©Deadline - Apple TV+The series is written by Melissa James Gibson, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. It is produced by Fifth Season and Anonymous Content.
The Savant is inspired by a true story described in a 2019 Cosmopolitan article by Andrea Stanley. The article, titled "Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?", follows a woman identified only as "K." She is a former police officer and Marine who works with the FBI to identify and stop potential mass shooters online before they can carry out an attack.
"K" earned her nickname "the savant" for her exceptional ability to recognize early signs of violent tendencies. She helped the FBI track down men resembling notorious perpetrators such as Patrick Crusius (the El Paso Walmart shooter), Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (Columbine), and Omar Mateen (the Pulse nightclub in Orlando).
One of her notable successes was her involvement in the arrest of Michael Finton, who planned to bomb the Paul Findley Federal Building in Illinois in 2009.
To protect herself and her family from the risks of her work, K lives a life out of the spotlight, using no real name or social media presence, and only a few people know about her true identity and activities. Given her secretive life, it's unclear whether K was involved in the development of The Savant, and it's possible this will never be revealed publicly.
Apple TV+ launches the first two episodes on Friday, September 26, with new episodes releasing every Friday through November 7, bringing the series to a total of eight episodes.
©Deadline - Apple TV+
