Yesterday we posted a comment piece
Goodbye Lip Service, Hello The Hoff's Best... Film Ever! about
the news that lesbian drama Lip Service has not been
re-commissioned for a third series. Given the BBC's recent report
in which experts "urged" UK broadcasters to include "more creative
and realistic depictions [of lesbian, gay and bisexual people] in
factual and drama television", dropping the programme seemed like a
real missed opportunity to do more of just that. The vast majority
of our followers on Twitter who commented on the news appeared to
feel the same way.
We asked the BBC if they could comment the decision and on their
commitment to representing diversity and received this response
from them:
"The BBC is committed to diversity across its programming and
BBC Three is very proud to have brought 2 series of Lip Service to
its viewers. With limited budget for drama on BBC Three, the
decision was taken to re-commission the multi award-winning Being
Human and a bold and exciting new drama - In The Flesh."
So there we have it. For those who are unfamilar with Being
Human, it's about three flatmates. One is a werewolf, one a
vampire, one a ghost. I have no issue with Being Human; by all
accounts it's a great show (I have several friends who rave about
it). In The Flesh is about zombies. Again, nothing against zombies
per se. But it strikes me as a bit absurd that the money's being
spent not on continuing a popular lesbian drama, but on dramas
which take as their protagonists an (albeit admirably diverse)
array of monsters. Who, as far as I'm aware, do not pay a license
fee or sign petitions in their thousands asking for more
representation on TV.
(Given the argument I've just made, it's probably worth
clarifying that I am aware that TV programming's sole concern isn't
to faithfully and literally represent the population of viewers.
That sounds dire. People want stories, entertainment. But in the
case of Lip Service, I am concerned about the representation issue
as relates to lesbian representation due to the scarcity of
it.)
We'd love to hear what you think about the decision, so please
do take a moment to comment below if you want to.
