BBC's new drama, Gunpowder, caused a stir on Saturday night, with many viewers complaining that the show, based on the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, was too gory. The three-part miniseries stars Kit Harington as Robert Catesby, the leader of the plot to assassinate King James I. Following several complaints about the series, a BBC spokeswoman said: "The scenes aired after 9.30pm with a clear warning given to viewers before the episode started. The methods depicted are grounded in historical fact and reflect what took place during the time of the gunpowder plot."
WATCH: Trailer for Kit Harington's new BBC historical drama is here!
BBC's new drama, Gunpowder, caused a stir on Saturday night, with many viewers complaining that the show, based on the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, was too gory. The three-part miniseries stars Kit Harington as Robert Catesby, the leader of the plot to assassinate King James I. Following several complaints about the series, a BBC spokeswoman said: "The scenes aired after 9.30pm with a clear warning given to viewers before the episode started. The methods depicted are grounded in historical fact and reflect what took place during the time of the gunpowder plot."
© Photo: BBCKit's new drama follows the Gunpowder Plot of 1605
Viewers took to Twitter to discuss the controversial episode, with one writing: "I'd been really looking forward to #Gunpowder but just had to turn off during the first episode & won't be going back. Unnecessarily brutal," while another added: "This execution scene is one of the most painful things I've ever witnessed on TV." However, others were quick to point out that it was an accurate historical portrayal, with one writing: "Brutal but historically accurate. Maybe you more delicate souls should go to bed before 9pm if it upsets you." Another said: "Yes, it's graphic and gory, but it has to be for us to understand the depth of persecution, and why Catesby & co did what they did."
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© Photo: BBCSome viewers complained about the graphic content
Speaking about the series to the Radio Times, Kit said: "Yeah, that's historically accurate. I think it was important to us – that brutality – because it sets Catesby on a very specific path. We need to understand why this man goes about putting together a team to carry out this act. We need to understand what pushed him to that place." He also spoke about the connotations that the show follows a group committing an act of terrorism, and explained: "We understand that there is obviously a modern resonance with terrorism. But we are not using the term 'terrorism' because they weren’t terrorists. A terrorist is someone who goes and plants a bomb or causes a terrifying act to frighten a population and therefore push the government to do something. These guys were revolutionaries. They wanted to bring down governments so they could then put a new government in place. So, they weren't technically terrorists."
