Update: On Friday, Oct. 14, NBC reversed its decision to air the episode, entitled “Unstoppable,” before the election, Variety has reported.
Sources close to NBC and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit say that part of the reason the episode has been delayed is because of at least four women who have come forward with sexual assault claims against Donald Trump and his denial of the claims. Officials at NBC may be holding the episode as a way to appear neutral on the claims and on the upcoming election in general.
Below is the original article, which still includes the original air date. As of now, there is no new scheduled air date. Whenever the episode does make it to air, it will air after the election.
Mark your calendars, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit fans, because the episode that has been talked about for months is finally happening. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the long-running police procedural will be airing an episode that is partially inspired by Donald Trump and his campaign to become president.
Gary Cole will portray a politician who’s campaign has been railroaded when many women come forward with accusations against him. Similar to Trump, Cole’s character will be a wealthy man who decides to run for president.
The episode, which is entitled “Unstoppable,” will air on Oct. 26, two weeks before Americans go to their polling stations and cast their vote to decide who will become president.
Though the 18th season of SVU just started a few weeks ago, this is the third episode that will be the classic “ripped from the headlines” episode of the season. The first episode of the season was inspired by the San Bernardino, California shootings and the second episode was inspired by Netflix’s popular true-crime show Making a Murderer.
While a Trump inspired episode seemed inevitable, it took a long time for the episode to be officially announced. In the beginning of September, showrunner Rick Eid told The Hollywood Reporter that it was possible, saying “we may try to explore a story involving some sort of brash demagogue with political ambitions.”
Even getting the episode on the air has been a struggle. Variety reported that this episode was originally supposed to be the second episode of the season. Instead, the Making Murderer-inspired episode aired and featured Vice President Joe Biden as a special guest star.
The episode has also undergone many different adjustments, both in terms of story content and premiere dates. The episode was slated to air on Oct. 12 but then was changed to Nov. 9, the day after the election. However, it has been officially confirmed that the episode will air on Oct. 26.
While it’s unlikely that this episode will drastically change anyone’s mind about how to vote in the election, it has caused NBC executives and those working at Wolf Films to monitor what is being said in the episode.
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. The “Unstoppable” episode will air on Oct. 26. The episode is written by Eid and Julie Martin, two of the executive producers of the show. There’s no episode on Oct. 19 due to the final presidential debate.