I've watched the show on/off since the 1980's. I was initially drawn to the characters, especially Jennifer who I identified with. I stopped watching the first time the show got ultra religious and had Marlena possessed and John turn out to be a priest. A few years ago I found out they brought back Matthew Ashford to play Jack, so I started watching again. I had to stop again very quickly when they gave MEDICALLY INACCURATE information about abortions and tried to demonize the choice to not carry a fetus to term. Occasionally I'll sneak a peak (when they brought back Frankie) but I am unable to watch more than a few minutes before I get disgusted/angry.
Literally, every other sentence is a reference to god/religion. (specifically Christianity). Seriously, try making a list of the number of times per episode someone goes to the hospital chapel (with a big cross), goes to St. Luke's church or says a prayer or if you really want some fun, keep track of the # of times someone references "god", "prayer", "miracle" or a priest. Weddings now feature passages from the bible, sermons and morality lectures from the Irish priest. Christmas now features bible readings. Mimi literally had visions of the Virgin Mary. Nearly every single character blatantly wears a large visible cross (sometimes they have cross necklaces. I don't normally care if there's mentions of religion or god in a show, nor do I normally notice/care if someone wears a cross - but this is BLATANT / IN YOUR FACE pushing of Christianity. (note all the Christian rock ads during the show) It is the main reason I do not watch this show. This proselytizing is offensive and ruins the show!!
The second reason I don't watch anymore is how conservative this show is. I could list many examples, but I'll limit myself to a few: Now I have no problem with parents staying home to care for their kids if they want to/can afford it. However, I caught a recent rant to Belle about how women's NUMBER ONE (and implied...SOLE PURPOSE) is to stay home with their children. Mind you, it was not worded as "parental" duties - it was definitely very gendered to only the mom. And there is CONTINUOUS bashing of single adults or even nonbiological parents raising children! Belle literally credited her good life solely to the fact that both her biological parents raised her. And others have over and over again stated that children who don't have both biological parents (only heterosexuals of course!) will be screwed up. This is so outdated (and incorrect if you examine developmental psychology studies!) and so antifeminist it angers me. Speaking of incorrect facts, making Mimi not only suffer hallucinations & guilt and being left for having an abortion - they went so far as to claim her abortion made her sterile! This was a blatant antichoice "lesson" with no balance perspective or any other viewpoints shown! Marlena/Belle claim doctors & logical reason are wrong - "faith" will cure John. This show pushes a conservative social agenda and is probably written by the religious right to push their views about how people should live their lives.
The show lacks any relation to actual reality. Outside of maybe the midwest or the south is there really such a homogeneous set of Caucasian middle-upper class people? I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen Asian or Latin people. And there's only ever 4 African-Americans - the super-stereotype "Vodoo priestess" Celeste; Lexie, Abe (and if there's another Af-Am male then you KNOW Lexie will have to sleep with him. ) They flirted with having one gay character but there must've been a protest or something because he disappeared quickly. And per their ultraChristian missionary bent, there are no other religions even mentioned or god forbid (pun intended) an atheist!
The last irksome details to me is how the show has decided that it only wants to appeal to Caucasian Christian conservatives who are country-listening Nascar fans. Nowadays ALL the music at any bar or restaurant or a character is listening to is always country (except when they do a rare unsubtle promotional stunts like Rolling Stones or Smokey Robinson). Recently they've decided they need to try to appeal even more to the Nascar crowd so they've brought in 3 racecar drivers and featured a race in an episode. They've dumbed down Shawn's character - he was in college planning to be a lawyer - now all of a sudden he is shown saying he doesn't know how to use a computer and settles for a blue-collar job fixing cars as the only job he can get? Max (the Nascar racer) & Shawn talk about how they goes HUNTING, Connor's a southern drawlin' rodeo cowboy? How much more redneck can they get? Bo actually said "git er done" the other day.
I love many of the actors/characters (Jack, Jenn, John, Frankie, Patch, Billie, Sami etc.) but I can't stand the writers' social agenda. NBC please note: If you ever join the rest of the nation in this century & update their show, we would start watching again. But if they're really going to carry on airing this propaganda piece for the religious right, then I wish they would just cancel the show rather than demean the characters/actors by doing this to them!
I'm not asking for anything crazy like a John&Abe love match or Hope to catch AIDS from unprotected sex with a guy she barely knows (Patrick). But how about an interracial couple? Or a Jewish character? Or an Asian person (who's not a doctor) Or a non-"nuclear" family of mom-dad-kid-- how about a single dad? Let's lose the stereotypes & show a place that acknowledges todays diverse population and ways of living.
Literally, every other sentence is a reference to god/religion. (specifically Christianity). Seriously, try making a list of the number of times per episode someone goes to the hospital chapel (with a big cross), goes to St. Luke's church or says a prayer or if you really want some fun, keep track of the # of times someone references "god", "prayer", "miracle" or a priest. Weddings now feature passages from the bible, sermons and morality lectures from the Irish priest. Christmas now features bible readings. Mimi literally had visions of the Virgin Mary. Nearly every single character blatantly wears a large visible cross (sometimes they have cross necklaces. I don't normally care if there's mentions of religion or god in a show, nor do I normally notice/care if someone wears a cross - but this is BLATANT / IN YOUR FACE pushing of Christianity. (note all the Christian rock ads during the show) It is the main reason I do not watch this show. This proselytizing is offensive and ruins the show!!
The second reason I don't watch anymore is how conservative this show is. I could list many examples, but I'll limit myself to a few: Now I have no problem with parents staying home to care for their kids if they want to/can afford it. However, I caught a recent rant to Belle about how women's NUMBER ONE (and implied...SOLE PURPOSE) is to stay home with their children. Mind you, it was not worded as "parental" duties - it was definitely very gendered to only the mom. And there is CONTINUOUS bashing of single adults or even nonbiological parents raising children! Belle literally credited her good life solely to the fact that both her biological parents raised her. And others have over and over again stated that children who don't have both biological parents (only heterosexuals of course!) will be screwed up. This is so outdated (and incorrect if you examine developmental psychology studies!) and so antifeminist it angers me. Speaking of incorrect facts, making Mimi not only suffer hallucinations & guilt and being left for having an abortion - they went so far as to claim her abortion made her sterile! This was a blatant antichoice "lesson" with no balance perspective or any other viewpoints shown! Marlena/Belle claim doctors & logical reason are wrong - "faith" will cure John. This show pushes a conservative social agenda and is probably written by the religious right to push their views about how people should live their lives.
The show lacks any relation to actual reality. Outside of maybe the midwest or the south is there really such a homogeneous set of Caucasian middle-upper class people? I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen Asian or Latin people. And there's only ever 4 African-Americans - the super-stereotype "Vodoo priestess" Celeste; Lexie, Abe (and if there's another Af-Am male then you KNOW Lexie will have to sleep with him. ) They flirted with having one gay character but there must've been a protest or something because he disappeared quickly. And per their ultraChristian missionary bent, there are no other religions even mentioned or god forbid (pun intended) an atheist!
The last irksome details to me is how the show has decided that it only wants to appeal to Caucasian Christian conservatives who are country-listening Nascar fans. Nowadays ALL the music at any bar or restaurant or a character is listening to is always country (except when they do a rare unsubtle promotional stunts like Rolling Stones or Smokey Robinson). Recently they've decided they need to try to appeal even more to the Nascar crowd so they've brought in 3 racecar drivers and featured a race in an episode. They've dumbed down Shawn's character - he was in college planning to be a lawyer - now all of a sudden he is shown saying he doesn't know how to use a computer and settles for a blue-collar job fixing cars as the only job he can get? Max (the Nascar racer) & Shawn talk about how they goes HUNTING, Connor's a southern drawlin' rodeo cowboy? How much more redneck can they get? Bo actually said "git er done" the other day.
I love many of the actors/characters (Jack, Jenn, John, Frankie, Patch, Billie, Sami etc.) but I can't stand the writers' social agenda. NBC please note: If you ever join the rest of the nation in this century & update their show, we would start watching again. But if they're really going to carry on airing this propaganda piece for the religious right, then I wish they would just cancel the show rather than demean the characters/actors by doing this to them!
I'm not asking for anything crazy like a John&Abe love match or Hope to catch AIDS from unprotected sex with a guy she barely knows (Patrick). But how about an interracial couple? Or a Jewish character? Or an Asian person (who's not a doctor) Or a non-"nuclear" family of mom-dad-kid-- how about a single dad? Let's lose the stereotypes & show a place that acknowledges todays diverse population and ways of living.