Friday, September 23, 2016

Amateur-in-Chief



Last night we watched the first episode of Designated Survivor, the new series starring Kiefer Sutherland. During the State of the Union address the Capitol is bombed, killing everyone attending the speech except for the one member of the Cabinet who is parked in a safe location for just this event.
          Sutherland plays the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, a position with little glory and in this representation, even less respect. After everyone in the government is wiped out, he’s hustled off to the White House and plunged into a war room with trigger happy generals and officials who are making little attempt to mask their dismay at this new head of the government.
          It’s a compelling premise and I think Designated Survivor has found a place in our DVR line-up.
          However, a warning bell went off as I thought about it. Sutherland’s character begins as someone with few skills for the bump-um cars of political life. It’s easy to see where this will likely go. He’ll fumble and fall occasionally, but will ultimately rise above the backbiting, and with his Everyman integrity, he’ll be a success.
          Granted Sutherland’s unassuming academic bears little resemblance to one of our candidates, but is there a possibility this a certain segment of the American voting public might thump the arm of their Lazyboy, gesture at the TV with the remote and say, “Well there ya go! He’s no politician and look how swell he’s doing!”


6 comments:

  1. Your final thoughts are very, very scary.

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  2. We watched it too. and I'll watch it again. I've always liked his father but I've never seen much that Keifer starred in, never watched 24.

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  3. Of course he's doing swell. It's TV land!! where everything turns out swell (*~*)

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  4. I certainly hope you are WRONG1 :-(

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  5. Many Americans think reality TV IS reality and fictional TV is also based on such a scenario. I also saw the series and I think we will DVR it and see where it goes. If the writers can stay original, it will be worth it.

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  6. I had that exact same scary thought.
    I will be watching the show also to see where it goes.

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