Sex Box
{{Short description|British television series}}
{{about|the British television show|facilities used for sex|Sex box|the American series|Sex Box (American TV series)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox television
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| starring = Mariella Frostrup (2013)
Phillip Hodson (2013)
Tracey Cox (2013)
Dan Savage (2013)
Steve Jones (2016–)
Goedele Liekens (2016–)
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| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 2
| num_episodes = 11
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| executive_producer =
| producer = Clearstory
Russell Barnes
Molly Milton
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| runtime = 44 minutes
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| channel = Channel 4
| first_aired = {{Start date|df=yes|2013|10|7}}
| last_aired = {{End date|df=yes|2016|05|2}}
| 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.{{cite news|last1=Cocozza|first1=Fran|title=Sex Box: the participants reveal what actually happened|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2013/oct/06/sex-box-participants-reveal-channel-4|work=The Guardian|date=6 October 2013 |accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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.
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".{{cite web|title=The Campaign for Real Sex|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-campaign-for-real-sex|publisher=Channel 4|accessdate=26 August 2014}} The programme provoked controversy and debate in both the British and international press.{{cite web|title=Huffington Post|date=26 September 2013 |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/frank-furedi/sex-box-channel-four_b_3987310.html}} Some reviews of the programme were positive, praising the sincerity of the programme's aims.{{cite web|title=Timeout|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/tv-reviews/sex-box}}{{cite news|title=The Guardian|date=23 September 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/sep/23/sex-box-tv-show-reclaim-sex-pornography|last1=Halliday |first1=Josh }}{{cite web|title=Televisual|url=http://www.televisual.com/news-detail/C4-Sex-Box-special-to-feature-live-sex-in-the-studio_nid-3267.html}} However, many critics and viewers panned the show,{{cite web|last1=Barraclough|first1=Leo|title='Sex Box' Gets Thumbs Down from Critics|date=11 October 2013 |url=https://variety.com/2013/tv/global/sex-box-gets-thumbs-down-from-critics-1200715635/|publisher=Variety|accessdate=26 August 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Rigby|first1=Sam|title='Sex Box' on Channel 4: The funniest Twitter reactions|date=7 October 2013 |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a521809/sex-box-on-channel-4-the-funniest-twitter-reactions.html#~oO2b9ygfXIsnHK|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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.{{cite web|last1=Fletcher|first1=Alex|title='Sex Box' on Channel 4: Was it anything more than a cheap TV stunt? |date=8 October 2013 |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a521845/sex-box-on-channel-4-was-it-anything-more-than-a-cheap-tv-stunt.html#~oO2a0GQp8DMmGp|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=26 August 2014}}
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.{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=Molly|title=What's in the Sex Box? Not Much, It Turns Out|url=http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/whats-in-the-sex-box-not-much-it-turns-out/|publisher=Grantland|accessdate=26 August 2014}}
Episodes
=Series 1=
- Episode 1, airdate 7 October 2013, viewership 900,000{{cite web|title=Sex Box gets 900,000 viewers, despite being 'the weirdest thing ever'|date=8 October 2013 |url=http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/08/sex-box-gets-900000-viewers-despite-being-the-weirdest-thing-ever-4139387/|publisher=Metro|accessdate=26 August 2014}}
- Episode 2, airdate 8 October 2013
- Episode 3, airdate 9 October 2013
- Episode 4, airdate 10 October 2013
- Episode 5, airdate 11 October 2013
- Episode 6, airdate 14 October 2013
- Episode 7, airdate 15 October 2013
=Series 2=
- Episode 1, airdate 4 April 2016
- Episode 2, airdate 11 April 2016
- Episode 3, airdate 18 April 2016
- Episode 4, airdate 2 May 2016
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."{{cite web|last1=Gibson|first1=Megan|title=The Real Problem With Sex Box Is That It's Boring|date=22 August 2014 |url=https://time.com/3159524/sex-box-new-reality-show/|publisher=TIME|access-date=26 August 2014}} The Guardian and The Telegraph also panned the show overall,{{cite news|last1=Wollaston|first1=Sam|title=Sex Box – TV review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/07/sex-box-tv-review|work=The Guardian|date=7 October 2013 |accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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."{{cite web|last1=Cumming|first1=Ed|title=Sex Box, Channel 4, review|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10361576/Sex-Box-Channel-4-review.html|work=Telegraph|accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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."{{cite web|last1=Duncan|first1=Amy|title=Channel 4's Sex Box confuses Twitter and leaves shocked fans with unanswered questions|date=7 October 2013 |url=http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/07/channel-4s-sex-box-confuses-twitter-and-leaves-shocked-fans-with-unanswered-questions-4138128/|publisher=Metro|accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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".{{cite web|last1=Hodgson|first1=Claire|title=Sex Box proves a massive turn off for viewers, as the controversial new show falls flat|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-reviews/sex-box-proves-massive-turn-2350518|work=Mirror|date=8 October 2013 |accessdate=26 August 2014}} They also criticized the show for spending more time on its heterosexual couples than on the disabled and homosexual pairings, a criticism shared by Gawker.{{cite web|last1=Juzwiak|first1=Rich|title=Couples Have Sex in Box on British TV, Discuss It After|url=http://gawker.com/couples-have-sex-in-box-on-british-tv-discuss-it-after-1442635809|publisher=Gawker|accessdate=26 August 2014}}
By contrast, Time Out praised "A surprisingly earnest, likeable and good-hearted affair",{{cite web|title=TimeOut|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/tv-reviews/sex-box}} and a reviewer for Complex praised the show for its diversity and stated that they "actually learned a thing or two", which surprised them.{{cite web |last1=Gharemani |first1=Tanya |title=I Watched Eight Episodes of UK "Sex Box" and Here's How It Changed Me |url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2014/04/uk-sex-box-review |work=Complex|accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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|date=October 2017}}
In other countries
Sex Box is distributed internationally by DRG TV.
The show was broadcast in Australia on SBS Two.{{cite web|last1=Thomas|first1=Sarah|title=Couples have sex, get performance rated on TV show Sex Box|date=4 July 2014 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/couples-have-sex-get-performance-rated-on-tv-show-sex-box-20140704-zsvrv.html|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=26 August 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Willis|first1=Charlotte|title=Sex Box to premiere on SBS 2 — It's sex. In a box. On television|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/sex-box-to-premiere-on-sbs-2-its-sex-in-a-box-on-television/story-e6frfmyi-1226977569936|publisher=News.com.au|accessdate=26 August 2014}}
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.{{cite news|last1=Suddath|first1=Claire|title=In Defense of the New Reality Show Sex Box|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-22/in-defense-of-the-new-reality-show-sex-box|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823201153/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-22/in-defense-of-the-new-reality-show-sex-box|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 August 2014|work=BusinessWeek|date=22 August 2014 |accessdate=26 August 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Andreeva|first1=Nellie|title=U.S. Adaptation Of British Reality Format 'Sex Box' Gets Pilot Order At WE TV|date=11 March 2014 |url=https://deadline.com/2014/03/sex-box-reality-series-we-tv-adaptation-video-697295/|publisher=Deadline|accessdate=26 August 2014}} 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.{{cite web|last1=Goldberg|first1=Leslie|title='Sex Box': WE tv's New Dating Show Goes All the Way|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sex-box-we-tvs-new-726696|work=Hollywood Reporter|date=21 August 2014 |accessdate=26 August 2014}} Nine episodes of the series were ordered but only five aired, as the show was cancelled in April 2015 due to poor reception.{{cite news|last1=Yahr|first1=Emily|title='Sex Box,' a reality show where people have sex in a box on TV, is a real thing for 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/08/21/sex-box-a-reality-show-where-people-have-sex-in-a-box-on-tv-is-a-real-thing-for-2015/|newspaper=Washington Post|accessdate=26 August 2014}}{{cite web|last1=de Moraes|first1=Lisa|title='Sex Box' Doesn't Sell, Scrubbed From WE TV Schedule|date=17 April 2015 |url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/sex-box-canceled-we-tv-parents-tv-council-1201411493/|publisher=Deadline|accessdate=27 May 2015}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sex-box}}
- {{IMDb title|3976016}}
Category:2013 British television series debuts
Category:2016 British television series endings
Category:2010s British reality television series
Category:Channel 4 reality television shows
Category:British English-language television shows