Because it is the first new series to premiere containing substantial gore since the killings in Newtown, CT, The Following has taken an unfair amount of criticism for depictions of violence on television.
[Editor's Note: This post contains spoilers for the series premiere of "The Following" -- you've been warned.] Monday night's premiere of "The Following" finally arrived after months of hype. Kevin Bacon, in his first TV series since "Guiding Light
From Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries, Scream), The Following follows FBI Agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), who comes out of retirement to track down notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), mastermind
Ultimately, my dislike for "The Following" has less to do with its gore factor than with its essential laziness, silliness and pretentiousness. Certain aspects of the plot don't make much sense, but that's really the tip of the iceberg.
The violent drama averaged 10.4 million viewers in the coveted 18- to 49-year-old audience, and delivered a bit of good news to Fox after a dismal fall season for the network.
Source:
http://www.isoftpedia.com/news/Category/ratings-for-kevin-bacons-the-following-give-fox-a-solid-new-drama-4/