How a fake newspaper headline helped green-light a hit television series about the future.

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1995, creators pitched a show about a man receiving tomorrow's newspaper today. To sell the concept, they presented a mock Chicago Sun-Times dated the following day, featuring a shocking headline about O.J. Simpson. The stunt sparked a lively debate, proving the premise's power before anyone realized the date.

The television series Early Edition, which aired on CBS from 1996 to 2000, followed Gary Hobson, a Chicago resident who mysteriously received the Chicago Sun-Times one day before its publication. Accompanied by a ginger tabby cat, Hobson used this prophetic knowledge to prevent tragedies, a responsibility he inherited from a man named Lucius Snow. The show explored the moral weight of this burden, as Hobson frequently chose between competing needs while navigating the mystery of the paper's origin.

The show's development began with a collaboration between writers Vik Rubenfeld and Pat Page, who conceived the idea during a phone call. They pitched the concept to Ian Abrams, who helped refine the narrative, including the addition of the mysterious cat. During their August 24, 1995, pitch meeting with Tristar, Abrams utilized a mock newspaper dated August 25, 1995, to demonstrate the show's hook. The ruse was so effective that the series was green-lighted shortly thereafter, despite the creators' limited prior experience in television production.

Over its 90-episode run, the series featured a revolving cast and various Chicago landmarks, with interior scenes filmed at Studio City. While the show was often compared to the 1944 film It Happened Tomorrow, the creators maintained that their work was original. The series finale, which aired early in the fourth season, revealed that the responsibility of the paper was passed via a pocketknife, implying a cycle that would continue with a new recipient named Lindsey Romick. Although a reboot pilot was ordered by CBS in February 2022, the project was ultimately canceled in May 2022.

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