# Will the events of 9/11 be reflected in tv shows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490 "2001-09-14T00:34:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/1 "2001-09-14T00:34:19Z")
Trying to get back into the swing of things here. I haven’t hardly posted to this board since even before the attack. Anyway, just to think of two examples, how about _The West Wing_? Will the attacks happen in their “alternate universe”? To me, it would seem surreal to watch them having storylines about conventional political issues. Or how about the many tv shows set in NYC. like _Friends_? Though I am not sure how you would work this stuff into a sitcom, if at all. Yet I can’t see them just ignoring it either. It’s too big. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/2 "2001-09-14T01:28:45Z")
Most shows already have shot their first few episodes. A scene or two might be tacked on, and there will be title cards expressing sympathy, but no plots will revolve around the WTC for several months (at the very least). In fact, any story lines for NYC-based shows will cut out any mentions of the WTC. The event is too big and too tragic to be grist for the TV mill for quite some time. I don’t even think you’ll see any quickie made for TV movies. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/3 "2001-09-14T01:31:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*The event is too big and too tragic to be grist for the TV mill for quite some time. I don’t even think you’ll see any quickie made for TV movies. \*\* NEVER under-estimate Hollywood. We can only hope that nobody in their right minds would even consider a movie about this horror any time in the next 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/4 "2001-09-14T04:30:43Z")
I don’t think we’ll see a theatrical motion picture about this week’s events for several years. We may see a TV movie, depending on how quickly the US manages to off Osama bin Laden. Sitcoms won’t make any mention of the WTC, but I imagine that dramas will, especially those set in NYC (NYPD Blue, Third Watch) and The West Wing. Any show that’s set in NYC will feature, after the first episode of the new season, a dedication to the dead and the heroes. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/5 "2001-09-14T14:45:36Z")
IIRC, a producer of “Frasier” (Bill Carroll?) was onboard Flight 11. My guess is that an episode dedicated to the late producer will feature Frasier discussing the events. ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/6 "2001-09-14T16:55:34Z")
There were several premiers and pilots cancelled this week. Many of them included scenes of destruction in and around the twin towers or the Whitehouse. Some drama and some with cartoon super heros. There were movies shelved, too, including one of Arnold’s. ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/7 "2001-09-14T17:00:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > **IIRC, a producer of “Frasier” (Bill Carroll?) was onboard Flight 11.** David Angell. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/8 "2001-09-15T23:56:50Z")
IIRC, an entire television series was blown out of the water by our last war: [Bagdad Cafe](http://us.imdb.com/Details?0098746). ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/9 "2001-09-16T01:31:26Z")
It would be interesting to see how they cover the topic in _Third Watch_. As a former cop, I don’t usually like police dramas, but _Third Watch_ was an exception for me. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/10 "2001-09-16T04:05:05Z")
I only know of one movie that’s been put aside for sure. Unfortunately, it’s a movie that I’ve been looking forward to. _ **Big Trouble** _. It’s based on the Dave Barry book, which is why I wanted to see it. I’m not exactly a Tim Allen fan. 😉 Crux of the plot: a nuclear device gets past the security at Miami International Airport. That’s not gonna happen. If they’d taken it off for any reason, I’d be upset, but this…I just can’t be. Even though the movie’s a comedy…it’d just be tasteless. It was supposed to come out either this week or next week. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/11 "2001-09-16T04:50:49Z")
I know Will and Grace is supposed to take place in Lower Manhatten. I don’t have the slightest idea how they could pull off a plotline regarding this. It’s pretty dangerous and not a tactful way of doing it as far as I can figure. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/12 "2001-09-16T14:32:24Z")
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure there will be a tv-movie within the next six months, but the past hasn’t played out too much of “let’s include national tragedy in tv show plots.” In fact, tv shows are more likely to go to the oposite extreme in times of crisis. Here are a examples: 1. In 1995 the season finale of \*\* Melrose Place \*\* was delayed being aired. Fox did this because, during the final scene one of the more psychotic residents blew up the building, and they didn’t want associations with the Oklahoma bombings that had just happened. 2. In 1999 an episode, which I believe was also a season finale, of \*\* Buffy The Vampire Slayer\*\* was delayed because it depicted Buffy and the scoobies killing a monster at graduation. Though they were not killing students, and didn’t use guns, The WB pulled it because it was close to the Columbine shootings. I’m sure there are other examples. The only inclusion of an episode based on a tragedy that I can think of off the top of my head is that there was an episode of **Punky Brewster** that was supposed to help kids deal with the Challenger explosion, other than that… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/13 "2001-09-16T14:37:40Z")
How about _Spin City_? ---
**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/14 "2001-09-16T17:29:54Z")
So far, Fox is saying that tey’re going to continue to air their new series **24**. The first episode has to do with a plane being bombed. One show that will be pushed back is a new show ( **Alias** I think?) where the first episode actually has several referneces to Osama Bin Laden. As well as **Big Trouble** , Arnold Schwartzenegger’s new movie **Collateral Damage** is being pushed back. I believe it’s about a firefighter whose wife and kid are kiled by a terrorist explosion, but I could be wrong about the terrorist part. All posters and advertising for this movie (which were already prominently displayed here in NYC) will be taken down as well. In the trailer for **Spider Man** , there’s a scene where Spidey catches a helicopter in a web between the two twin towers. They’ve recalled all copies of this trailer and are talking about re-shoots. And finally, they’re definitely planning on re-shooting the end of **Men in Black 2** that took place in front of the twin towers. I’m wondering about the new television series **Enterprise** , where the new Star Trek baddies are called The Suliban. Very close to The Taliban, no? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/15 "2001-09-16T21:04:15Z")
I’ll bet that in another 40-50 years, we see a movie called “World Trade Center” in which a guy from Building 1 and a girl from Building 2 meet and fall in love the day of the incident. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/16 "2001-09-16T22:36:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > **2. In 1999 an episode, which I believe was also a season finale, of \*\* Buffy The Vampire Slayer** was delayed because it depicted Buffy and the scoobies killing a monster at graduation. Though they were not killing students, and didn’t use guns, The WB pulled it because it was close to the Columbine shootings._\* Actually, I believe the reason for pushing Graduation Part 2 back wasn’t the good guys killing the demon at graduation, but the fact that the demon was using Sunnydale High’s graduation as a mass sacrifice. (Thus bringing Buffy and the Scoobies onto the scene.) ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/17 "2001-09-17T06:37:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tengu \* > \*\*Actually, I believe the reason for pushing Graduation Part 2 back wasn’t the good guys killing the demon at graduation, but the fact that the demon was using Sunnydale High’s graduation as a mass sacrifice. (Thus bringing Buffy and the Scoobies onto the scene.) \*\* Well, it also had to do with the fact that the gang killed the demon by blowing up the school with the demon in it. There was supposed to be a mini-series using all 3 of the Law & Order casts on NBC later this year, but it has been postponed at least. It was titled “Terror” so it is pretty easy to guess what it was probably covering. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/18 "2001-09-17T15:54:53Z")
I recall probably the best episode of _WKRP_ was one that dealt with the deasth of several fans at a Who concert in Cincinnati. I think it is tricky, especially for a comedy because you don’t wnat to be too maudlin nor to flippant, but it can be done and when it is, it seems to be especially moving. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/19 "2001-09-17T16:05:44Z")
The OP doesn’t seem to be talking about using events as a _plotline_ so much as acknowledging their _existence_. How can you have an episode of a program set in NYC without acknowledging the most significant thing to happen there in our lifetimes? And yet just how do you acknowledge that event without being tacky, or even offensive? This is a tricky issue. pan ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490/20 "2001-09-17T16:32:09Z")
Well, it’s a foregone conclusion that they’ll either have to reshoot all their panoramic stock footage, or go back to using pre-WTC footage if it’s still in the archives. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-events-of-9-11-be-reflected-in-tv-shows/81490.md?page=2)