Written by Patti Pauley

Of course they are. It is 2016 after all.

*Spoilers ahead! You have been warned!

After Sunday’s highly anticipated, and what turned out to be the most savage season premiere of The Walking Dead, the internet damn near broke with both cheers and jeers as to the fate of not one, but two beloved characters from the zombie apocalypse, Glenn and Abraham. While those who were devastated by Sunday’s huge loss coddled each other in the form of online group therapy sessions, the Parents Television Council expressed extreme outrage at that now infamous Lucille scene that everyone can’t seem to stop talking about.

The conservative group that monitor the boob tube, were horrified that the episode that showcased two people’s brains being smashed into something that looked like lasagna soup, are now demanding for an “unbundling” of cable TV packages, giving viewers a choice of which channels they wish to have in their homes. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, PTC president Tim Winter explained that “it wasn’t just enough to change the channel” in regards to the violent content that The Walking Dead portrays.

Winter to THR:  Some people like to advocate, because cable subscribers — regardless of whether they want AMC or watch its programming — are still forced to subsidize violent content. This brutally explicit show is a powerful demonstration of why families should have greater control over the TV networks they purchase from their cable and satellite providers. When you look at definition of MA and what content of the show is, it’s unquestionable they chose what best represented the content. This certainly raises question of if there should be an even more severe rating than TV-MA.

“Programs with violent content are proven to be harmful, especially to children; and most parents agree that having greater control over violent content coming into their homes is vital to protecting their family. When a basic cable network like AMC edges or even surpasses the premium networks in terms of explicit content, consumers must be afforded more control over which networks they purchase and which networks they don’t.”

The president of the PTC also went on to slam The Walking Dead writers, accusing the brains behind the show of using gore and violence in lieu of good storytelling. However, Winter admitted that he hadn’t even seen the whole episode that seems to have them so severely outraged, but rather only video clips as he stated he hasn’t been comfortable watching the show in a long time.

“I understand violence is inherent to the storytelling here but the manner in which the depictions were made … it crossed the line. With The Walking Dead, the creative team has resorted to the graphic violence as a crutch for what used to be better storytelling. When you can’t figure out what lines to write, you put something in easier, which is a graphic depiction. To me, it’s too much. Everything between the opening credits and the closing credits was graphic and explicit. You don’t need to show it to show it. Back in the day, you’d see violence about to be committed and then see you’d some after-effects of someone recovering or some other aspects rather than skulls crushed in. Now it seems like they can’t tell a story without adding the severity of the graphic violence, and it seems to me like a crutch.”

 

I don’t know guys. You think they might be a tad upset? However, this really isn’t the first time the PTC has attacked the popular AMC program for its content. Back in 2012, the group pushed for stronger TV guideline ratings and urged the network  to change its TV-14 “misrating.”

 

Personally speaking, I have kids. I really don’t think this is at all necessary, as I can parent my children’s TV time just fine. I don’t really need a more severe rating. Nor do i need to “unbundle” AMC from my cable package. I prefer to just use common sense and good judgement. What are your thoughts on this debacle?