As a student, it is just possible that you enjoy a drink. You may even have slammed five tequila shots and told a co-worker, “Neck these and back to mine.” Chances are, though, that you weren’t encouraged to do this by watching Holby City.

For just such a thing happened on the show a few weeks ago. “Only five?” you may ask, but you’d be missing the point (you disgusting alcoholic, you). Viewers were outraged.

The issue was that Holby did not show the negative effect of binge drinking. No “harmful impact” followed. Presumably those complaining would have liked to see the perpetrators either: a) fall on their arse; b) get the routine wrong and find themselves with salt in their eye and slices of citrus fruit down their trousers; or c) die immediately of liver cirrhosis. After all, tequila is bad for you. But aren’t we old enough to figure that out ourselves?

There seems to be an emphasis on television programmes being responsible these days. It wasn’t long ago that EastEnders was slammed for ignoring fire safety by showing Jim Branning disabling a smoke alarm. Because, of course, everyone looks to Jim Branning for guidance.

Such fussing can only lead to the kind of subsidised Moral TV seen in Neighbours, in which lessons unfold with tragic inevitability. Boy turns 18 —> drinking problem. Man talks on phone while driving --> runs someone over (despite only reversing into them at 5mph). And that’s forgetting all the lectures to Mishka/the viewer about what smoking does to your insides.

You can excuse preaching in children’s television. A report by the NCC earlier this year showed that a staggering 97% of 9-to-13-year-olds from less affluent areas – and nearly half of ‘better-off’ children – have TVs in their bedrooms. A lot of kids are watching a lot of TV. It is only right they should learn something while they’re at it, even if it is a case of “EAT THIS MORAL” (e.g. LazyTown).

It’s just a shame that it comes at the expense of entertainment; Arthur, for example, was fun until they started making episodes about water conservation and what to do if you have a peanut allergy. Commendable perhaps, but not very interesting – and you can’t learn from something if you’re not watching it.

Still, at least it gives the kids some education. In adult television, though, there is no reason for it. We are old enough to think for ourselves; old enough to judge the effects of tequila; old enough to decide whether to quit smoking or not; and old enough to know we shouldn’t be preached at by scriptwriters. Pass the remote.