[Perdogg]

I must have missed that episode of Rome. All the shows that the author is talking about are on cable.

[MozarkDawg]

All the shows that the author is talking about are on cable.

Those first few years of NYPD Blue were pretty explicit, nudity, there were a couple of scenes of David Caruso which left nothing to the imagination, several episodes, and they were on network prime time, not cable. I didn't watch too many of the Jimmy Smits years, none later, so I don't know if they kept it up, but I recall that was the major selling point of the show, that Bochco was pushing the boundaries of network TV.

[Mr. Blonde]

Even more than that, HBO or Showtime. It isn't like they are even on expanded basic in the US. I was always under the impression that Europe was always a little more open with those things anyway.

Equally, the revered men who made The Wire displayed a strong preference for nude scenes featuring top-heavy young actresses.

This reminds me of the commentary for an episode on Season 2. One of the characters had a very buxom girlfriend on the show and in one episode she is topless (although not a sex scene). The two actors commentating on the episode spend a good amount of time talking about her and seem pretty sad when they realize they aren't watching that episode.

And on that note, seriously, anyone who hasn't watched The Wire should do so immediately. Nothing on TV has ever come close to being as good as it was.