Last week Grey’s Anatomy topped C.S.I. as the most watched show on television. I must say that one of those viewers is not me. I quit watching in the middle of last season when I concluded that the only purpose of the show was to unrestrained sexual behavior as many times as possible in each hour of programming. ¹I don’t know why it took me that long to wake up: The pilot opened with a post-coital repartee.

I watched one partial episode this year and found nothing had changed.

I can’t help but wonder whether the show reflects our culture or is trying to influence our culture. I think a little of both.

It reflects our culture in that it no longer seems to be a big deal for couples to engage in copious amounts of meaningless sex. Grey’s, of course, is not alone, just the most excessive, at least of the programs I’ve seen.

It influences our culture, too, along with a host of other TV programs and movies and novels. Here is a very unlikely situation often depicted: Man and Woman meet at a party (bar, cafe, church, you name it). They have a good time. Man sees Woman home. They pause at Woman’s door, each with an air of uncertainty. “Should we kiss or not?” Cautiously, almost adolescently, they approach each other, gazing in each others’ eyes. Their lips somehow finally meet… Immediately they begin ripping each others’ clothes off and the next thing you know they’re waking up after a night of “sensational,” unrestrained sex. When does that ever happen? Maybe I’m sheltered.

What’s the deal? This seems so wrong on so many levels.