The 2016 presidential election was full of controversy and inspired tons of art from all kinds of mediums, including television. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was one of the shows that looked to the controversies surrounding then-candidate Donald Trump for inspiration.
In the episode, the writers looked to the sexual assault and harassment allegations against (now-President) Trump and crafted a story around a similar character, played by Gary Cole. Cole’s character was a wealthy businessman running for president, but then a woman accused him of rape.
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The episode, “Unstoppable,” was pushed several times from its mid-October release as more scandals involving Trump started to unfold. It was set for Nov. 16, but then Trump won the election. The execs behind SVU decided to just scrap the airing until a later date, and now they say it most likely won’t ever come to light.
“(The episode) is probably never going to air,” NBC chairman Robert Greenblatt said to Deadline. “It’s now a really anachronistic episode about an election a year after an election just seems kind of pointless to air.”
Creator Dick Wolf also weighed in on the episode’s possible airing earlier in the day. However, he said he was clueless.
“I have no idea, you have to ask Bob,” he said.
According to Greenblatt, Wolf is fine with the episode not airing, per their conversations.
“He’s very agnostic, saying ‘Whatever you guys want to do,’ but I don’t think it makes sense to put it on next season,” Greenblatt said. “It would feel out of date.”
NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit with return Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. CT.
Photo credit: NBC / Virginia Sherwood
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