Letters The news that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently rejected a complaint from the Parents Television Council (PTC) that an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer contained illicit nookie caused quite a stir with readers.

To recap, Buffy was apparently getting down and dirty with Spike. Cue outrage from concerned parents. But what was the fuss all about, exactly? Jamie Kitson explains:

Ashamed as I am to admit this, I believe that I do remember the episode which "showed" Buffy and Spike, ahem, doing the deed. The reason for the quotes, and an important bit of the story that has been missed, is that throughout most of the episode Buffy was invisible, leaving it up to your imagination what was going on.

Yes my imagination went a bit far :)

You ought to be ashamed of yourself, young man. After all, Buffy is good, wholesome family entertainment - if you discount the vampires, demons, martial arts slayings of shape-shifting Satanic emissaries, etc, etc.

In any case, hadn't we been there before, Steven asks?:

Isn't that a rather moot point as she had got "down and dirty" with Angel in the 2nd or so series, 5 series before the romp with Spike. I didn't see anyone complaining about that then, so what makes this one any the more special?

Some people just have nothing better to do with their time....

Who can say what provoked the PTC's attack on this occassion? Still, let's have a round of applause the FCC. Take it away (another) Steven:

I'm glad to see the FCC are finally doing something _right_ for a change. I am an obsessed Buffy fan and whilst I've never seen anything "explicit" in the show, I sure wish I could (not in a pornographic way.. obviously ;) ).

I am however, rather curious about why these things are getting attacked?. I mean, first it was games, and how they are to blame for murders (utter rubbish IMHO), now it's TV shows, and explicit scenes that have never even taken place. Are these edgits really that sad that they have to find something to nit pick. Why can't they do something constructive and actually help people (oh I don't know, by jumping in front of a bus or something?).

For the record, the PTC's current hobby-horse is modern music, in all it's filthy forms. Bryn Jones has this to say:

Hahahaha! Oh yes ,so the kids of thirty years ago weren't listening to music about sex, drugs and violence? Could have fooled me. Ranting about societal meltdown was cool thirty years ago but now its just embarrassing. Unless you're Republican or Tory, then its still Rock (or Rap if thats your fancy) On!!!!

Indeed. Cue Rush compliation CD at full volume and air guitars at the ready... ®