Can skin save HBO’s skin?

One penis rising, three pairs of breasts, a half-dozen bottoms and two testicles bouncing about under female buttocks on top and in charge.

Phew. There is more, but that is what sticks in my mind after stumbling upon the first episode of HBO's new Sunday night shocker, a drama series called Tell Me You Love Me.

It is about three couples who see the same therapist, female, in hopes of sorting out their 'relationship' problems. Ground-breaking stuff, even for cable TV. We are not meant to call it "porn": it is "extremely realistic intimacy".

Tell Me You Love Me follows re-runs of the final series of The Sopranos, which may be significant. As The Sopranos collects its last Emmy's, HBO is desperate for something edgy