To me, censorship is useful as far as it helps to meet network standards so that they can be aired. If the censorship changes the plot or themes, then they go too far. For instance, there is value in death in literature; something can be taught about the nature of the world. Removing the idea of death would, in most cases, be a loss in value. However, graphically changing cigarettes to lollipops, while strange, does virtually nothing to change the plot or my opinion of the character in question. And likewise removing blood and gore when the plot clearly emphasizes struggle and hardship doesn't change my understanding of what is going on.