Chicago Tribune: "V" Aims at Obamamania

Notes the strong parallels to Obama's Cult of Personality, and the media's embrace of it, yet enjoys it anyway.

magine this. At a time of political turmoil, a charismatic, telegenic new leader arrives virtually out of nowhere. He offers a message of hope and reconciliation based on compromise and promises to marshal technology for a better future that will include universal health care.

The news media swoons in admiration -- one simpering anchorman even shouts at a reporter who asks a tough question: "Why don't you show some respect?!" The public is likewise smitten, except for a few nut cases who circulate batty rumors on the Internet about the leader's origins and intentions. The leader, undismayed, offers assurances that are soothing, if also just a tiny bit condescending: "Embracing change is never easy."

So, does that sound like anyone you know? Oh, wait -- did I mention the leader is secretly a totalitarian space lizard who's come here to eat us?

Welcome to ABC's "V," the most fascinating and bound to be the most controversial new show of the fall television season. Nominally a rousing sci-fi space opera about alien invaders bent on the conquest (and digestion) of all humanity, it's also a barbed commentary on Obamamania that will infuriate the president's supporters and delight his detractors.

"We're all so quick to jump on the bandwagon," observes one character. "A ride on the bandwagon, it sounds like fun. But before we get on, let us at least make sure it is sturdy."

I was blogging the election and only half watched (or one third watched, really). From what I saw, it looked good enough.

In case you didn't see: Not only have the aliens smuggled infiltrators to prepare the ground for their coming, but those aliens are... terrorists.

White, WASP-y looking terrorists, but still.

But... The producer has been replaced, and the pilot rumored cut in half, in order to reduce the more-blatant Obama parallels. That "rumor" part isn't from the link, but a rumor sent by OgreGunner, without attribution.

The New York Times predictably slammed the show.

It's always amusing to me that liberals instruct conservatives that we should appreciate art for its own sake, even if -- especially if -- it "challenges our beliefs."

Do liberals behave similarly? Um, no. Full-fledged freak out whenever the industry they own puts out a single movie or tv show which raps them.

posted by Ace at 04:03 PM

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