Trigger warnings are commonplace in the content world today. House of the Dragon star Matt Smith is worried about how the practice is affecting storytelling. The actor spoke his mind during a recent interview with The Times of London, wondering if these warnings diminish the true essence of art.
Smith said that the role of art is to inspire, surprise, and provoke emotion by asking:
"Isn’t being shocked the point?"
Hugely popular for playing the morally ambiguous Daemon Targaryen on House of the Dragon, Smith reckoned that giving people a preemptive warning could bludgeon the story's impact:
“We should be telling morally difficult stories, nowadays in particular,” he asserted.
Smith isn’t just concerned about keeping art genuine; he has also called out a bigger issue in our culture where things are getting overly simplified. He is worried about "everything being dialed and dumbed down." This could result in a world where people are protected from discomfort instead of being pushed to think critically.
This brings up an important point. By trying to shield viewers from discomfort, are we missing out on the real, unfiltered experiences that give art its power?
The debate over trigger warnings in modern shows like House of the Dragon
Trigger warnings have become a hot topic in the entertainment world. It started as a way to give people a heads-up about content that could stir up strong feelings, but now it is the norm for movies and shows that deal with violence, s**ual assault, or self-harm.
For instance, a Variety report earlier this year mentioned some shows like Netflix's Baby Reindeer and Apple TV+'s Severance using trigger warnings. Some people have taken issue with these warnings because they can give away important plot details, which might take away from the emotional punch and suspense that the creators aim for.
Cultural impact and concerns around trigger warnings
The House of the Dragon star also brought up some bigger worries in the industry about the risk of over-policing content. He shared his concerns that the growing use of trigger warnings might be a sign that we're trying too hard to clean up and sanitize art so it doesn’t upset or distress anyone.
Smith believes that this trend might hold back creativity and limit the kind of stories being told.
He added:
"Too much policing of stories and being afraid to bring them out because a climate is a certain way is a shame."
His comments are part of a bigger shift happening in the entertainment world about how to keep audiences safe from upsetting issues while still keeping storytelling honest.
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If you’re a fan of Matt Smith, you can catch him in House of the Dragon, which is streaming now on HBO Max.
Keep an eye on Soap Central for the latest scoop on trigger warnings on TV and how they might affect shows like House of the Dragon.
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