Too hot for primetime?

Looks like CBS’s plans to recycle Dexter and other Showtime series during the writers’ strike has hit a little snag. Les Moonves’ announcement of the plan was quickly followed by protests from the Parents Television Council, a conservative group that is quick with a press release and loves to protest programming it considers “vulgar”, “obscene” or “graphic.”

“CBS’ plan is purely based on corporate greed, not what’s good for families or in the public interest,” PTC prez Tim Winter said in a statement. “These Showtime programs contain some of the most explicit content on television, period. Yet CBS has no qualms about putting shows that make heroes of serial killers and revel in sick, graphic violence or those that condone drug use and glorify drug dealers in front of millions of children and families on broadcast television. These shows are better left on premium cable where children cannot have as easy access and where families are not forced to pay for them in order to get other basic cable networks.”

What do you think? I love that Showtime takes risks with its shows. I can only imagine how watered down — even nonsensical — some series might become if they were edited for primetime. But there’s part of me that also likes the idea that more folks might get exposed to the excellent acting and writing on shows like Dexter and Weeds.