Wednesday night’s scheduled season finale of the drama series “Mr. Robot” was canceled by USA Network, which said the episode includes a scene eerily reminiscent of the on-air shootings of a television news reporter and cameraman in Virginia.
“The previously filmed season finale of ‘Mr. Robot’ contains a graphic scene similar in nature to today’s tragic events in Virginia,” according to a statement from the cable network, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal. “Out of respect to the victims, their families and colleagues, and our viewers, we are postponing tonight’s episode. Our thoughts go out to all those affected during this difficult time.”
The season finale will be shown next week, according to the network. A re-run of last week’s episode will be shown tonight.
The network did not provide specifics about the scene. “Mr. Robot” is centered on a socially troubled computer programmer who is recruited to act as a cyber-vigilante by a mysterious anarchist.
WDBJ reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, were killed Wednesday morning as they were conducting a live interview outside Moneta, Virginia. The gunman, former station reporter Vester Flanagan, 41, committed suicide when he was confronted by police.
— City News Service