At this writing, we re almost halfway through another television sweeps period, a time when the industry puts forth its best programming, which is to say the programming it believes will draw the most viewers. Quality as a standard is absent from the equation. The goal is ratings and the means is ever-cheaper sensationalism aimed at the lowest common denominator. That was a spring 97 sweeps stunt.
Sexual schlock is often at the center of sweeps sensationalism, but that poses a problem.
Since sex is almost always at the center of NBC s Friends, let s examine two installments of that long-running smutcom. In the pre-sweeps episode, Joey is on the verge of getting a part in a movie. But his character, who has a nude scene, must be uncircumcised, which Joey is not. He claims he is and wonders aloud to Monica what he ll do when he meets the film s director, who ll be inspecting his genitals. Monica thinks she might be able to help by devising a fake foreskin using double-sided tape and some sort of luncheon meat.