James Purefoy Defends The Following

James Purefoy has defended his new Fox drama The Following following criticisms about the violence within it.

The Rome and Camelot actor plays killer Joe Carroll in the hit new Fox drama alongside Kevin Bacon. However, the freshman drama comes at a time when violence on television has come under increased scrutiny once more. Following the tragic shootings in Newtown, last year, the debate on whether violence on television influences violence in general/is responsible for increasingly violent attacks has re-ignited again.

However, actor James Purefoy doesn’t believe that television has an effect on the watching audience. Purefoy told Vulture “I’m surprised that in a society, in a culture that’s been watching violence on film, television, and stage for two and a half thousand years, anyone brings it up anymore…..The very idea – it’s just preposterous, to tell you the truth…violence on television, film, or in video games has [no] effect whatsoever” on an audience”

The Following is not the only show to come under fire for its use of violence on-screen; last month Shonda Rhimes’ ABC drama Scandal felt the wrath of the Parents Television Council for a torture scene featured in an episode. The debate surrounding on-screen violence is likely to continue for some with various television programmes and films likely to come under fire at some point.

The Following airs on Monday nights on Fox in America and Tuesdays on Sky Atlantic in the UK.