In light of the attacks on Paris last week, networks are now pulling or postponing episodes of primetime shows with storylines that seem too close to real-life events.

It started with SNL’s Elizabeth Banks episode this weekend, where NBC decided to cut the show’s cold open in favor of a message of solidarity to Paris, presented by cast member Cecily Strong in both English and French:

NBC also canceled its live episode of Undateable Friday night, instead airing more news coverage of the tragic events unfolding in Paris. HBO canceled its U2 concert, which was to take place in Paris and air live.

TNT announced early Monday morning that it would pull its regularly scheduled episode of Legends:

“As a result of the recent tragic events in Paris, tonight’s originally scheduled episode of Legends has been postponed. Our thoughts and condolences are with the victims and their families.”

CBS decided to pull both Supergirl and NCIS: LA on Monday night, as the episodes’ storylines seemed too close to the tragedy in Paris. NCIS: LA’s episode was to focus on a girl who was recruited by a terrorist organization.

Both shows are still airing new episodes, just moving their Thanksgiving episodes up one week instead.

Read more at the Washington Post.

Brief Take: This is a natural response to the tragic attacks in Paris, much like USA’s decision this summer to postpone a Mr. Robot episode that seemed too close to a local news shooting caught on live television. Networks are right to be sensitive to what people are seeing in these real-life attacks and hold back from those same storylines in fictional TV as well.

Image courtesy of Washington Post

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