Student-made TV drama cleaned up for broadcast

• Source: Global Times
• [15:08 July 22 2009]
• Comments

“College students ‘living together’ is not a secret. I know it’s prohibited on campus, but living together off-campus is not against the law,” Li said.
However, despite its slightly suggestive title, Story of Roommates has been scrubbed clean of any sexual content.

“No sex, no kissing, no hands-holding, no nothing,” said Li. “It wasn’t easy for us to film scenes like that with only one camera.”

Besides the show’s title, episodes names, such as “Xiao Bao’s Affair”, “Murder Case” and “Lottery’s Lust” were also seen as inappropriate and subsequently changed.

“In season 2, we try to be more positive. Students end up kicking their bad habits and supporting each other,” Li said.

Fans have different opinions about the show airing on TV.

Duan Tong, a student at Northwest University, Shaanxi Province, said she feels the show is really close to her life.

“Even though the quality of big-budget TV dramas looks a lot better, honestly, this show has got real content,” commented Duan.

Li Hongreng, a student at Beijing Jiaotong University, expressed disapproval of the revision.

“They should keep the Internet version and the TV one separate,”said the student Li.
Li answered with a shrug.

“Shows on the Internet enjoy more freedom, but on TV, we have to make sure we’re giving a positive message to our young viewers.”