Californication labelled pornographic
With a title like Californication it was never likely to be a TV show for all the family.
But some critics have labelled the new Network Ten program offensive and pornographic.
The American show debuted on Australian screens at 9.30pm on Monday night, and featured former X-Files star David Duchovny engaged in four sex scenes in the 40 minute episode.
Ten billed the show as a fresh, edgy and sexy new drama, but some media commentators have called the show nothing more than pornography, while religious groups say it attacks the Christian faith.
The opening sequence of the first episode depicted Duchovny's character Hank Moody praying to Jesus in front of a giant crucifix while a nun performed oral sex on him.
The Australian Christian Lobby said the scene was unacceptable.
"We have 64 per cent of Australians identify themselves as Christian, and yet you have a program like this that is trying to mock them or insult them," spokeswoman Glynis Quinlan said.
"Australians love a joke and there's nothing wrong with that, but that doesn't mean you should take it to the point of demeaning situations and trying to ridicule people's faith.
"Where is the humour in that?"
Ms Quinlan accused Ten of using shock tactics to boost ratings.
"As far as I can tell this program is only about sex, sex and more sex," she said.
"There's no excuse for having four sex scenes in the first episode, including one involving violence and statutory rape.
"What we're seeing is more and more programs put on TV that push the boundaries further and further, with the idea obviously to get the ratings by shock tactics."
Californication attracted 981,000 viewers on Monday night, but snagged 40 per cent of younger viewers in the 18-49 year-old bracket in its timeslot.
Ms Quinlan called on the program classification watchdog, Free TV Australia, to investigate whether Californication complies with the standards.
"We've been looking up the classification standards, and it actually says ... on the mature audience classification standards that a program will not be acceptable where the subject matter serves largely or wholly as a vehicle for gratuitous, exploitative or demeaning portrayal of sexual behaviour or nudity," she said.
"And I would say well that doesn't seem to fit with that guideline to me, from what I can see the program is all about gratuitous sex.
"So you wonder if there may be a breach of that classification standard there and I would hope this is something the regulators will be looking into."
Ten said Californication may not be to everyone's taste, but it complied with the code.
"Californication has absolutely hit the mark with Ten's audience and we couldn't be happier," said chief programming officer David Mott.
"It is the kind of edgy programming our audience demand from us."
Ms Quinlan said the Christian Lobby were also concerned about the graphic imagery in the Seven Network's new police drama City Homicide, and offensive content in comedian Chris Lilley's new mockumentary, Summer Heights High, which starts on the ABC next Wednesday.
AAP
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