Underbelly prequel to be just as racy
Underbelly producers knock back a self-censorship request from Nine. Expect more nudity.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
The writers of Underbelly have told the Screen Producers’ Association conference the second series of the crime drama will be just as hot as the first, indicating more nudity and swearing in store.
Screentime’s Peter Gawler and Greg Haddrick aren’t planning on toning down the sex and nudity despite a request from Nine’s in-house censor.
“I got an email that just said ‘omit pubic hair’,” Gawler said. “I sent a one-word email back – ‘no’.”
They have also had discussions about the rules regarding sex scenes, and whether they are allowed to show “bum crack” during intercourse.
When asked by a female fan in the audience whether there would be more male nudity in particular in the new series, Gawler replied: “Are you asking for it? There is more.”
“There will be male nudity and female nudity,” Haddrick added. “We are listening to these comments.”
Haddrick said Nine actually received very few complaints from the public.
“All the effiing language through effing Underbelly and there were only four complaints,” Haddrick said.
But the first series still fell foul of classification regulations with ACMA. Underbelly’s sexual content was considered too long and too detailed for an M rating. A problem could occur for Nine and Screentime if the series is too hot it cannot air at its desired time of 8:30pm.
Of the show’s violent and graphic content, Richard Lyle, chief classification officer for Nine has previously noted, “If you are trying to give people some understanding of how out of control the gangland murders have become, you have to give people as clear a picture as you can.”
No doubt Gawler and Haddrick would be willing to quote Lyle right back to Nine’s request for more discreet shooting.
Gawler also said there could be three or four Underbelly series made, each telling a different story but in the same tone and style. But an actual sequel to Underbelly, following the same characters, was pretty difficult considering most of the characters are dead by the end.
“The one glaring omission is Tony Mokbel, and there is a very good story to tell about Tony Mokbel,” Gawler said. “Who knows when the actual sequel of Underbelly can be told,” he said.
Source: The Age / AAP
Share
- Tagged with Underbelly
10 Responses
[mock Gomer Pyle voice] Surprise, surpsie, surprise !!
Nine wants to self censor own shows.
Self regulation ain’t worked in TV.
We need “Sensible rules managed and controlled by non biased souls not by network employees or mates.
Rules are good providing, rules use that one word missing in action by most in todays society…
Commonsense !!!!
Re internet filter: The Government has gradually broadened its very loose definition of “unwanted material” and watered down the original ability to “opt out”. http://techgeek.com.au/2008/10/29/compulsory-net-filtering-is-coming-and-not-everyone-is-happy
Imagine a future where downloaded copies of Underbelly could never have existed because the filters would block it as illegal material or material not rated by OFLC.
Remember Chances??? Lots of bum nudity there.
All this talk about nudity is amazing considering what Number 96 got away with in the 70s.
The OFLC are actually very liberal in terms of nudity. In fact, full frontal nudity is permitted under the PG rating in an educational context, and breast/rear nudity is permitted in virtually any other context (as long as they are not sexualized or graphic), and I see no reason why this should be a problem. I don’t get why FTA tends to be so prudish about it… (perhaps on account of the ACMA)
Re the internet I think you can opt out of all but the illegal sites.
Simple, have an M rated TV show and an MA or even R rated DVD box set. It should boost sales of the DVDs.
I am glad they are addressing the nudity, and are going to make it more equal opportunity exploitation.
To me it shows how out of touch ACMA’s judgment is with general community standards. The fact that they only got 4 complaints last year means that the timeslot and content was completely acceptable to the vast majority of millions of Australian viewers.
Ever since ex-PM Howard pandered to the puritanical conservative lobbyists to come down hard on Big Brother and TEN , networks seem to be terrified of running foul of ACMA and its government bureaucrat censors.
Unfortunately the Rudd Government is just as bad. Conroy and ACMA are hell bent on trying to make the Internet politically correct and ‘G’ Rated by imposing a harsh mandatory ISP filter that we cannot opt out of. Free speech in Oz is in danger.
Actually, Nine can air it as early as 9pm, and perhaps air new Two and a Half Men episodes in the 8.30pm slot to maintain the widest possible audience.
i appreciate the fact that they don’t want to muck with a well working machine, and bend on viewers request. but if it is made MA the viewer drop to 9:30 is not worth it.
look at the numbers rush is getting – rush should be much higher, for many reasons it isnt scoring, one of which is 9:30.
Underbelly would still rate well but not at its full potential, just as many people will watch it with less sex scenes if it is at 8:30