Before we start, let me say this: I agree with Australia’s media classification system, as it helps parents make informed choices. When I finally got access to the MA15+ zone at the EB Games Expo, it was the best day ever. Waving that band in front of my parents gave them a grim reminder that their little girl was growing up.
See, my folks were strict, like strict Asian parents strict. We were migrants, and they wanted us to be model citizens. That meant sticking to the rules hard, including following the country’s media classifications. Add a healthy dose of Filipino cultural bias, and yeah… a lot of popular content was off-limits.
So it doesn’t help that I somehow became an entertainment journalist, who’s still able to do their job while missing out on half of pop culture. Make it make sense. Thankfully, I’m now an adult with my own internet, and no one is hovering behind me asking, “What’s that rated?” or its content warnings. Here’s what I wasn’t allowed to watch—and what I’m catching up on now.
5. Game of Thrones
This was an easy “absolutely not” in my house. MA15+ rating, sex scenes, and no Foxtel? Yeah… no dice. My mum wanted to watch it too but needed her tech-savvy kids to sail the Seven Seas. It also didn’t help that our internet was terrible, so it would have eaten up our usage data even if I wanted to help out or sneakily watch it.
By the time I could watch it (thanks NBN!), the hype had started fading. People were already complaining about the plot by this point, and as we all know, it went drastically downhill. So I tried season 1, saw that I had 50+ one-hour episodes ahead of me, and tapped out.
Fortunately, House of the Dragon came out. One of my coworkers told me it was a prequel, so I could dive in with just basic lore. I watched it immediately, on the exact hour when it comes out. And not gonna lie, I’m obsessed. Like “WHERE HAS THIS BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE.” I still haven’t read the book, but it’s on the list.
4. NCIS
NCIS was one of those “eh, maybe” shows in my house. My dad liked medical and crime dramas but knew the themes could get heavy. I wasn’t outright banned, but it was very much “you can watch it… if we’re in the room.” The only crime show I had full access to was Numb3rs. It had math lessons and explanations during the investigation, and my parents were like, “Ah yes, learning!”
Now? I’ve skipped the nearly 500 episodes of OG NCIS and jumped straight into NCIS: Sydney. Fresh cast, local setting, no prior knowledge needed. No Wikipedia rabbit holes. But if I want to touch on the OG series, NCIS: Origins might be a good place to start.
3. Comedy
A direct quote from my parents: “Skit shows just teach you how to be stupid.” So, anything remotely funny or sarcastic was basically banned. You’re skitting me? Gone. Prank Patrol? Suspicious. The Simpsons? I wasn’t allowed to watch it for six months.
Philippine comedy was okay, but that was because most comedies contained life lessons. And if it didn’t, the fact that it was Tagalog meant I was exposed to the language. I wasn’t allowed to laugh unless I learned something.
As a result, I never picked up Aussie humor or sarcasm. My sense of humor growing up was mostly self-deprecating with a dash of existential dread. But once I moved out and started dating someone who actually enjoys laughing, the comedy floodgates opened.
He introduced me to Monty Python (bless him), and it was game over. Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and Meaning of Life are iconic. I moved on to The IT Crowd and Aussie gems like Kath & Kim, Aunty Donna, and Utopia. I’m still learning how to laugh, but I am getting there.
2. Anime
My anime diet as a kid was Pokémon, Voltes V, and… yeah, that’s it. Pokémon was allowed because our relatives liked it. Voltes V had a role in Filipino media history (long story), so it was basically homework.
Other anime? Suspicious. If it didn’t scream “wholesome” or it wasn’t in English, it was a no. Ouran High School Host Club got banned for ONE scene that looked spicy but really wasn’t. Vampire Knight was also almost banned because my baby cousin started biting my aunt after we watched it. Honestly, fair. Even shows rated PG weren’t safe. So if I want to watch this genre, it needed to have the most chill vibes ever, and yet I still had to cross my fingers.
Now that I’m grown? I watch whatever I want. I’m into SpyxFamily, Chainsaw Man – you name it. I finally watched Ouran at uni after I bought a DVD with money from my part-time job. Seeing how it ended was great, even if I was many years late.
1. “P*rn”
Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not talking about that kind of porn. I’m talking about anything with a sex scene, even if it’s just kissing or hugging, or an innuendo, in a Rated PG and up program.
Sex in my family? Doesn’t exist until marriage. I didn’t get a proper “birds and the bees” talk until I was 22. And anything with “sexual references” in the rating label was automatically deemed dangerous. Yes, even Glee was on thin ice and my family loved that show.
I watched Fifty Shades at 18, but only because I watched it with my mum. Awkward doesn’t even begin to describe it and I had to due to “concerns.” My parents almost turned off the TV during Eurovision 2019 because Iceland’s award winning, anti-capitalist, techno performance, BDSM band, Hatari and their song, Hatrid Mun Sigra, which left the impression that SBS was airing an international porno.
This was my reality. And yeah, it sucked. But now? I don’t have to hide in my room like I’m doing something illegal to watch a steamy rom-com. I’m now slowly engaging in BookTok content because I want to know what the hype is about. I finished ACOTAR and am working my way towards Fourth Wing.
Growing up, my media was strictly filtered—and yeah, it affected me. I felt ashamed for liking things that weren’t “educational,” “wholesome,” or in Tagalog. My parents enforced the rules hard, and I wasn’t trusted to decide for myself, even at 18.
But now that I’ve moved out, I’m finally catching up on everything I missed and I’m loving it. I’m watching comedy, drama, romance scenes, anime, dragons, crime… all of it. And guess what? I didn’t turn into a criminal or stupid.
Media classification exists for a reason. But when cultural guilt and fear get thrown into the mix, it just becomes alienating. I’m grateful my parents cared, but I wish they hadn’t made me feel like watching The Simpsons was equivalent to smuggling drugs.
Now? I binge guilt-free. And it feels amazing.
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