ABC Thriller ‘Scandal’ Criticized for Torture Scenes by Parents Television Council. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The conservative Parents Television Council is criticizing ABC hit-show “Scandal” for airing a torture scene in last week’s episode. The episode featured scenes of violence and water-boarding of the character of Huck (Guillermo Diaz) who was accused of attempting to assassinate President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn).

Huck was arrested under the Patriot Act and was water-boarded and nearly beaten to death to force him to confess. He was eventually released and the real shooter was arrested.

PTC said in a statement, “The brutal nature of that scene, which was rated as appropriate for a 14-year-old child, refutes statements made by an industry claiming to be responsible and concerned about societal violence.”

PTC president Tim Winter said: “It is sickening just how quickly the entertainment industry was able to move past the tragedy of Newtown and get back to business as usual.”

The episode in question, which was the January 10th installment, was clearly preceded by a content advisory which warned viewers to expect “intense, explicit and bloodied” scenes. So, viewers had ample time to switch channels.

The group is also calling on the Obama administration to support an effort for “real responsibility from those who produce and distribute violent media content as well as real reform of the failed TV ratings system.”

Um, why would a 14 year old child be watching television at this hour on a school night? If that’s the case, then the parents should be blamed, not the network.