The controversial episode tells the story of a bisexual man who is deliberately infecting people with HIV, including series lead character Jack Killian's ex-girlfriend.
[1] When "After It Happened" went into production in San Francisco in October 1988, the script originally ended with Kelly shooting Mike to death.
[2] Series executive producer Bob Singer disagreed, saying, "The hero says that the murder is absolutely the wrong solution.
[3] On October 20 about 60 ACT UP demonstrators shut down outdoor filming by chanting, blowing whistles and disabling lighting equipment.
This was the first time that a gay-related disruption caused a production to be suspended since the 1979 protests against the film Cruising in New York City.
[7] KRON went ahead with the broadcast but opened the program with a disclaimer: Tonight's episode of Midnight Caller deals with the topic of AIDS.
San Francisco is a role model in AIDS education and has set the standard for effective and humane public policy.
[8] Activists continued to denounce the episode, with the AIDS Foundation's Steven Petrow saying, "By broadcasting a program that portrays an individual with the AIDS virus as a malicious, calculating killer who's out to infect others, we believe NBC is exhibiting the same type of callousness and ignorance that ignites and perpetuates acts of AIDS-related discrimination and violence.
We didn't exploit the tragedy of AIDS — we made an interesting TV show which covered a subject worrying more and more people.
Although he praised some of the episode's moments, as when Jack physically comforts Tina (thus showing that there is no risk of HIV transmission through casual contact), other parts of the story were dismissed as simplistic and the characterization of Mike Barnes as "ludicrous and moldy, like [something] from The Boys in the Band".
[15] Midnight Caller revisited the subject of AIDS in season 2 with the episode "Someone to Love", with Tina, near death, returning to Jack.
The support group idea was incorporated into the episode, with other women infected by Mike Barnes forming one and going on Killian's show.