The Savant, the new Apple TV+ show starring Jessica Chastain as the eponymous hero, an anonymous internet agent who infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to prevent violent domestic terror attacks before they occur. The show, based on a true story, was originally scheduled to debut on September 26.
Unfortunately, Apple TV made the decision to postpone the show, citing… Nothing. Bizarrely, the streaming network didn’t invoke any real-life violent acts in its statement, though the recent shooting of Charlie Kirk and the subsequent fallout of MAGA against critics like Jimmy Kimmel certainly comes to mind.
I see Apple TV’s decision to postpone the show as weak-kneed and bogus, and I’m not the only one. In an Instagram post with more nuance than my previous assessment, star and EP Jessica Chastain criticized the decision, saying that she and the network are “not aligned.” She went to great lengths to praise her partnership with Apple and express how proud she is of The Savant, but she feels like the show, with its relevance in today’s climate of political violence, shouldn’t be locked away. Her entire statement can be found on Deadline.
I agree with Jessica Chastain. What’s the point of creating art if you’re going to back down when it gets too close to real life? Domestic terrorism has long been on the rise, and online hate groups are a dime a dozen across the various online forums and social media platforms. I haven’t seen The Savant and I don’t know the extent to which it engages with its firebrand themes. Maybe it feels like a reflection of the real world, or maybe it just uses real world tensions to tell a typical spy thriller story.
Of course, the elephant in the room is America’s alt-right MAGA movement, led by the President of the United States, who seems to spend more time watching television than attempting to lead the country. Following the death of Charlie Kirk via an act of domestic terror, FCC chairman Brendan Carr put pressure on broadcast stations to censor free speech, even invoking the old organized crime line, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” After Jimmy Kimmel was put back on the air following a brief, MAGA-approved suspension, both Brendan Carr and Vice President JD Vance insisted that Carr’s comments were a joke. Yeah, the old, “I was just kidding!” defense, used by bullies when they’re finally taken to task for their actions. It’s pathetic.
Anyway, if The Savant is critical of America’s alt-right movement, and with a story based in the world of domestic terrorism and the toxicity of online forums, it almost certainly will be, Apple TV likely senses that the show will have a target on its back. However, they should embrace that, not back down like cowards. Comedy, news, and art are all avenues for speaking “truth to power,” and the Trump administration isn’t less interested in “truth” than it is in “power.”
One day, we’ll look back on this flashpoint of MAGA power and how various people and companies reacted to it. Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert will be seen as heroes. So will Jessica Chastain. Apple TV, which is currently balking in anticipation of backlash, will not be remembered fondly for their actions.
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