Last night was an interesting evening indeed on the political front. As I’m sure most of you know by now, turnovers in New Jersey and Virginia seem to spell C-H-A-N-G-E in a way that conservatives can get behind it. But, being the communications-focused person that I am (did you catch my series on the messianic propaganda of Obama and Mao?), I really sat up and took notice of another interesting shift in the political winds that occurred last evening.
ABC aired the premier of it’s new series, “V”—a contemporary remake of the big 80s hit. For those of you that are unfamiliar, the premise is centered on the dramatic arrival of giant alien motherships hovering over the major cities of the world, and the subsequent smiling invitation from their attractive, humanoid leader to come together in peace and mutually beneficial relationship. So how is it political? If you haven’t seen it, I strongly encourage you to watch the premier when it debuts online on Saturday.
It has become a truism that TV and movies are ridiculously liberal in the outlook they portray and agenda they pursue. V, however, was shockingly blatant in its portrayal of a view that would resonate with anyone who has ever attended (or wanted to attend) a Tea Party event. The smiling, charming female leader of the Visitors (“Anna”) extends a benevolent olive branch of peace, offering to share technology and otherwise benefit the Earth’s population in exchange for some supplies. Many run enthusiastically into the arms of the alien visitors, wowed by how smoothly they come off and the shiny toys they have. However, many others hang back and explain that trust must be earned, and we need to be careful about what we get ourselves into. Who are these people? What do we know about them? Why are they working so hard to ingratiate themselves and engender such devotion? In a wonderful reversal on the norm, one of the heroes (4400’s Joel Gretsch) is a priest who bucks the tide of fawning acceptance and is the mouthpiece for the aforementioned conservative wisdom.
As the show progresses, the undercurrents come to the surface. Young people are recruited by pretty young visitors to join an “ambassador” program and evangelize for the aliens. They even get nifty little uniforms to wear (I can’t help but recall Rolf from The Sound of Music). At another point, Anna the leader invites a popular American news anchor to give her an exclusive interview, and then informs him just before it begins that he must not ask any questions that portray the Visitors in an unfavorable light. When he pushes back by saying that it’s his job as a journalist to ask questions wherever they lead, Anna threatens to cancel the interview. She reminds him in a Godfather-like manner that having exclusive access would boost his career in an immesurable way.
Connections with current events become even more blatant when the Visitors set up clinics around the world, offering treatment via their advanced technologies to help heal all of humanity’s sicknesses. The reporter comments, “You’re talking about universal healthcare?” It’s clear that the benefits the V’s offer are intended to encourage devotion and dependence. At one point, a human “V supporter” says something about how they’re just sharing a message of “Hope”. Our hero the priest raises questions about the “perfect timing” of the V’s arrival—at just the exact moment when we needed real help—when we were all positioned to be ready for a savior—and how the V’s are positioning themselves that way.
Things then go on to reveal some indications that all is not what it seems (I won’t spoil it), and the priest, along with a sharp FBI agent (Lost’s Elizabeth Mitchell) find themselves in the middle of some interesting plot twists. The episode ends with everything set up for some real intrigue and adventure going forward.
Even if you’re not a big SciFi fan, I encourage you, look past the packaging and check this show out. It is veeery interesting as political allegory. Does it propose new ideas, or stunning insights? No. But it presents (at least in the premiere) a modern-day fable that chews on issues of the day and comes down decidedly on the side of liberty and freedom. This, to me is stunning for a major production coming out of one of the big 3 networks.
Years ago, my wife and I learned that Hollywood goes with what sells, and when we support something we like, we are effectively voting to see more of it. If the first episode is any indication, I’d be more than happy to see more of V and its ilk.
Comments