A school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that took the lives of 19 children and two adults occurred on May 24, and events in the television industry made alterations in light of the tragedy. The Season 4 finale of FBI was bumped from the CBS lineup shortly after news of the tragedy broke, and that wasn’t the only event change made.
FBI was scheduled to air its Season 4 finale at 8 p.m. on May 24, and CBS decided to pull the episode from the primetime lineup a couple of hours before. The case in the finale was set to involve a potential school shooting, and actor Jeremy Sisto described the high stakes of the episode ahead of time. CBS has not yet announced plans regarding if or when the finale will eventually air. FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted aired their finales as scheduled.
Two shows also cancelled their plans for high-profile premieres. The Orville is set to return with its third season – dubbed New Horizons – more than three years after Season 2 ended on Fox. The red carpet premiere for the Season 3 return and move to Hulu was planned for May 25, but those plans have been altered. Disney said in an email statement (via Variety):
In light of the tragic events in Texas yesterday, there will no longer be a press line at tonight’s premiere for ‘The Orville: New Horizons.’ Our deepest sympathies are with the families affected.
The guest list was slated to include star and creator Seth MacFarlane as well as co-stars Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, Jessica Szohr, J Lee, Mark Jackson, Anne Winters, and Chad L. Coleman. On the production side, executive producers Brannon Braga, David A. Goodman, and Jon Cassar were expected. Season 3 of The Orville is scheduled to debut on Hulu on Thursday, June 2.
Apple TV+ also made the decision to change plans for a red carpet premiere event. The red carpet for Season 2 of Physical was cancelled after the news broke of the shooting in Texas, citing a statement from the cast and creative team of the dark comedy series that reads (via Deadline):
Out of respect for today’s tragedy in Texas, tonight’s screening of Physical season two will be a private event with no press. We thank you for wanting to be there with us, and know that you join us our heartfelt support for all of the families affected by today’s event.
The 10-episode second season of Physical is still expected to premiere on Friday, June 3, which will be a big day for streaming all around in the 2022 TV schedule, with the return of The Boys on Amazon and The Floor is Lava on Netflix. The Physical red carpet change was announced just hours before it was planned to take place with the press line.
At the time of writing, FBI, The Orville, and Physical are the three major TV events that shifted plans in the wake of the deadly shooting in Texas. Only time will tell if more follow suit.