This Netflix Series Has The Most Graphic Sex Scenes In The Streamer's History

Netflix has never shied away from provocative material in the past. From a steamy scene in "Sex/Life" that got fans talking to "Blonde" receiving an NC-17 rating for sexual content, there's no shortage of shows and movies where things get hot and heavy. However, the streaming service may have outdone itself with arguably its most sexually graphic series to date — "Supersex."

The title alone indicates it's a Netflix show you don't want your parents to catch you watching. It follows the true story of Italian adult film star Rocco Siffredi, played by Alessandro Borghi. In real life, Siffredi has starred in over 1,400 pornographic films, and the series doesn't hold back on depicting his wild lifestyle. Borghi told an Italian news outlet, Today, that he had filmed 50 sex scenes over just 95 days of shooting. 

While there are many sex scenes, it appears they deal with the show's narrative arc instead of merely existing to titillate viewers. In Variety's review of "Supersex," Aramide Tinubu writes, "Intercourse and other types of sex are showcased, of course, but these scenes aren't gratuitous. Instead, they illustrate Rocco's emotional state as he deals with loss and yearning or even demonstrate his self-worth." It sounds like sex with a purpose, so it may make audiences think about the subject matter rather than merely using the series for "Netflix and chill" fodder. 

The Variety review mentions some of the sex scenes in "Supersex" are filmed with surreal, almost hallucinatory elements. It'd be easy for such graphic sex to become exploitative at a certain point, but series creator Francesca Manieri, who identifies as a feminist to Independent, saw the show as an opportunity to discuss the male gaze and how sex is generally male-centered when portrayed in media. She told the outlet, "My goal was to put men in front of themselves. This is what we call the phallocentric system, the system in which the d*** is the centrum of the thought before everything."

While a man's sexuality is at the core of "Supersex," the fact it's told from a largely female viewpoint behind the camera adds an extra layer to what all of this sex means. A man helming the show could've easily made tantalizing scenes that entice the senses without delving deeper into Rocco Siffredi's psyche. To Variety, Manieri admitted it was a daunting proposition to come aboard the show, but she saw it as an opportunity. "I said to myself that if when women are given the chance to delve into the heart of masculinity — with all its dysfunctionality and potential toxicity, or even its power — we turn it down, then we can't blame anyone anymore," she explained. 

"Supersex" may be the most scandalous show to arrive on Netflix. Viewers may tune in due to the graphic sex, but hopefully, they stick around and reevaluate their notions regarding sex.