# TV Shows/Movies Where Teens Drinking/Sex/Drugs Isn't Condemned **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2008, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218 "2008-12-15T07:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![stucco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@stucco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stucco)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218/21 "2008-12-15T23:34:49Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > Most of the characters on _Gossip Girl_ drink as a matter of course. Normally their drinking is no big thing, but it causes problems when they’re drugged (Serena) or get tanked in inappropriate places (Chuck at his father’s funeral). Yes! I’m so glad that someone else watches Gossip Girl. Some of the characters also smoke pot (Nate and Chuck) without any negative consequences. Teenage sex is also portrayed fairly neutrally: bad things only happen when you, say, sleep with your best friend’s boyfriend (or your boyfriend’s best friend). And even that isn’t that big a deal. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218/22 "2008-12-15T23:37:59Z")
Did the kids on Beverly Hills 90210 ever drink normally? I remember in season one there are a couple of parties where they all drink (in one episode) which culminates with Brandon driving drunk and wrecking his car, Mondale. From then on, Brandon pretty much never drinks. Well, I remember one episode where they’re on spring break where he gets drunk and says some stupid things in front of important people. Dylan of course never drinks. Were the others drinking when they were hanging out in clubs and at parties, raves and the like? Steve was in a frat, after all… As for other drugs, I remember David getting hooked on…meth? And the shorthand for showing that Valerie is a Bad Person is having her smoke pot at the end of her first episode. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218/23 "2008-12-16T00:27:14Z")
Here’s one that surprised the heck out of me: **The Fly** The 1950s movie with David/Al Hedison (and a sparingly used Vincent Price) is set in Canada, and in one scene Hedison is having dinner with his family. He pours his son (who must be about 7) a bit of wine in a glass. He dilutes it with a lot of water, but still, you’d never have seen that in a flick set in the US from the 1950s. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218/24 "2008-12-16T00:45:20Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > For the most part, it seems most TV shows and movies can’t show a teenager getting drunk, using drugs or having sex without the most dire of consequences. Even if it’s just caffeine pills. Even if it’s just alcohol, and the character isn’t addicted, we have to see them being stupid when drunk and then puking their guts out, hungover, etc. Because the government [pays them](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E5DB1138F931A25754C0A9669C8B63&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss) to show this propaganda: > [@](#): > > drug office officials were allowed to see in advance more than 100 episodes on all major television networks. If the government approved a show with an antidrug message, the network received credit that reduced the number of costly public service announcements it was required by law to broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218/25 "2008-12-16T02:38:23Z")
Damnit! now I’m addicted to Freaks and Geeks. Gotta say, though, they handled drinking well. (Granted, they were drinking non-alcoholic beer at the party so I suppose it wasn’t really drinking…well, except for Bill.) I was completely expecting the parents to come home early or find out and go apeshit on them, but they seemed to get away with it. Nice take on it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-movies-where-teens-drinking-sex-drugs-isnt-condemned/477218.md?page=1)