The entertainment industry has come on leaps and bounds with nudity and the hiring of intimacy coaches… but some things can still come as a surprise.
The mini-series in question, A Man in Full, aired earlier this year and has drawn criticism for its final episode, in which a scene shows actor Tom Pelphrey’s character, Raymond Peepgrass, revealing himself after taking Viagra.
The more I think about it, the less weird it becomes considering the title is literally A Man in Full.
Watch the trailer below:
The show, which follows an Atlanta real estate mogul fighting to save his crumbling empire, includes warnings for “sex, language, sex reference, sexual images, and injury detail,” though no specific warning for the controversial scene.
Despite these advisories, the explicit nature of the moment took some viewers by surprise.
Mary Killen, a Gogglebox star and columnist at the Spectator, said, per the Daily Mail: “I don’t want to see graphic s**ual images when I’m watching a drama. There is too much already and it is reducing us to no better than barnyard animals.
“Viewers shouldn’t be forced to see p****graphy. This trend will end in tears as it’s depressing, unmysterious, and taking away some of life’s magic.”
Radio 4 contributor Anne Atkins wrote: “Where are the boundaries now, Netflix? A visibly erect p**is is not only revolting to many normal viewers but artistically completely unnecessary: a glance down, a raised eyebrow would have done far more.”
Tory MP Alexander Stafford adds, per National World: “If Netflix is serving up this sort of low-grade, p****graphic rubbish, we need to give Ofcom full oversight of the streaming giant’s output as soon as possible.”
Another user took to social media to write: “I was totally disgusted. Absolutely uncalled for.”
Someone did offer a counter opinion, writing: “I applaud the nudity in A Man in Full. It’s about time. And despite being erect, it’s not sexualized.
“It’s more comedic. And I think it’s also about what propels him to kill and to have a heart attack. I think it’s justified.”
Ofcom, a regular in the UK, states: “In applying generally accepted standards, broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context.”
There are no specific rules surrounding penises.
However, Netflix isn’t bound to these rules as it is a streaming service.
Regardless of any rules, it’s clear that the scene took some viewers by surprise and has left a lasting image.