The anxiety around the political and cultural reaction to the killing of Charlie Kirk is so high that we could see more media companies on edge about how audiences react to their content. “The Savant,” a limited series starring Jessica Chastain originally set to premiere this Friday on Apple TV+, will be postponed, a rep for Apple TV+ told IndieWire.
While no specific reason was given, nor was any new release date announced, it’s believed that current events contributed to the delay.
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone ‘The Savant.’ We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date,” Apple TV+ said in a statement.
“The Savant” stars Chastain as a woman who infiltrates online extremist groups in an attempt to discover mass shootings and extremist acts of terrorism before they happen. The series was created by Melissa James Gibson and was inspired by a 2019 article in Cosmopolitan, “Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?”
The first trailer for the series, which you can watch below, shows her engaging online with extremists, attempting to think like them and expose their actions before reporting them to the authorities. It shows a series of “snipers, bombings, ambushes” — with Chastain specifically trying to bring down someone who wants to make an imprint on history with the type of event people refer to “with a month and a date.” It’s also a show that grapples with Chastain’s moral dilemma of wondering if it’s right to be engaging with such people, even if it’s in the name of a greater good.
“The Savant” would not be the first time a show or an episode was delayed in order to provide some breathing room from real-life tragedies. But the fervor over “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” being pre-empted last week (it comes back on air tonight) is likely just the first example of media companies in this very moment looking closely at what’s being said and represented on their screens as showrunners reach for the headlines with politically relevant commentary and entertainment.
