Sex Box

Last updated

Sex Box
Starring Mariella Frostrup (2013)
Phillip Hodson (2013)
Tracey Cox (2013)
Dan Savage (2013)
Steve Jones (2016–)
Goedele Liekens (2016–)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes11
Production
Producers Clearstory
Russell Barnes
Molly Milton
Running time44 minutes
Original release
Network Channel 4
Release7 October 2013 (2013-10-07) –
2 May 2016 (2016-May-02)
Related
Sex Box (U.S. TV series)

Sex Box is a British television series. The first series was hosted by Mariella Frostrup. The series was produced by independent production company Clearstory and broadcast on Channel 4. [1] The show's premise centres upon the idea that couples will be more open to sexually themed discussions after having performed the act itself. The show's hosts have the couple retire to a private "sex box" on stage, where they are to have sexual intercourse with one another.

Contents

Sex Box was released as part of Channel 4's "Campaign for Real Sex", which the channel described as "a series of programmes which aim to reclaim sex from porn". [2] The programme provoked controversy and debate in both the British and international press. [3] Some reviews of the programme were positive, praising the sincerity of the programme's aims. [4] [5] [6] However, many critics and viewers panned the show, [7] [8] and ratings for the first episode showed that while 1.1 million viewers tuned into the show, this number dropped by 200,000 after the first 15 minutes. [9]

Series 2 began broadcasting on 4 April 2016. It is presented by Goedele Liekens and Steve Jones.

Synopsis

The show features couples that have agreed to come on to the show and have sex in the titular "sex box". During this time the hosts will discuss their relationship. After a certain amount of time the couple will emerge from the box and talk about sex and their relationship. The show's theory is that couples will be more likely to be closer after having sex and be more likely to be honest and open when answering questions about their own sex life and sex in general. [10]

Episodes

Series 1

Series 2

Reception

TIME remarked that the show was "all pretty tame, polite, slightly awkward at times and, overall, just dull" and that the couples "weren’t so overtaken by sex endorphins that they actually revealed anything vivid or shocking." [12] The Guardian and The Telegraph also panned the show overall, [13] and The Telegraph's reviewer wrote that "Sex Box was one of the worst TV programmes I have seen in a long time. From concept to execution, it was a combination of gimmick, prurience, exploitation and dullness." [14] Metro also commented on the show, noting that the show "left viewers in a state of awkwardness and confusion tonight, with many pondering over a series of unanswered sex questions following its debut." [15] The Mirror poked fun at the show for having "a weird box with flashing multicoloured lights that looked like an Ikea-bought version of Doctor Who's TARDIS". [16] They also criticized the show for spending more time on its heterosexual couples than on the disabled and homosexual pairings, [16] a criticism shared by Gawker . [17]

By contrast, Time Out praised "A surprisingly earnest, likeable and good-hearted affair", [18] and a reviewer for Complex praised the show for its diversity and stated that they "actually learned a thing or two", which surprised them. [19] According to The Times : "If you put aside your preconceptions, ignore the surrounding brouhaha and watch this programme with an open mind, it becomes difficult to criticise and impossible to condemn".[ citation needed ]

In other countries

Sex Box is distributed internationally by DRG TV.

The show was broadcast in Australia on SBS Two. [20] [21]

In March 2014 WE tv announced that they were in the process of developing a North American version of the show and had ordered an hour-long pilot episode. [22] [23] The show first aired on WE tv in February 2015 and was hosted by relationship therapist Fran Walfish, sex therapist Dr. Chris Donaghue, Florida pastor Dr. Yvonne Capehart, and comedian Danielle Stewart. [24] Nine episodes of the series were ordered but only five aired, as the show was cancelled in April 2015 due to poor reception. [25] [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC One</span> British television channel

BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, primetime drama and entertainment, and live BBC Sport events.

Judith Adele Finnigan is an English television presenter and writer. She co-presented ITV's This Morning and the Channel 4 chat show, Richard & Judy (2001–2008) alongside her husband Richard Madeley. Her debut novel Eloise, published in 2012, was a Sunday Times bestseller. Her second novel, I Do Not Sleep, was published in 2015.

<i>Strictly Come Dancing</i> British television series

Strictly Come Dancing is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly ballroom and Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of judges. The title of the show is a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing. The format has been exported to 60 other countries under the title Dancing with the Stars, licensed by BBC Worldwide, and led to a modern dance-themed spin-off Strictly Dance Fever. The Guinness World Records named Strictly as the world's most successful reality television format in 2010. The series is currently presented by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Bruce Forsyth co-presented the series with Daly until 2014.

<i>Teen Big Brother: The Experiment</i> Season of television series

Teen Big Brother: The Experiment also known as Teen Big Brother is a United Kingdom reality television spin off of the show Big Brother where a group of teenagers lived in the Big Brother House for ten days. It was pre-recorded on 30 July - 8 August 2003 shortly after the fourth series of Big Brother ended and was aired on Channel 4 over five nights on 13–17 October 2003. The programme consisted of five episodes, each approximately 60 minutes long including adverts, with Elaine Hackett serving as executive producer for Endemol UK Productions. Channel 4 announced the series on 22 May 2003 for the broadcaster's educational division 4Learning with the aim of transmitting the series in late 2003 or early 2004. The series was controversial as some felt the broadcaster was exploiting the teenagers while the program featured the first sexual act between two contestants in the history of the British adaptation of Big Brother.

<i>Richard & Judy</i> British chat show

Richard & Judy was a British television chat show presented by the married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The show originally aired on Channel 4 from 26 November 2001 to 22 August 2008, but later moved to digital channel Watch from 7 October 2008 to 1 July 2009.

<i>Blind Date</i> (British game show) UK game show

Blind Date is a British dating game show first produced by London Weekend Television. An unscreened pilot was made with comic Duncan Norvelle as presenter but it was eventually hosted by Cilla Black, who already hosted the LWT series Surprise Surprise. Blind Date originally ran on Saturday nights from 30 November 1985 to 31 May 2003 on ITV.

Deal or No Deal is a British game show, originally hosted by Noel Edmonds from 31 October 2005 to 23 December 2016 on Channel 4, and by Stephen Mulhern from 20 November 2023 onwards on ITV.

<i>Neighbours</i> Australian soap opera (1985–present)

Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap Sons and Daughters. Although successful in Melbourne, Neighbours underperformed in the Sydney market and was cancelled by Seven four months after it began airing. It was immediately commissioned by rival Network Ten for a second production season, which began screening on 20 January 1986. Neighbours became the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. In 2005, it was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame.

<i>Cutting Edge</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Cutting Edge was a British TV documentary series broadcast by Channel 4. It had been Channel 4's flagship documentary series between 1990 and 2017 that focused on political and social issues.

<i>Would I Lie to You?</i> (game show) British comedy panel game show

Would I Lie to You? is a British comedy game show aired on BBC One, made by Zeppotron for the BBC. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007, starring David Mitchell and Lee Mack as team captains. The show was originally presented by Angus Deayton, and since 2009 has been hosted by Rob Brydon.

<i>The Inbetweeners</i> British TV teen sitcom (2008–2010)

The Inbetweeners is a British coming-of-age television teen sitcom, which originally aired on E4 from 2008 to 2010 and was created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. The series follows the misadventures of suburban teenager William McKenzie and his friends Simon Cooper, Neil Sutherland and Jay Cartwright at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The programme involves situations of school life, uncaring school staff, friendship, male bonding, lad culture and adolescent sexuality. Despite receiving an initially lukewarm reception, it has been described a classic amongst the most successful British sitcoms of the 21st century.

<i>Brass Eye</i> British TV series

Brass Eye is a British satirical television series parodying current affairs news programming. A series of six episodes aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001. The series was created and presented by Chris Morris, written by Morris, David Quantick, Peter Baynham, Jane Bussmann, Arthur Mathews, Graham Linehan and Charlie Brooker and directed by Michael Cumming.

Blue Bloods is an American police procedural drama television series that has been airing on CBS since September 24, 2010. Its main characters are members of the fictional Reagan family, an American, Irish Catholic family in New York City with a history of work in law enforcement. Blue Bloods stars Tom Selleck as New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan; other main cast members include Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes and Len Cariou for all 13 seasons, plus Amy Carlson, and Sami Gayle.

Channel 5 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global's UK and Australia division. It was launched in 1997 to provide a fifth national terrestrial channel in the United Kingdom.

<i>The Great British Bake Off</i> British television baking competition

The Great British Bake Off is a British television baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, attempting to impress two judges with their baking skills. One contestant is eliminated in each round, and the winner is selected from the contestants who reach the final. The first episode was aired on 17 August 2010, with its first four series broadcast on BBC Two, until its growing popularity led the BBC to move it to BBC One for the next three series. After its seventh series, Love Productions signed a three-year deal with Channel 4 to produce the series for the broadcaster. The Great British Bake Off has been subsequently renewed through 2024, its fifteenth series.

<i>Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents</i> British TV series or programme

Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents is a British documentary/reality television series aired on BBC Three from 4 January 2011 – 8 July 2015.

Channel 5 airs a wide variety of programming that covers various genres and themes, with programmes about farming, trains and royalty being popular.

ClearStory Ltd is a British independent television production company. Founded in 2010 by the film-makers Russell Barnes and Molly Milton, it produces factual programming, often in the history and science genres, and has explored provocative social issues through documentary formats, sparking controversies.

<i>Atlantis</i> (TV series) British television series

Atlantis is a British fantasy-adventure television programme inspired by Greek mythology and created by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy with Howard Overman. It premiered on 28 September 2013 on BBC One. In the show, submarine pilot Jason washes up on the shores of legendary Atlantis and must navigate the powerful leaders of the mythological realm.

References

  1. ↑ Cocozza, Fran (6 October 2013). "Sex Box: the participants reveal what actually happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "The Campaign for Real Sex". Channel 4. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Huffington Post". 26 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "Timeout".
  5. ↑ Halliday, Josh (23 September 2013). "The Guardian".
  6. ↑ "Televisual".
  7. ↑ Barraclough, Leo (11 October 2013). "'Sex Box' Gets Thumbs Down from Critics". Variety. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Rigby, Sam (7 October 2013). "'Sex Box' on Channel 4: The funniest Twitter reactions". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Fletcher, Alex (8 October 2013). "'Sex Box' on Channel 4: Was it anything more than a cheap TV stunt?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  10. ↑ Lambert, Molly. "What's in the Sex Box? Not Much, It Turns Out". Grantland. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "Sex Box gets 900,000 viewers, despite being 'the weirdest thing ever'". Metro. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  12. ↑ Gibson, Megan (22 August 2014). "The Real Problem With Sex Box Is That It's Boring". TIME. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  13. ↑ Wollaston, Sam (7 October 2013). "Sex Box – TV review". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  14. ↑ Cumming, Ed. "Sex Box, Channel 4, review". Telegraph. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  15. ↑ Duncan, Amy (7 October 2013). "Channel 4's Sex Box confuses Twitter and leaves shocked fans with unanswered questions". Metro. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  16. 1 2 Hodgson, Claire (8 October 2013). "Sex Box proves a massive turn off for viewers, as the controversial new show falls flat". Mirror. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  17. ↑ Juzwiak, Rich. "Couples Have Sex in Box on British TV, Discuss It After". Gawker. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  18. ↑ "TimeOut".
  19. ↑ Gharemani, Tanya. "I Watched Eight Episodes of UK "Sex Box" and Here's How It Changed Me". Complex. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  20. ↑ Thomas, Sarah (4 July 2014). "Couples have sex, get performance rated on TV show Sex Box". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  21. ↑ Willis, Charlotte. "Sex Box to premiere on SBS 2 — It's sex. In a box. On television". News.com.au. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  22. ↑ Suddath, Claire (22 August 2014). "In Defense of the New Reality Show Sex Box". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on 23 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  23. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (11 March 2014). "U.S. Adaptation Of British Reality Format 'Sex Box' Gets Pilot Order At WE TV". Deadline. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  24. ↑ Goldberg, Leslie (21 August 2014). "'Sex Box': WE tv's New Dating Show Goes All the Way". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  25. ↑ Yahr, Emily. "'Sex Box,' a reality show where people have sex in a box on TV, is a real thing for 2015". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  26. ↑ de Moraes, Lisa (17 April 2015). "'Sex Box' Doesn't Sell, Scrubbed From WE TV Schedule". Deadline. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.