The Plot Against America (TV, HBO)
Oddly enough, this story takes places nearly a century ago, and is more relevant today than half the modern day stories you are likely to see this year. Set in a fictional version of of the late 1930’s, this show imagines a world where Charles Lindbergh beat Franklin Roosevelt and became President during the rise of Adolf Hitler. Many believed this to be a possibility at the time, and if it had then we would be living in a radically different world today.
The shoe follows a normal, middle class, Jewish family and views the world through their eyes. At the time, Lindbergh was very popular, and a defender of Adolf Hitler. So, the show extrapolates from his claims to like Jewish people and denial that the existential threat to the Jewish community existed. It imagines him cutting deals with Hitler, questioning opponents with more socialist principles, and leading a portion of the citizenry to feel emboldened to attack Jews as the other. Rampant unrest festers, but the economy shows serious resilience.
If this sounds like something that could or is happening today under Donald Trump, that is the point. Just replace Russians with Nazi’s and Jews with Muslims or Hispanics. The parallels are meant to evoke a feeling of unrest. Yet, this wouldn’t work if the politics were in your face. Which is why the show chooses to let you view it from the ground. Actors Zoe Kazan, Winona Ryder, John Turturro, Morgan Spector, and a stellar cast, deliver performances that carry the show to a thought provoking conclusion.
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