Netflix viewers were left speechless when a ‘fully erect’ manhood appeared on screen in the TV series.
The drama, based on Tom Wolfe’s best-selling novel of the same name, sees real estate mogul Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels) defend his empire following a catastrophic fall from grace.
Its official synopsis reads: “Facing relentless foes and sudden bankruptcy, an Atlanta real estate tycoon must claw his way back to the top when his empire begins to crumble.”
But it’s not the storyline that’s got people up in arms.
There’s one scene, in particular, that has generated a lot of controversy, and once you see it, it’s pretty understandable why.
The show does feature a warning for ‘s**, language, s** language, s** reference, s**ual images, and injury detail,’ however, it doesn’t provide a warning for the scene in question.
In the final episode, actor Tom Pelphrey’s character – Raymond Peepgrass – has just taken some V**gra. He then drops his bedsheet in front of Croker to reveal the results…
The series breaks a long-standing TV taboo, as Raymond reveals his fully erect p**is.
As there’s a lack of warning, some viewers were horrified by this graphic scene.
Mary Killen, Gogglebox star and columnist at the Spectator, said (via the Daily Mail): “I don’t want to see graphic s**ual images when I’m watching a drama. There is too much already, and it is reducing us to no better than barnyard animals.
“Viewers shouldn’t be forced to see p****graphy. This trend will end in tears as it’s depressing, unmysterious, and taking away some of life‘s magic.”
Similarly, Radio 4 contributor Anne Atkins wrote: “Where are the boundaries now, Netflix? A visibly erect p**is is not only revolting to many normal viewers but artistically completely unnecessary: a glance down, a raised eyebrow would have done far more.”
Tory MP Alexander Stafford added, per National World: “If Netflix is serving up this sort of low-grade, p****graphic rubbish, we need to give Ofcom full oversight of the streaming giant’s output as soon as possible.”
Fellow Tory MP Sara Britcliffe commented: “Streaming services are available at any time of day, so watershed protection doesn’t apply.”
Ofcom, the U.K.‘s communications regulator, states: “In applying generally accepted standards, broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context.”
There is no explicit ban on the depiction of an erect p**is.
The organization’s Broadcasting Code states that s** and nudity scenes must be after the watershed and not be easily accessible to children, but, as Britcliffe suggested, because Netflix is a streaming service that falls within the jurisdiction of Holland, Ofcom has no power to issue sanctions on the platform, per Radio Times.
In an interview with Variety, Pelphrey spoke of using a prosthetic for the scene.
“God bless the guy who does those prosthetics!” the actor said. “You want to be free, you want to have fun, you don’t want anybody else to be offended or weirded out.”
Despite the graphic scene, many viewers love A Man in Full.
One X (formerly Twitter) user enthused: “Such a fun series with the craziest ending I have ever seen.”
A second person joked: “What was the show called? Just making sure I know which one it is, so I can avoid it…”
While a third laughed: “The show is called A Man in Full, if that’s not a warning, then there is no helping them.”
Netflix has voluntarily signed up to the British Board of Film Classification, and A Man in Full is rated 15+ by the platform.
Watch the trailer for A Man in Full below…
A Man in Full is available to stream via Netflix.
