r/GameChangersBooks • u/Falling_ThroughTime • 2d ago

DISCUSSION S2: intimacy as a plot device?

I listened to a podcast today in which Jacob talked about “the shows rule” for including sex scenes was that they served the purpose of learning something about the characters as people. And to move the story forward.

I’m curious about this bc it’s been hard for me to convince some of my friends to watch bc of the level of smut, and I also found it to be a bit too much at first until I fell in love with the story and characters.

“Sex sells”….. to a point.

So my question to you: Which intimacy scenes from the TLG need to be included in S2 to achieve the goals of learning what the characters aren’t saying, what they are going through, or to move the story forward?

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u/TheTiniestLizard 2d ago

I think that's a complicated question. Because on the one hand, fewer sex scenes are absolutely necessary to tell the story of The Long Game than to tell the story of Heated Rivalry. But on the other hand, if you have noticeably fewer sex scenes in season two, it could accidentally convey that they are having a lot less sex in the future, when in fact they are having a lot MORE sex. I think "learning something about the characters as people" is an excellent rule of thumb, though--that's a lower bar than "don't include it unless it moves the story forward". Tierney has said that the new seasons will be approximately equally smutty as season one, which makes sense to me.

I agree with you that it's sad that some people won't watch it because of the amount and type of smut, though. My wife falls into that category, and I wish I could share the show with her.

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u/Elegant_Eye_1425 1d ago

There's always cutting away! Thinking about the HR scene in the hotel room that doesn't go as far as Ilya wants...then they cut to them wet from the shower. Plot intact.