ABC Apologizes for ‘Quantico’ Episode

By Daniel Holloway

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – ABC has apologized for a recent episode of drama series “Quantico” that generated controversy on social media.

June 1 episode “The Blood of Romeo” featured a storyline in which Indian terrorists plot an attack with the goal of framing Pakistan in an effort to thwart upcoming peace talks. Series star Priyanka Chopra, who is Indian, became the target of criticism, particularly from Indian viewers.

“ABC Studios and the executive producers of ‘’ would like to extend an apology to our audience who were offended by the most recent episode, ‘The Blood of Romeo,’” an ABC spokesperson said in a statement. “The episode has stirred a lot of emotion, much of which is unfairly aimed at Priyanka Chopra, who didn’t create the show, nor does she write or direct it. She has no involvement in the casting of the show or the storylines depicted in the series.”

The statement continued: “’Quantico’ is a work of fiction. The show has featured antagonists of many different ethnicities and backgrounds, but in this case we inadvertently and regrettably stepped into a complex political issue. It was certainly not our intention to offend anyone.”

Produced by ABC Studios and currently in its third season, “Quantico” was canceled in May. The show has eight episodes remaining.