Writing the Other

[selenak]

Writing my thoughts about the truly depressing event that recently took place in Washington DC will change nothing about it, upset the conservatives on my list and just depress the liberals further, so I won't bother.

Hopefully more interestingly, and on a bi-partisan level: recent discussion with karabair about Angels in America has reminded me how

Comments

[altariel]

I really want to write something about how Republicans are portrayed in The West Wing: often you can see the writers struggling to imagine themselves into that place (the "I can't believe you voted for Reagan" syndrome), and sometimes they genuinely manage it: There are a couple of excellent Republican semi-regulars, particularly the brilliant Ainsley Hayes, who comes to work at the White House in the spirit of bi-partisanship, and regularly wipes the floor with Sam Seaborn in their debates. Another Republican character, Clifford Calley,

*spoilers follow*

when presented with an opportunity to bring down Leo McGarry, is driven by personal integrity over party politics, going so far as to threaten a party colleague to prevent it happening.

[selenak]

Yet another reason why I really must buy the second season of WW. Sigh.

[altariel]

It's very watchable and very enjoyable. Quick watching as well: once you start on one episode, you rapidly progress to the next four or five.

[londonkds]

I'm afraid I can't think of a contemporary arch-conservative character, written by a liberal author, whom one is expected to love

I would suggest Mal Reynolds, who is very right-wing, although of a libertarian rather than conservative stripe which most liberals find more easy to respect.

[selenak]

Yes, but that is sci-fi again, and thus falls under the Garibaldi/Londo/Bester clause.

(BTW, Mal and his right-wingness was the reason why merrymaia when first starting to watch Firefly thought it was a show written by a very conservative lot. We all hastened to assure her of Joss' Californian liberal credentials, and she continued to watch, and came to like it.)

Roseanne in his early days aside, did Joss ever write something contemporary without fantasy background we could check for nice conservatives?

[likeadeuce]

you know, I would never have pegged Mal as a right-winger. . . not that I think he's a squishy socialist-progressive love-bunny, I just wasn't thinking of the Firefly-verse in those terms. *interesting*

[selenak]

Mal always pegged me, especially given the Western context and Joss having read The Killer Angels on the air plane when getting the idea for Firefly, as the sci-fi equivalent of a Southerner who didn't go to war for the right to own slaves but for the right to independence, but who nonetheless thinks Northern abolitionists are wishy-washy folk with no idea what they're talking about.

Now Simon of course is a socialist-progressive love bunny.*g* And true to form a rich kid. *veg*

The West Wing and Republicans

[watervole]

In the second season, the WEst Wing gains a regular Republican character who holds up her end with intelligence and tenacity. I also have strong memories of an episode with a gay Republican who defends his membership of the party saying that he is not defined just by his sexuality and that he agrees with the rest of his party's politics enough to be a member. You feel he's being exploited (given the context of the episode) but you also understand the reasons for his political views.

Re: The West Wing and Republicans

[selenak]

Note to self: somehow, get the second season of WW.

[ide_cyan]

I don't know all that much about Amy Sherman-Palladino's politics, but there are vast differences between Lorelai's and Emily (and Richard) Gilmore's politics, on Gilmore Girls. There's a Farenheit 9/11 poster in Rory's dorm room, if I'm remembering correctly, but her grandparents are rich and snobbish and conservative, but still likeable.

[smashsc]

David Simon (Homicide, The Corner, The Wire) has a talent for showing the story from all points of view. The third season of The Wire went more into politics than any other season before it but even before that season it was obvious that Simon's character ran the gamut of society in religion, race & politics. (An interview with him here provides good insights

[selenak]

Now that does sound exactly like what I was wondering about existed! Thanks for the info. I'm not familiar with any of these shows, obviously, but they sound very worth checking out.

[likeadeuce]

so funny, I almost mentioned The Wire before seeing smashsc's posts. I was about to recommend both of these shows (Homicide was my first fandom -- see the icon for a character who reminds me very much of Wesley, or vice versa), plus the mini-series "The Corner" (6 hours and the best thing I've ever seen on TV) -- unfortunately, at least according to IMDB, these are only available on DVD in US & Canada -- I think that means you couldn't use them, though I'm not exactly sure how these things work.

replying to the comment above about liberals written by conservatives. . . maybe the failure to come up with any just means that we aren't tuned into things written by conservatives, or from a conservative POV. i'm sure I'm familiar with some, but nothing leaps to mind.

[smashsc]

David Simon started as a reporter for the Balitmore Sun and then wrote the non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. The TV show Homicide: Life on the Street was based on his book and he came aboard the show as a writer and later producer.

His second book The Corner is better than Homicide and the HBO mini-series based on the book is simply outstanding.

Simon's current series The Wire is HBO's lowest rated drama (and it may not see another season) and its complexity and quality is unmatched by everything else on TV.

Both his books are still in print and most of Homicide (seasons 1-5 are the only ones worth watching), The Corner, and seasons 1 & 2 of The Wire are out on Region 1 DVD.