV? DSTV is part of the hugely successful Naspers stable, but word on the street is that DSTV is suffering. In five years’ time, will subscription TV seem like a bad dream? Only time will tell.

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Joost van der Westhuizen’s death marks the end of an era in South African sport. He was considered one of the best-ever scrumhalfs ever in world rugby. Few have come close to matching his aggression, skill and speed on the field. He was capped 89 times for his country and people will talk for many years about his performance in the 1995 World Cup final.
He had his share of ups and downs. He was hoist high as a hero, then cast down in the depths by scandal and divorce. Human frailty is never a pretty sight, though he achieved a measure of redemption in latter years. A doccie on Monday night showed that he fought his illness with determination and a cheerful outlook, as well as using his fame to campaign for support for other motor neuron disease sufferers.
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Not every badly unkempt guy is homeless. It could well be that he lives with three females and only one bathroom.