With “4/20” and its attendant marijuana mania just past, it comes as no surprise that television shows a fascination not only with “the weed,” but other forms of drug use as well. The most celebrated such program is the AMC network’s Breaking Bad (Sundays, 10:00 p.m. ET). Following in the footsteps of The Sopranos, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, and other cable dramas fascinated by crime and drug use, Breaking Bad tells the story of a cancer-stricken high-school chemistry teacher, who decides to provide for his family by becoming a meth manufacturer. The teacher, Walt, also recruits a former pupil named Jesse to serve as his assistant and dealer. Naturally, as Walt grows more deeply enmeshed in the worlds of drug dealing and crime, his life and those of others around him become more complex. In the April 18^th episode, Walt’s wife is having an affair with her wealthy boss; Jesse is trying to get more money from Walt for a former drug deal; and Walt himself is lured back into the business of making meth by an offer of $3 million for three months’ work.

While many find such storylines sordid and tiresome, to others Breaking Bad is a compelling drama. Certainly it is a mature production, with mature storylines and settings; the last episode opened with scenes set in a strip club, with Jesse and his friends surrounded by topless strippers giving them lap dances in an extended sequence. The language is similarly adult; the s-word is scattered throughout several conversations, as are other examples of adult language. 

But this begs another question: why is Breaking Bad rated TV-14?

Many find the program to be adult, in the proper sense of the word: with adult content, and addressing adult concerns. The crime boss who lures Walt back into “cooking” meth discusses the importance of family and claims to understand why Walt is willing to break the law – and further corrupt untold numbers of drug addicts: to provide for his family. “A man provides for his family, even if he’s not appreciated, or respected, or even loved. He simply bears up and he does it, because he’s a man,” crimelord Gus states.

These are sentiments unlikely to interest or appeal to a teen. So why make the show accessible to teens? For over a decade, the television industry has touted the V-Chip as the solution to every content-related issue, urging parents to “take control of your TV set.” But when a program is rated TV-14, even if parents have properly adjusted their controls, channel-flipping teens can still see the show…particularly given that it airs at 9:00 p.m. Central time. And this Friday, April 23^rd, AMC will run a marathon of the show, starting at 7 p.m. Central…meaning that many more teens will be able to join in. And, of course, every cable and satellite subscriber in America is still being forced to pay for Breaking Bad’s content, even if they do not watch it.

But this is the entertainment industry’s idea of fairness and responsibility in the year 2010: show kids a program with strippers, explicit profanity, and drug use. Force everyone to pay for it. And then scream “censorship” whenever anyone suggests there is something wrong with the above picture.

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