'Confederate' creators defend show's premise about slavery after outcry
"We all knew it was coming," David Benioff said of the criticism.
— -- "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are defending the premise of their planned new series, "Confederate," about an alternate history in which the South has seceded and slavery still exists.
HBO's announcement of the planned show sparked an outcry this week.
But Benioff, Weiss and their partners in creating "Confederate" -- husband-and-wife writers and producers Nichelle Tramble Spellman and Malcolm Spellman, who are African-American -- are defending the show and its premise.
Speaking with Vulture, the team said they expected to take fire.
"We all knew it was coming in one form or another," Benioff said.
Malcolm Spellman recalled his initial reaction upon hearing the show's premise: "You're dealing with weapons-grade material here."
"It goes without saying slavery is the worst thing that ever happened in American history," Weiss said. "It's our original sin as a nation. And history doesn't disappear. That sin is still with us in many ways."
But Weiss said that "Confederate," as a "science-fiction show ... can show us how this history is still with us in a way that strictly realistic drama ever could."
Nichelle Spellman, who worked on "The Good Wife," recalled the team's original meeting about the show: "I just remember being so excited -- and absolutely terrified at the same time."
She said that while she understands people's concerns about the show's premise, "I wish their concern had been reserved to the night of the premiere" after they had seen the program.
As it is, the show hasn't even been written yet, the team said.
