Just over two years ago, in February 2016, reports broke that Apple was in the early stages of making its first foray into television, beginning with its debut scripted series, Vital Signs. According to reports, Dr. Dre was set to produce and star in the bioseries, which was to be semi-based on his life, the good, the bad and the ugly (read: violent).
However, according to a new investigative report by the Wall Street Journal, the series was just “too violent” for Cook, who was reportedly taken aback by the show’s mature content, which included “characters doing lines of cocaine, an extended orgy in a mansion and drawn guns.”
According to the report, it wasn’t necessarily the mature content in the specific aforementioned scenes, but in the premise in general.
Considering Apple is a leading tech giant, backlash from the shows (if they feature possibly offensive content) could translate to a dip in sales. With Cook invested in ensuring Apple’s image as an accessible innovator, Dr. Dre’s show, among others, could be considered a liability (theoretically).
According to the report, additional content was also axed for similar reasons, with one series—a psychological thriller about a “couple who lose a young child”—allegedly being approved after the creators agreed to “eliminate the crucifixes in the couple’s house” (in order to avoid religion-related backlash), and another being dismissed for themes relating to the #MeToo movement.
Apple reportedly still has projects from Chris Evans, Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani in the works.
At the time of this report, Dr. Dre nor Apple have issued a statement addressing the reported cancelation or alteration in content direction.