The new report from the Parents Television Council – entitled "We're Not in Kansas Anymore" – examines content over the last several years (2011-present) from several programs with ties to child-friendly fantasy franchises: Once Upon a Time (ABC), Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC), The Muppets (ABC), Grimm (NBC), Emerald City (NBC), and Sleepy Hollow (Fox).
PTC president Tim Winter says his group's research found that Hollywood has taken these fairy tale-themed properties and turned them "dark."
"It is difficult to imagine television programming more likely to attract an audience of parents and children than shows based around Alice in Wonderland, The Muppets, and The Wizard of Oz," he states. "It is built-in brand recognition.
"Yet the networks chose to reinterpret these iconic children's properties with sexual references, drug, alcoholic use, explicit profanity, [and] graphic violence to...