BIG SCREAM TV
Fox defends brutal violence on clever serial-killer thriller
PASADENA, Calif. — It’s ironic that a show about a serial killer is itself a victim — of bad timing.
Fox’s blood-soaked thriller “The Following” debuts Monday, a little over a month after the shooting spree that left 27 dead in Newtown, Conn. The tragedy reignited a national debate, prompting President Barack Obama to create a task force to come up with proposals on gun control, mental health issues and “a culture that all too often glorifies guns and violence.”
Television is a key part of that culture, and shows with high body counts and lots of gore are finding themselves under increased scrutiny.
Violence on the small screen was a hot topic at TV critics’ recent press tour. Network executives were grilled about the degree to which events such as those in Newtown and Aurora, Colo., have influenced their programming choices and whether a causeand-effect argument can be made between violence on TV and in the real world. Not surprisingly “The Following,” with its homicidal tendencies and brutal content — certainly by broadcast standards — evolved into a poster child of sorts.
“I look at the violence in our show, and I think there’s some shocking moments where we do push the button and you could call it gratuitous; I would never argue someone’s subjective opinion of that,” said the show’s creator, Kevin Williamson, whose credits include “The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawson’s Creek” and the “Scream” franchise. “But I’m trying to scare an audience and make a statement and be provocative about this character. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.”
“The Following” is a cat-andmouse thriller that pits a former FBI agent against a serial killer with a rabid fan base. The killer’s followers are happy to do his bidding while he’s behind bars.
Kevin Bacon makes his primetime series debut as Ryan Hardy, who gets called back to action when serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy, “Rome”) escapes from prison.
“There’s some moments it’s squeamish and it’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s not the sum of the show,” said Williamson, 47, who set out to make a “thrill ride” in the mold of his favorite TV show, Fox’s suspenser “24.”
“The Following” is nothing if not intense, with a fast-moving plot punctuated by the occasional cheap scare. The story isn’t brilliant or all that sophisticated, but
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