10 TV Episodes That Were Pulled Because Of World Events

10 TV Episodes That Were Pulled Because Of World Events

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most notable television episodes that were either delayed or completely taken off broadcast schedules in response to real-life tragedies.

“Point of Impact”

“Shooter” (2016-18)
Based on a series of thriller novels by Stephen Hunter, this USA Network show follows a retired Marine Corps sniper who is framed for shooting at the president. The series was scheduled to premiere on July 19th 2016, with the first episode reportedly opening with scenes of gun violence. However, on July 7th, a man ambushed and shot a group of police officers in Texas, killing five people and injuring 11 others. In response to this tragedy, the network postponed the premiere by one week, out of respect for the victims and their families. It was further delayed indefinitely after another shooting of police officers occurred in Louisiana on July 17th. The show ultimately made it to air in November.

“Episode #85”

“The Joey Bishop Show” (1961-65)
On November 22nd 1963, President John F. Kennedy was riding through Dallas, Texas in a presidential motorcade when he was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald. This assassination had several national and international repercussions, but one of its lesser-known consequences was that it led to an episode of “The Joey Bishop Show” essentially disappearing forever. Exactly one week before the tragic incident, the sitcom filmed “Episode #85,” featuring comedian and impressionist Vaughn Meader, who was famous for impersonating Kennedy. This episode was scheduled to air in February 1964, but it was quickly scrapped and reportedly destroyed following Kennedy’s assassination. The tragedy also ended Meader’s career, as his subsequent TV appearances were canceled, forcing him to move back to his hometown in Maine.

“Still”

“Castle” (2009-16)
In this season 5 episode of ABC’s “Castle,” Detective Kate Beckett accidentally triggers a bomb after stepping on it, leaving her team to work together to disarm it. The episode, which was one of the final installments of the season, was set to air on April 22nd 2013. However, a week before the air date, two brothers planted bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, which killed three people and left hundreds injured. In response, the show’s producers decided to delay the bomb-themed episode by one week, swapping it with that which was originally slated to air after it. As a result, viewers ultimately watched the NYPD disarm their on-screen bomb on April 29th.

“Kwarantined Krab”

“SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)
In 2020, the world was brought to a standstill by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, which has since caused over seven million confirmed deaths. Interestingly, before the global outbreak, the writers of “SpongeBob SquarePants” crafted a similar scenario in an episode titled “Kwarantined Krab” that was scheduled to air in 2020. In the episode, a health inspector quarantines patrons of the Krusty Krab after an outbreak of “clam flu.” As the real-life pandemic spread in early 2020, the network decided to delay the episode, postponing its release for two years. In a similar vein, the penultimate second season episode of the medical drama “New Amsterdam,” which centered around a flu outbreak, was also pulled from NBC’s schedule.

“The Gift”

“Alternatino with Arturo Castro” (2019)
This Comedy Central sketch show followed the experiences of comedian Arturo Castro, a Latino millennial living in the U.S. The episode “The Gift” featured a sketch which attempted to tackle the issue of gun violence in America. Castro plays a Guatemalan immigrant in a cultural assimilation class, gradually realizing just how prevalent and seemingly random mass shootings can be. Coincidentally, just two days before the episode was set to air on July 30th 2019, a gunman opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California, claiming the lives of three people. Due to this tragic event, Comedy Central decided to delay the episode and air the following week’s installment instead.

“Thirty-Six Hours”

“NUMB3RS” (2005-10)
Originally planned as the fourth episode in the fifth season of “NUMB3RS,” “Thirty-Six Hours” focused on a collision between a passenger train and a freight train, suspected to be an act of terrorism. The episode would have been broadcast on October 24th 2008, but it was ultimately pushed back several weeks, airing as the eighth episode on November 21st. This postponement occurred because just two weeks after the episode was filmed, a real-life train collision happened in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. Given the similar plotlines and the fact that the show was also set in Los Angeles, the episode was pushed back and its script was also revised to ensure continuity.

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“Mr. Robot” (2015-19)
This cyber-thriller series debuted in 2015 to rave reviews from critics and quickly built a cult following. After nine captivating episodes, fans eagerly anticipated the first season finale, scheduled to air on August 26th 2015. However, earlier that day, WDBJ news reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward were tragically killed by a gunman while conducting a live interview in Virginia. By chance, the “Mr. Robot” season ender that was set to air that night included a scene featuring a man taking his own life during a TV interview. This unfortunate parallel with the real-life tragedy led the USA Network to postpone the episode by one week, rescheduling it for September 2nd.

“The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson”

“The Simpsons” (1989-)
As the longest-running American sitcom, “The Simpsons” has gained notoriety for seemingly predicting future events. This claim resurfaced after the September 11th attacks. Four years prior, the ninth season premiere, “The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson” featured the titular family heading off to New York City to find their car. A significant portion of the episode centered around the World Trade Center and included a scene that some believe foreshadowed the tragedy. Consequently, after the attacks, the episode was pulled from syndication for five years. Likewise, following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July 2024, the season 7 episode “Lisa the Iconoclast,” was removed from airing in the UK due to an eerily similar scene where a law enforcement officer targets Lisa.

“Oeuf”

“Hannibal” (2013-15)
Throughout its acclaimed three-season run, NBC’s “Hannibal” consistently pushed the boundaries of network television, offering horror fans an unprecedented level of gore. So when an episode was pulled from the broadcast schedule, one might assume it was due to a ratings violation. However, the actual reason for removing the first season episode “Oeuf” was that series creator Bryan Fuller was concerned about potential parallels to the recent Sandy Hook tragedy. This was because the storyline revolved around a group of kids being brainwashed by an unnamed woman to eliminate their families and join hers. The episode was pulled from airing in the U.S. just hours before its scheduled time, although it was still broadcast in other countries.

“Earshot” & “Graduation Day, Part Two”

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2001; 2001-03)
On April 20th 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, two students at Columbine High School in Colorado, committed a heinous act of violence, claiming 13 lives and injuring several others. In the wake of the tragedy, many influential figures blamed the incident on the media’s portrayal of violence. Just one week later, the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” episode “Earshot” was set to air, featuring a student assembling a rifle, but it was delayed until September. The third season finale, “Graduation Day, Part Two,” also depicted school violence and was pulled from the schedule just two hours before its airing. This last-minute decision infuriated fans, leading to numerous letters being sent to the network. The episode was finally broadcast nearly two months after its original date.

Has any of your favorite shows delayed an episode due to a real-life event? Let us know in the comments below.