Showtime's "Dexter" and "Homeland" Violence Trigger Warning

This is how Showtime kicked off their double season finale of “Dexter” and “Homeland” last night. There are so many things that ring strange about this disclaimer. The language for one, though I recognize that likely a team of people wrestled with how to communicate this, and I feel for them. “In light of” is not the right phrase. “That may be” is too damning: “That may be” essentially means “That some may find.” So: Some of you may find these images disturbing; some of you may be callous and dead inside, and/or east coast liberal elites.

This trigger warning can’t be made more specific, or else the network has to sell itself out. “Here is another evening of stabbing, shooting and terrorism! Whee! But as we are all thinking about some IRL horrors, maybe this evening of horror will not feel as pleasurable as it normally does.” Particularly since (not really a spoiler!) they killed some children on the T.V. shows last night.

That both shows are utter nonsense — in the case of “Homeland,” astoundingly bizarre nonsense (seriously (not really a spoiler), did the President of the U.S. die last night in “Homeland”??? And if not, then how not??? AND OTHER QUESTIONS, MANY OF THEM) — isn’t that relevant. These shows are about violence. They actually have plausible reasons to be about violence! So live it up, decadent television network. Either disclaim every week or don’t bother.