There’s no doubt that horror TV shows have been pushing the boundaries of basic cable in recent years, with shows like The Walking Dead and Hannibal presenting some of the most gruesome moments to ever hit the small screen. American Horror Story is no exception, and now the show is under attack.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the conservative watchdog group Parents Television Council has lashed out at Ryan Murphy for both American Horror Story: Hotel and Scream Queens, the group particularly offended and outraged by the sexually-charged and extra bloody season premiere of the former.
PTC president Tim Winter condemned the episode for its “unbelievably explicit combination of sex and violence,” referring to the orgy scene featuring Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer. The characters they play lead an unsuspecting couple back to the hotel, where they have sex with them and then feast on their blood.
Another infamous Hotel season premiere scene involving a creature wearing a spiked ***** is no doubt a contributor to the outrage. And the PTC is so upset about how much networks like FX and Fox are letting Murphy get away with that they’re demanding action be taken against his particular brand of horror.
“This is the most vile and shocking content I’ve ever seen on TV. Ever,” Winter wrote in an email calling for an advertiser to boycott the series. “Most Americans have no idea this is primetime fare on advertiser-supported basic cable. And everyone is paying for it as part of their program bundle.”
“The program features graphic decapitations and discussions of necrophilia in the family hour … all sponsored by McDonald’s,” Winter continued, in regards to Scream Queens.
Advertisers like Subway and McDonald’s, the PTC says, should spend their ad dollars more responsibly.
Why does this organization exist when the Parental Guideline Rating system exists? Why do they feel like they can overrule this system which has been around since like 1995? The system that explicitly lays out the exact content for the show ahead of time. What point, exactly, do they have? What leverage? What angle?
The over-sensitivity is ridiculous, not to mention AHS: Hotel is TV MA for a reason. Have a seat, and while you do buy Gaga's ARTPOP on your local iTunes.
it's a horror series dumbasses
