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EE breached the broadcasting code with the burial scene


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Old 23-06-2008, 13:53
humbug83
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A report into viewer complaints over the EastEnders scene in which Max Branning was buried alive has found the soap breached the broadcasting code.

Ofcom received some 116 complaints about the scene - the BBC received more than 600 - and the regulatory watchdog has found that the storyline in question was unsuitable for broadcast before the watershed and that viewers were not prepared for the dark content of the episodes.

The scene in question showed Max Branning (Jake Wood) being drugged by his wife Tanya (Jo Joyner) and put into a grave dug by her lover Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky) and provoked viewers' ire after being shown before the 21:00 GMT watershed.

The dramatic storyline occurred after Tanya Branning discovered her husband Max's affair with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) in the EastEnders Christmas Day episode.

A statement on the BBC complaints website after its March broadcast claimed that Max escaped from the coffin after Tanya was unable to go through with her plan.

"The burial is in no way glamorised or glorified, rather we see that when pushed to the edge, Tanya's behaviour becomes out of character, and indeed that it's Tanya herself who ultimately suffers because of her actions," the statement continued.

"We took great care to signal the nature of the content to the audience through pre-programme announcements, billings and programme publicity in order to prepare viewers for what to expect."

But the Ofcom report, published today, has disagreed with the broadcaster's claims, finding three breaches of the broadcasting code.

While some regular viewers may have been aware of what "Max's worst nightmare" was, following pre-broadcast advertisements, "subsequent scenes were not appropriate for a pre-watershed audience", the watchdog found.

It added: "The level of distress generated by the treatment of the storyline and the lack of contextual justification, which resulted in the scenes exceeding audience expectations, also resulted in a breach of generally accepted standards for a popular pre-watershed soap opera shown on the flagship BBC television channel.

"Many viewers regard EastEnders as suitable for family viewing with children. For the reasons already stated the scenes of Max being buried alive were offensive and not justified by the context".
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/tv/viewers-not-warned-over-eastenders-burial-scene-$1228535.htm
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Old 23-06-2008, 13:55
xTonix
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Oh my, some people if they were that upset by it why not turn over? moany, annoying people.

I for one luved that storyline and episode it was brilliant acted by Jake and Jo, they were both outstanding.
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Old 23-06-2008, 13:56
nytramfilms
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Thinking about it now, I can see why some kids watching would have been horrified by it.
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Old 23-06-2008, 13:58
humbug83
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Thinking about it now, I can see why some kids watching would have been horrified by it.
Definitely! It horrified me a bit and i'm 25!!!

I wouldn't complain about it though.
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Old 23-06-2008, 13:59
xTonix
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It didn't scare me because I knew it wasn't real, but I did feel for Max and I did have tears in my eyes when he said "dad" but another then that it was like watching a horror film
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Old 23-06-2008, 14:37
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god, some people. As been said a couple of posts up, switch channels then.
I can imagine that kids were horrified, I'm 20 and I was a little shocked aswell. But come on, it's a soap opera, not a reality show
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Old 23-06-2008, 14:57
kyri
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Are they still going on about that? I think children have now learnt that it's wrong to buy a coffin, drug somebody and bury them alive - talk through your problems, it helps.
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:12
krankylou08
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yea im 15 and didn't find it that bad but thats because i know its not real but young kids should have switched over if they found it that horrifying
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:28
xTonix
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Are they still going on about that? I think children have now learnt that it's wrong to buy a coffin, drug somebody and bury them alive - talk through your problems, it helps.
Lmao
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:46
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Can't Ofcom (and it's legion of complainers) just move on? It's been 3 months since the burial. :sleep:
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:47
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Some people need to seriously get a life.
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:51
kyri
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Can't Ofcom (and it's legion of complainers) just move on? It's been 3 months since the burial. :sleep:
I think it's time we paid a visit to those complainers; accompanied with a glass of wine, a shovel...and a coffin!
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:56
choc-a-bloc
 
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I think it's time we paid a visit to those complainers; accompanied with a glass of wine, a shovel...and a coffin!


I'll get the van.
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Old 23-06-2008, 15:59
Soapsaddict
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Haha!
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Old 23-06-2008, 16:03
Delboy_RKO
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I thought people would of got over this by now.

What is there to complain about? its not as if Sean was dressed up as the Grim Reaper and dragging Max through the woods with a chain around his neck. MAYBE that would be a reason to complain.

Earlier in the week Tanya says "were gonna kill him" to Sean, then Sean buys a coffin and Tanya drugs Max. People could of put 2 and 2 together and switched over.
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Old 23-06-2008, 16:09
xTonix
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I thought people would of got over this by now.

What is there to complain about? its not as if Sean was dressed up as the Grim Reaper and dragging Max through the woods with a chain around his neck. MAYBE that would be a reason to complain.

Earlier in the week Tanya says "were gonna kill him" to Sean, then Sean buys a coffin and Tanya drugs Max. People could of put 2 and 2 together and switched over.

You would think that.
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:00
*jazzers*
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Big brother got about 505 complaints about Alex's bullying and that was after watershed
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:07
EastendersFan_x
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I don't no why this episode got complaints. Even so, 116 complaints for one episode. Its not millions! thats how many people watch the show. There making too much of a bigger deal out of it!
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:23
terrible light
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Just because you're fans of the show does not give you the right to declare people who have found it disturbing 'annoying' or abuse their opinions. Wasn't the aim of the episode to disturb? It was quite Poeian and designed to evoke horror much like the tales of Poe who himself wrote a short story about being buried alive. Eastender's knew it was dramatic and bound to disturb some viewers, afterall it's a universal fear. Whether it's real or fictive does not come in to it.
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:33
Welsh Lass
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WTF , EE is supposed to be a family show broadcast before the Watershed , why should people have to switch off , EE is getting a bit too big for its own boots , if people want to complain , so be it , as for telling them to get a life , maybe they have and have not been sucked in by the great EE hype , its just a show like any other and must stick to the rules of decency or be shown after 9.0 PM
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:42
Kid Rachyy ♥
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The burial episode was brilliant, acting was fantastic, everything just had that effect on you when you don't want EastEnders to finish and you want it on for an hour.
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:44
xTonix
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The burial episode was brilliant, acting was fantastic, everything just had that effect on you when you don't want EastEnders to finish and you want it on for an hour.

I would of luved it to be on for an hour
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:49
Seamus2008
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Even if it was a bit terrifying, you must admit Jo and Jake (with Rob of course) were absolutely exceptional! I didn't think about something with that tense, emotion and scare... It was very outstanding and I still don't know why these people are complaining: Jay being stabbed, Max buried alive... What will be the next report this year? Phil Michell chatting up Suzy Branning?

I reckon that the fact it was at 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm wasn't exactly the best time slot for the first episode when Max is buried alive, but that's not a reason to complain about this, though!

It's like for the Vic's raid last year! It was brilliant and amazing, I loved it so much, but even if it was with some violence, could you tell me why on earth you could report this to Ofcom?

Like for this episode, the viewers knew there'll be some violence all along...
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:49
X-Digit-Xx
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As they say whiners are weeners lol.
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Old 23-06-2008, 17:56
xTonix
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Even if it was a bit terrifying, you must admit Jo and Jake (with Rob of course) were absolutely exceptional! I didn't think about something with that tense, emotion and scare... It was very outstanding and I still don't know why these people are complaining: Jay being stabbed, Max buried alive... What will be the next report this year? Phil Michell chatting up Suzy Branning?

I reckon that the fact it was at 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm wasn't exactly the best time slot for the first episode when Max is buried alive, but that's not a reason to complain about this, though!

It's like for the Vic's raid last year! It was brilliant and amazing, I loved it so much, but even if it was with some violence, could you tell me why on earth you could report this to Ofcom?

Like for this episode, the viewers knew there'll be some violence all along...


Wasn't it on at 8 I'm sure it was a Friday it was on.
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