Saturday, May 27, 2017

11 Shows That Aren’t About Trump — But Totally Were (Photos)

It’s tough to avoid the current political climate thanks to daily headlines that feel straight out of a reality show. TV series don’t have to address a specific current event, but they can be inspiration for core themes concerning politics, feminism, ideology or any number of things. To put it simply, shows this year talked about President Donald Trump… even if they didn’t do it directly.

“Supergirl”
The CW show is blunt about its ties to feminism. However, “Supergirl” stepped up its game in Season 2 with not-so-subtle jabs at the Trump presidency and the conversation around it, including one villain calling her a “nasty woman” and throwing “nevertheless she persisted” in as serious dialogue.

“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
The mid-season premiere kicked off with a what-if arc called “Agents of Hydra,” which put the characters in a world where the supervillains were in control. Marvel drives home the comparisons to real world events by referencing the administration, with lines like “nevertheless she persisted” and “make society great again.”

“Designated Survivor”
It was mere coincidence that “Designated Survivor” — a show about a White House in turmoil — premiered before President Trump took office, but the drama has run with the changes. As we wrote, the show has served as a counter to the Trump presidency by putting a President with good, American values front and center, while also showcasing politicians that put party and political linings over country.

“Gotham”
You wouldn’t think a show about Bruce Wayne and the years before Batman would get so political, but with Oswald Cobblepot running for mayor of Gotham City, the creators decided to throw in a Trump reference or two. In a campaign ad, Cobblepot said that “he alone” can “make Gotham safe again” from the corrupt politicians and banks that run the city, in a not-so-obvious jab at Trump’s now famous slogan.

“The Affair”
The Showtime drama has always been about the lives of its characters in relation to each other, not the outside world. However, Season 3 has finally introduced real-world topics into the story. At one point Helen Solloway (Maura Tierney) describes her reasons for not wanting to interact with somebody: “He voted for Trump.”

“The Good Fight”
Both “The Good Wife” and its spinoff on CBS All Access are political shows. However, the latter changed dramatically the moment Trump was elected, as the writers and producers have stated. They wanted to address the changes in the Trump era, and have done that with episodes about fake news, a firm that was looking to hire more Trump-friendly representation, and one about censorship that was inspired by a “Law & Order: SVU” episode based on the President that has yet to air.

“Homeland”
Besides the fact that the world in “Homeland” has a female President, she is still fighting against some all too real controversies. One of the show’s most glaring storylines in Season 6 has been the fight against fake news and disinformation campaigns against certain countries. At one point President Elizbaeth Keane (Elizabeth Marvel) faces off against a right-wing radio host modeled after InfoWars’ Alex Jones.

“Veep”
A show as clearly about politics as “Veep” is can’t get away with not making fun of the Trump presidency, even if they didn’t seek to. When Selina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is monitoring the first open election in the Republic of Georgia you can’t help but think about Russia. That doesn’t even take into account a pee joke that had to be cut because creators knew it would be compared to Trump.

“Scandal”
“Scandal” is another show about politics that probably couldn’t have made it through its most recent season without commenting on the current political climate. What better way to do that then to have a literal Trump stand-in. Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry) is a Republican billionaire who doesn’t like what he calls “border crossers.” Sound familiar?

“Madam Secretary”
The drama starring Tea Leoni hasn’t always taken sides, and generally remains bipartisan in its portrayal of politics. However, when you have the fictional Secretary of State dealing with a fictional Filipino president Datu Andrada (played by Joel de la Fuente) that sexually assaults women, has shady dealings with other countries, and complains about fake news, you can’t help but notice that the show’s trying to say something.

“House of Cards”
The parallels between Trump and President Frank Underwood are laughable at this point, but this latest season is driving the point home. The Underwoods are a part of a misinformation campaign and fake terror plot, and become the people of interest in a special committee investigation into their dealings. Meanwhile, they’ve also closed the borders and are the subjects of massive White House protests.

‘The Good Fight’ Creators Say Donald Trump Victory ‘Gave Us a Spine’

How Donald Trump’s Election Win Sent ‘The Good Fight’ Scrambling for Rewrites

How ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Is Tackling the Nazi Problem Better Than Marvel Comics (Commentary)

Why ‘Designated Survivor’ is a Perfect Antidote to the Trump Presidency (Commentary)

Source: the wrap feed