Did "Earshot" air after Graduation Day?

[Joshua]

I was looking at the air dates on IMDB, and I was wondering did they air Earshot months after "Graduation Day, Part 1"?

 

[fredthe3rd]

Was it delayed because of Columbine?

 

[crazysoulless]

Yes.

It was filmed right before the Columbine shootings. It would've aired the week it happened. Given the subject matter of the episode, everyone thought the episode should be delayed. To show respect to those involved, to not seem in bad taste, etc.

I think that Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) was the only one against postponing the Earshot airdate. She thought that the positive message of the episode and the way it would help teenagers and students see those around them overrode the technicality of it being an episode about school violence.

I can see both sides of it. Episodes like Earshot should've aired years earlier. I love what Buffy says to Jonathon in that clocktower. Keith's speech to Jimmy was amazing too.

Shows like One Tree Hill try to speak to teenagers through episodes about school violence in a similiar way. Showing what it is like to be the one that is ignored or bullied, what that person feels and what brought them to the point that they would bring a gun to school to kill someone else or to kill themselves.

 

[Vamp Jenny]

It was rescheduled and aired September 21st, 1999 😉 In about 2 weeks I'll publish my English paper on the forum (once it's been graded) There's a few more details in it that might answer more of your question 🙂

 

[crazysoulless]

I thought that BtVS handled the idea of a school shooting better than OTH.

It really bothered me that they were so understanding of Jimmy. Yeah, he wasn't the one that killed Keith. But he did bring a loaded gun to school and pull the trigger in a crowded hallway. Peyton nearly bled to death hiding out in the library, too scared to try to get help or flee.

I felt that they wanted us to think more badly of the bullies than the one that got bullied and did something so horrible.

 

[itssmiletime]

Okay I didn't get to write everything in the reputation...

I think people often get confused between a person who just wants to kill themselves (who, imo, is not violent, only to themselves) and someone who wants to shoot everyone up. There is a massive difference, and I sometimes fear that the bullied, suicidal, insecure kid is seen in the eyes of everyone as a threat. OTH just continues that stereotype. I mean, Earshot isn't the perfect episode. The writing annoys me, that we believed that Jonathan was going to be the killer, only to be revealed to be just wanting to kill himself.

They did the right thing delaying the episode, however, I believe they over-acted with Graduation, Part 2.

 

[TiMER]

I agree with Sarah. There was a wonderful message in that episode that would have most likely done a lot more good than damage had it aired when it was suppose to. However I can see the point in it being delayed because it would have divided a lot of people and people thought it was a good idea out of respect for the families. Thought at the same time it would be, not more important, but more helpful had they shown such a great message at that time. I guess it was such a sensitive time that people might not have been able to look past the guns at school part to be able to see the positive message in the episode.

 

[crazysoulless]

I like that we thought for so long it might be Jonathon when it wasn't. I think we were meant to take from that, even though he wasn't the one that wanted to "kill you all" he could have been. It was just as believable that he would be. That he had snapped and decided to hurt others as opposed to giving up and hurting himself. You never can tell when someone has been pushed towards an implosion "suicide" or an explosion "mass murder." The stages leading up to it were the same. Ignored, teased, beaten up, looked down on, and believing that things will never change.

 

[Kurai]

Yeah, 'Earshot' getting delayed, I can understand that, but 'Graduation Day Part 2'? That was a bit of an overreaction. I mean, a Giant Snake infiltrates the school, what do you expect to happen?

 

[Vamp Jenny]

Yeah, 'Earshot' getting delayed, I can understand that, but 'Graduation Day Part 2'? That was a bit of an overreaction. I mean, a Giant Snake infiltrates the school, what do you expect to happen?

And there wasn't any guns in the big fighting scene. Flamethrower maybe, but no guns. And only the mayor died in the school blowing up...

They just overreacted big time...

Plus, if they had wanted to pull episodes including shootings, IOHEFY should have been and The Zeppo too (one of the dead guys had been victim of a drive-by shooting).........

 

[itssmiletime]

Yeah, 'Earshot' getting delayed, I can understand that, but 'Graduation Day Part 2'? That was a bit of an overreaction. I mean, a Giant Snake infiltrates the school, what do you expect to happen?

I think it was the whole idea of using violence. Keep in mind
-The school blows up
-All of the students carry weapons.

Oh, I hated writing that down. It was an overreaction. The students had to use weapons, and the school had to go. If they cancelled graduation, the mayor would ascend somewhere else, and there would not be 100 people to at least try, plus slayer would be a no-go .I guess it was just out of fear.

And although this reason may be completely minor, it technically happened at night (remember the 3:28pm sun blacking out), which changes the whole entire feel of the school. It was (I think?) on a Saturday, not a reg school day at 11:00am. If you keep in mind the context, there is nothing wrong with the BTVS arc.

 

[Vamp Jenny]

I think it was the whole idea of using violence. Keep in mind
-The school blows up
-All of the students carry weapons.

Oh, I hated writing that down. It was an overreaction. The students had to use weapons, and the school had to go. If they cancelled graduation, the mayor would ascend somewhere else, and there would not be 100 people to at least try, plus slayer would be a no-go .I guess it was just out of fear.

And although this reason may be completely minor, it technically happened at night (remember the 3:28pm sun blacking out), which changes the whole entire feel of the school. It was (I think?) on a Saturday, not a reg school day at 11:00am. If you keep in mind the context, there is nothing wrong with the BTVS arc.

exactly. If you keep in mind what the show's about and the underline of the action (blowing up school meaning end of their teenage years, students working together for once for the greater good), there wasn't anything worth being pulled.