If you’re a sports fan, October is a premier month on the calendar. Football is back in full swing. The baseball playoffs provide nightly drama. And even hockey, basketball, and European soccer are all revving up a bit. It’s a most wonderful time of year. Yet, as it turns out, October can also be a bit dangerous for viewers.

During just the first quarter of a football game recently, I sat through several political ads smearing opponents, multiple trailers for two disturbing horror movies, and at least six gambling ads, three of them featuring essentially a naked woman walking around the entire time. I caught myself almost shamefully looking over my shoulder each commercial break, wondering if my five kids were going to see what I was watching on the television.