IT Crowd creator urges self-censorship in sitcoms
- Published: 23 August 2008 13:52
- Author: Robin Parker
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- Last Updated: 23 August 2008 13:52
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Edinburgh 08: A lack of censorship is stifling creativity in TV comedy, according to Father Ted and The IT Crowd creator Graham Linehan.
In a masterclass at the Edinburgh TV festival, Linehan urged comedy writers to up their game by tackling taboo subjects "in a way that won't make dad leave the room to make a cup of tea".
He illustrated his point with examples of mainstream pre-watershed US comedies Malcolm in the Middle and Seinfeld, which alluded to child abuse and rape respectively in ways that the audience was unlikely to find offensive.
By contrast, he said, the barriers had broken down to such an extent in today's TV that comedy writers were in danger of becoming complacent in their reliance on shock tactics.
"There's an art to navigating censorship and we're losing it because we can do anything we want," he said.
"The conversation in writers' rooms – where they try to shock each other to raise a laugh – is now happening on the TV. Just because we can show anything on TV, it doesn't mean we have to. It makes for more interesting and creative TV when we don't do it."
Linehan, who also co-created Father Ted and Black Books, said TV's attempts to compete with the popularity of the internet was partly to blame, arguing that it was "aping its worst qualities".
He also urged TV commissioners to stand up to writers when they think things aren't working, claiming that too often, they treat them with kid gloves.
