Top 10 TV Shows That Were Impacted By Real Life Events

The Election Controversy

For such a high-stakes political thriller like “Scandal,” it’s easy for storylines and characters to be directly influenced by real-life politics. But, while the show’s writers and producers may try to forge their own path, sometimes that effort can be quite the challenge. That was the case for “Scandal’s” sixth season, where the main plot featured a presidential election between candidates Mellie Grant and Francisco Vargas. According to lead actress Kerry Washington, the season was initially going to conclude with the election being hacked by none other than the Russians. When allegations of Russian interference with the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election came to light, however, the storyline was done away with completely.

Tommy Chong’s Arrest

As one half of the comedy duo Cheech & Chong, Tommy Chong built a successful career hinged on hippie culture and his love of the famous green leaves. This carried on later into his life with his portrayal of Leo on the Fox hit sitcom “That ‘70s Show.” Chong became a series regular after making a well-received guest appearance, but then he completely disappeared during the fifth and sixth seasons. On the show, Leo’s absence is chalked up to him wanting to be with his wife, but in real life, Chong was in the midst of some legal troubles. The comedy legend was actually serving a nine-month stint in prison for selling cannabis paraphernalia through his company, Nice Dreams Enterprises.

Lucy Lawless’ Accident

It’s pretty easy for a series to keep things tight without a guest character–or even a supporting character–but things start to get difficult when the main character is out of commission. In October of 1996, Lucy Lawless, who played the titular role on “Xena: Warrior Princess,” was filming a skit for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” when she fell off a horse and suffered a pelvic fracture. This heavily affected the second season of the show, as multiple episodes underwent major rewrites and a lot of fight sequences were cut out. The episode “Intimate Stranger” even featured a body switch between Xena and Callisto, which allowed Hudson Leick, the actress who played Callisto, to portray the warrior princess for that episode.

The Sandy Hook Tragedy

In the wake of the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School and other violent incidents at the time, a few TV shows decided to either delay or completely pull episodes. Among them was the critically acclaimed psychological horror series “Hannibal.” The show, which follows the relationship between an FBI profiler and a serial killer, was known for its particularly graphic themes and gory violence. The season one episode “Oeuf,” dealt with content that would be particularly upsetting given the cultural climate in the States at the time. So, the producers decided to shelve the episode for American audiences. It still aired on the network’s website with the sensational scenes edited out to provide continuity for fans of the show.

The 9/11 Attacks

The eighth season of “Friends” premiered in September 2001, just two weeks after the 9/11 attacks. In light of the tragic event, a subplot in the season’s third episode had to be replaced mere weeks before it aired. In “The One Where Rachel Tells...", Chandler and Monica, newly married, leave for their honeymoon and find themselves in constant competition with another newlywed couple. This was different from the original plot, which saw the couple being interrogated after Chandler makes a joke about bombs on an airplane. While the original episode was written and filmed before the attacks, the producers definitely made the right call to change the plotline.

Cory Monteith’s Passing

Sometimes the disappearance of a character from a show is due to the loss of the actor in real life. Just like “Cheers” with Nicholas Colasanto, who played the beloved coach, “Glee” was also shaken up by the loss of Cory Monteith. Monteith, who starred as the lovable jock Finn Hudson on “Glee,” had substance use issues that sadly claimed his life. The unfortunate incident occurred right before the show’s fifth season, which was poised to heavily feature Monteith’s character. This led to massive story rewrites and the inclusion of a tribute episode in Monteith’s honor. Titled “The Quarterback,” the episode features the death of his character, Finn, and follows the others as they deal with the monumental loss.

Proposed Legislation to Censor TV Shows

In the early ‘90s, “Law & Order” became popular for its violent crimes and intense episodic investigations. While these endeared the show to a lot of viewers, they weren’t so popular with then U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno. Reno claimed that the show promoted violence and she also proposed legislation that could limit how much of it would be shown. Actor Michael Moriarty, who played Benjamin Stone, objected to Reno’s claims and criticized the show’s producers for yielding to her demands. Halfway through the fourth season, Moriarty tendered his resignation from the series which was reflected in his character, who also resigned from the D.A.’s office.

Kelsey Grammer’s Legal Troubles

Kelsey Grammer secured the job of a lifetime when he landed the role of Dr. Frasier Crane on the hit sitcom “Cheers,” then got his own eponymous spin-off. But, Grammer’s substance use issues and legal troubles deeply affected his work and threatened his successful career. In September of 1996, Grammer was driving under the influence when he lost control of his car and crashed it. This proved to be a turning point for the actor, as he decided to check himself into rehab for a full month. With Grammer’s absence, the “Frasier” writers were forced to retool the plot of the season 4 installment “Head Games.” In the episode, Niles takes over his brother’s show when he departs for a radio hosts’ convention.

The 2007-08 Writers Guild of America Strike

The WGA strike in the late 2000s may have lasted just a few months, but it had a more enduring impact on television. By the time it was over, shows like “Bones” found themselves having to wrap up plots as quickly as possible. While others, like the NBC sports drama “Friday Night Lights” had to completely move past some storylines. In the show’s second season, Landry gets wrapped up in a murder after he confronts a man who attacked Tyra. The plot, which was negatively received by fans, lacked proper development, which is to be expected given that the season was shortened due to the strike. Viewers were delighted to find out the storyline had been scrapped by the time the series returned for its third season.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

“GLOW,” or the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, was a critically acclaimed show that aired three stellar seasons on the streaming giant, Netflix. In September 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth and final season, which began filming in early 2020 and was set for release later that year. But as the COVID pandemic hit in mid-March, production inevitably stumbled to a halt. Even as filming restrictions eased for other TV shows and movies, things remained in limbo for “GLOW.” The show’s large ensemble cast and the heavy physical contact required for wrestling proved to be too challenging for safe production to resume. As a result, Netflix decided to axe the series, stripping such a well-rounded show of its much deserved conclusion.