BDSM in mainstream TV programs

[Alex Bragi]

Having been in the UK quite a bit in recent months, I have been interested to see how BDSM has featured in some mainstream TV programs over here, mainly crime dramas, though even comedies have occasional reference to light bondage.

Well, it's good to know your trips have been productive.

Do you think it is of benefit to the community or does it seem like exploitation of our activities simply to give these programs a bit of 'edge'?

Well, of course it's got to benefit the bdsm community. The more people see, the more desensitised they become, to anything really. It has less shock value with each viewing and therefore becomes more accepted. But I don't think that's the reason the producers of these shows include these activities.

I think these scenes, for lack of a better word, are like those of lesbians kissing. There seemed to be a whole spate of those on TV last year. Good grief, every other second rate actress was doing it! I’m of the opinion that they were slotted in simply to give these shows a little bit of an edge. Something for people to talk about afterwards, even if the show wasn't worth watching in the first place.

[Master13]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angle both have several BDSM references. It wasn't treated as good are bad, just something some poeple do.

Some examples off the top of my head:
Faith made numerous references to her kinky sex, and was appearently a switch.
At one point Spike shows Buffy a pair of handcuffs and asks her "Do you trust me?"
In a very funny scene, Angle goes to a guy for information, who's wall in covered with paddles. The guy, misunderstanding Angle reason for visiting him, starts to explain that he doesn't spank men. He says something like "I'm sure you have a very nice buttocks, but that just isn't my thing."

[miscolata]

There's an episode of CSI where the investigation leads to a bondage club - the victim turns out to be a professional switch who suffocated when a scene went wrong with a client. The club's Mistress has some fun playing mind games with the main character, Grisham. It certainly doesn't seem to give a negative impression - at least not of the pro-Dommes (the killer however isn't exactly presented as a paragon of maleness).

[miscolata]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angle both have several BDSM references. It wasn't treated as good are bad, just something some poeple do.

A lot of the bondage references refer to Spike and Drusilla in particular (and Spike and Buffy's relationship in the last couple of seasons).

There's one episode when Spike declares he's going to go back to Mexico, track Drusilla down, tie her up and torture her until she falls in love with him again.

[Tang]

Yes, I certainly remember the issue about how rough Buffy liked her sex with Spike or not and the confusion of her facing up to the challenges of her tastes and her on/off relationship with Spike. It was an interesting theme, but because they had to skirt round it, it came out as quite confusing. Generally someone was tied up most weeks in Buffy. Nice amount of leather attire too. There has always been a cross over at points between anything with a gothic flavor and BDSM because there is clothing and imagery the same between them.