Instead of airing “Shoot-Up-Able,” the fourth episode of The Carmichael Show‘s third season, NBC delayed releasing the acclaimed series’ mass shooting-themed entry due to some real-life violence: Wednesday, June 14th witnessed two such incidents — one just outside of Washington D.C., the other in San Francisco — and the network didn’t want to draw any negative attention to the program. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael, the show’s creator and star, openly disagreed with NBC’s decision during an appearance on Chelsea, but admitted he understood why they did it.
The Hollywood Reporter indicates “Shoot-Up-Able” will air this week on Wednesday, June 28th at 9pm ET. However, the report also notes that while NBC finally decided if and when to broadcast the apparently controversial episode, they haven’t figured out what to do with The Carmichael Show itself. “The decision to air the mass shooting episode also comes as NBC mulls the fate of the series, which currently stands as its longest-running comedy,” the report claims. “Options on the cast are set to expire Friday.”
As Uproxx television critic Alan Sepinwall and many others have written, The Carmichael Show is one of the best sitcoms today. Yet critical praise doesn’t always equate to high ratings, and the Norman Lear-esque program has struggled to attract eyeballs for the network. NBC waited until the very last minute to grant it a third season in 2016, and their decision to grant a fourth or cut the cord entirely may arrive in a similar fashion.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
