# When did the Basic Cable "Fuck" Wall get Broken? Regular use on SyFy's The Magicians. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2018, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456 "2018-01-12T12:01:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/21 "2018-01-12T23:33:38Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > In 2001 ABC aired Saving Private Ryan uncensored during prime time on Veterans Day, and I’m pretty sure there’s at least one ‘bullshit’ in there. I’ve also seen “Schindler’s List” and the documentary “9/11” on network TV, uncensored. C-SPAN 2’s “About Books” does not censor either; a few seconds before someone uses profanity on a recorded show, a message pops up that says “This program includes language which may be offensive to some viewers” or words to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/22 "2018-01-12T23:43:56Z")
“Goddamn” came in during the 1980s with _LA Law_. I imagine we’re probably about 18 days away from the putative POTUS dropping an F-bomb or two in the State of the Union Address. That should tear down all standards of language once and for all. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/23 "2018-01-12T23:50:59Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’ve also seen “Schindler’s List” and the documentary “9/11” on network TV, uncensored. If I remember right (maybe not about the exact showings you’re thinking of, but still), the networks said something to effect of, “Yeah, these shows have swearing, but we feel the subject matter is important enough to warrant including it. You can’t show a realistic Normandy invasion with soldiers saying, ‘Gosh darn it, I got shot. I’m gonna get them no-good, rotten Germans!’” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/24 "2018-01-13T00:24:44Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I don’t remember that. In fact, I specifically remember them bleeping it on the line “I fucked Ted” in the episode “I.F.T.” Right. “Breaking Bad” had “fuck” bleeped (well silenced, there was no bleep noise) when it first aired on AMC. The Netflix version is unedited. I am not sure if any of the recent marathon showings on AMC were still bleeped or not. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/25 "2018-01-13T02:13:17Z")
Does anybody else remember it being newsworthy when some prime-time sitcom was going to have an episode where somebody says the word “Shit” and that the plot was going to revolve around it, but apparently in the actual episode it’s some random guy who says “Shit happens” at the very end of the episode? ---
**Author:** ![goldmund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a4c791/32.png) [@goldmund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goldmund)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/26 "2018-01-13T02:15:15Z")
Jefferson Airplane let a “fuck” and a “motherfucker” fly on the Dick Cavett Show, which was on ABC, on, August 19, 1969. [F-Bomb](https://youtu.be/abPpq6hQ67I?t=8m8s) (the full verse here is “In order to survive we steal, cheat, lie, forge, fuck, hide and deal”) [MF-Bomb](https://youtu.be/abPpq6hQ67I?t=10m). One I distinctly remember was Dr. Greene saying “shit” on E.R. back in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/27 "2018-01-13T05:50:22Z")
I also remember when the “JFK” movie was shown on network TV, and a very foul-mouthed character had the word “frig” spliced in. :dubious: Um, hello, that word means exactly the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/28 "2018-01-13T19:38:32Z")
Any fans of “The Shield” (the FX cop series from around 2002 - 2008)? Seems like they pushed the envelope on there pretty well; not sure if that ever crossed over into “F Bomb” territory though. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/29 "2018-01-13T19:44:29Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Does anybody else remember it being newsworthy when some prime-time sitcom was going to have an episode where somebody says the word “Shit” and that the plot was going to revolve around it, but apparently in the actual episode it’s some random guy who says “Shit happens” at the very end of the episode? Chicago Hope apparently ---
**Author:** ![Willcross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Willcross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willcross)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/30 "2018-01-13T20:14:22Z")
I was thinking it was NYPD Blue ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/31 "2018-01-13T21:31:11Z")
Me too, via South Parks obvious NYPD Blue reference, “Cop Drama.” But while Googling for NYPD Blue I found the literal line here: [http://www.southparkwillie.com/Season5/E502secrets.htm](http://www.southparkwillie.com/Season5/E502secrets.htm) The South Park episode’s usage is similarly mundane. “You’ve got some shit on the side of your mouth right there.” ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/32 "2018-01-14T04:51:07Z")
About 2 minutes ago somebody (accidentally, I assume?) just dropped a f-bomb on SNL. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/33 "2018-01-14T04:58:09Z")
And [here’s the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF9dQXxd114). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/34 "2018-01-14T05:10:18Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > About 2 minutes ago somebody (accidentally, I assume?) just dropped a f-bomb on SNL. I heard that too! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/35 "2018-01-14T05:18:21Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I heard that too! And now they’ve said “shithole” twice on Weekend Update. This is possibly the most “bad words” in a SNL episode not hosted by Richard Pryor. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/36 "2018-01-14T07:03:06Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > And [here’s the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF9dQXxd114). Blocked by NBC/Universal on copyright grounds. I had to use a VPN to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/37 "2018-01-14T21:06:44Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > Cable has never had a barrier the way broadcast TV does - it’s always been a matter of whether you can get enough advertisers to pay for a swearing show. South Park on Comedy Central was known for playing with the limits of swearing as far back as 2001, and I’m pretty sure some of the non-premium movie channels played unbleeped movies in the 90s. Context does matter. I remember about 20 years ago _Shindler’s List_ was broadcast completely uncut, all pubes, dongs, boobs, head shots, and corpses clearly visible. But I don’t recall hearing any complaints about it, either. The reasoning was obvious. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/38 "2018-01-14T21:09:36Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Blocked by NBC/Universal on copyright grounds. I had to use a VPN to see it. It was so appropriate in the context I don’t see why anyone would complain. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/39 "2018-01-14T21:14:18Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It was so appropriate in the context I don’t see why anyone would complain. And now it’s been removed by the uploader, so it’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456/40 "2018-01-14T22:10:11Z")
> [@Lizard](#): > > Context does matter. I remember about 20 years ago _Shindler’s List_ was broadcast completely uncut, all pubes, dongs, boobs, head shots, and corpses clearly visible. But I don’t recall hearing any complaints about it, either. The reasoning was obvious. Not so obvious for some. At the time, Republican Rep. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said the airing “should outrage parents and decent-minded individuals everywhere” and “I cringe when I realize that there were children all across this nation watching this program. They were exposed to the violence of multiple gunshot head wounds, vile language, full frontal nudity and irresponsible sexual activity.” During his next day “apology,” he blamed the media for taking his comments out of context. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-basic-cable-fuck-wall-get-broken-regular-use-on-syfys-the-magicians/806456.md?page=3)