(WN): We are a
nation hurtling toward a dark dystopian future, in which robots fulfill an
endless need to be entertained and women are enslaved as reproductive machines.
Or we are going to be just fine despite racial tensions, fat shaming, alien
invasion or government conspiracy because family, love and loyal friendship
will always win the day.
The Emmy
nominations mean many things to many people, but this year, with an
unprecedented number of popular new shows occupying berths in the categories of
outstanding drama and comedy, they offer a surprisingly sharp guide to the
fractured American psyche.
Let’s
face it. It’s been a rough year. The country’s divided along every line
imaginable. Glued to their phones and a 24-hour
digital news cycle, Americans alternately consume conspiracy theories and
cute kitten videos, political rants and baby panda food fests.
The nominees
announced Thursday morning, evenly spread among streaming, cable and broadcast,
are a perfect reflection of the Great
American Mood Swing.
The
drama category stretches from the bleak vision of “Westworld,” in which the
robotic hosts seem more human than the actual humans, and the chilling
religious military state of “The
Handmaid’s Tale” to the tear-jerking celebration of family that is “This Is
Us” and nostalgic cocoon of “Stranger Things.”
Or
to boil it down to two shows, on the one hand, the evil machinations of “House
of Cards” versus the lovely self-sacrificing nobles (and seriously great
costumes) of “The Crown.”
Only
“Better Call Saul” falls into any sort of moral middle-ground — Bob Odenkirk’s
almost-Saul is a man with good intentions who can’t seem to get ahead without
compromising them.
As
news networks teem with competing versions of reality (is global warming real?)
and the future (will America be great again?), it’s not surprising that our big
television narratives are doing the same.
Though
it’s tempting to see their existence, or even their popularity, as a direct
reaction to the Trump presidency, that isn’t quite fair.
These
are shows that were brought to life before he won or took office. “House of
Cards,” the Netflix series where Capitol Hill appears a more treacherous place
than Westeros, debuted way back when Trump was still holding court on “The
Apprentice.” “Westworld” is based on
a 1973 film and “The Handmaid’s
Tale” on a 1985 novel.
Their
success, however, plays off the same psychological extremes that undoubtedly
helped give rise to such a divisive presidential campaign and unprecedented
presidency.
Collectively,
the darker of these shows get at themes of fracture and dissatisfaction, of us
and them, the power elite versus the real people, in a way that is chilling.
Which makes the need for the alternate comfort zone even more understandable.
The
influence of this particular presidency, though, is undeniable in the sketch
and variety comedy categories.
It
was a big year for “Saturday Night Live,” which added to
its nomination record, and tied “Westworld”
for first place, with 22 nominations,
most of which were no doubt due to the show’s nonstop lampooning of President
Trump and his associates.
Likewise
Stephen Colbert returned to his political ways and made his way back into the
race with “The Late Show.”
But
in the comedy list, things were more complicated and perhaps more hopeful. “Master of None,” “black-ish” and “Atlanta” dealt with relevant race
issues with a sense of humor but also varying degrees of intensity from the
seriousness of police brutality and shootings against young African American
men to the challenges of growing up Muslim around bacon-eating, bar-hopping
friends.
“Unbreakable Kimmy
Schmidt”
is, as many have pointed out, the first comedy that revolves around a victim of
kidnapping and rape. Extreme views on race, however, should have been more of
an issue in the inclusion of Bill Maher as a nominee for variety talk
show over Trevor Noah and Seth Meyers. The HBO host had freely used a racial
slur in an early June episode, shortly before the Television Academy voters
cast ballots.
Though
the incident was fresh, they still decided to go with Maher, an increasingly
polarizing figure they’ve been voting in (and leaving out) for the last few
decades. The question is why now, especially in a field where there is more
than enough new talent to go around?
He
is, however, in keeping with the extremes that characterized television over
the last year — and now the Emmys.
As
for who might win? Optimists who love “This
Is Us,” tune in Sept. 17.
Doomsdayers, what’s the point, unless it’s to validate your deepest fears —
that we are indeed headed toward a future where the darkest of scenarios seems
plausible, like Maher winning an Emmy.
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