A new British period drama is being labelled online as "hideously brutal" and "disgusting" over its graphic depiction of violence.
Gunpowder stars Kit Harrington, known to many for his role of Jon Snow, and some viewers suggest this new show may be even gorier than Game of Thrones.
- TV show The Sinner is supposedly so horrific people can't watch it
- Kit Harrington says he cried at last Game of Thrones read-through
The three-part BBC series chronicles the infamous Guy Fawkes plan by a group of dissident English Catholics to assassinate King James I by blowing up the House of Lords in 1605, with Harington playing his ancestor Robert Catesby, the plot's mastermind.
In the opening episode, a young priest is hung, drawn and quartered, a woman is stripped naked before being crushed to death by a stone slab and several other people suffer decapitations, amputations and more.
"Feeling traumatised. Gunpowder is hideously brutal. Humans can be terrifyingly cruel," one viewer tweeted.
"Gunpowder has too much violence, too much gore. Not entertainment. Disgusting," said another.
Responding to 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."
Along with those unhappy with the violent content were others cheering it.
"Gunpowder may have trumped Game of Thrones for gore! Bravo," one viewer tweeted.
"Well Gunpowder started slow but boy did it pick up! Blood. Gore. Plotting. Bring on next week," said another.
The second episode of Gunpowder is broadcast in the UK on October 29.
Newshub.
