Geena vs. Donald
It's a bit late, but I'm going to blog on a TV programme I watched on Thursday: the first episode of Commander in Chief.
I'm not too sure what I think of this one. I'm sure many of you know the gist. America gets its first female vice-president. president dies. Evil (Republican) majority leader attempts to pressure (independent) VP into resigning. VP decides it's better to take over the presidency rather than let America be run by Donald Sutherland. New president threatens to blow stuff up in backward African nation, unless its leaders free a female 'dissident' whose crime was having sex. New president's choice for VP angers Donald Sutherland and scene is set for conflict...
Interesting concept, and despite aspects of poor production here and there and the fact that the botox in Geena Davis' face hardly allowed her lips to move, the plot and screenplay kept this viewer engaged and mildly tittilated.
Yet, I had to pinch myself every now and then, as part of me couldn't believe that the notion of a female American president was enough material to serve as the basis for a television show. I mean, WE're on to our second female PM now and it just doesn't seem to be an issue - and as far as I could tell, it never was. As well as being a fictional character, on the other hand, it seems poor old Geena is not even allowed to be elected into office, having to ride in on the coat-tails of her predecessor instead. Remarkable.
(Yes, yes. I know our first female PM wasn't 'elected' either, but our political system is structured differently and no one 'made way' for Shipley by dying. Quite the contrary; she practically stabbed her predecessor in the back.)
I was also a little unconvinced by the 'Nigerian prisoner' dilemma, which President Geena solved by stating that the U.S. was coming in to get save the prisoner whether Nigeria liked it or not. My wife's workmate said she found it a bit disappointing that Geena's first act as president (threatening the use of force) would prove her no different than her male predecessors, but it wasn't that I had a problem with. Upon entering office real female leaders have generally acted as 'leaders' rather than 'FEMALE leaders', because the role of PM or president or whatever has invariably been constructed by their male counterparts and is inherently gendered.
What irks me is how American material power is depicted in these shows. Because Republicans were shown as either devils incarnate or well-intentioned farts whose deaths act as plot devices, I'm assuming 'Commander in Chief''s world-view is solidly Democrat. Yet it seems to exhibit aspects of the same neo-con con ideas about America's material predominance that deludes the current administration. Despite what Americans may think, threatening a country that sees itself as a leader in its region with a breach of sovereignty is probably not going to make that country acquiesce to your demands. Power simply doesn't work like that, especially when it is a matter of interference in another nation's justice system. In the real world I'd say Nigeria would just tell the United States to get bent, knowing that they wouldn't start a conflict over a single execution.
But, I suppose it is just TV after all.
I'm not too sure what I think of this one. I'm sure many of you know the gist. America gets its first female vice-president. president dies. Evil (Republican) majority leader attempts to pressure (independent) VP into resigning. VP decides it's better to take over the presidency rather than let America be run by Donald Sutherland. New president threatens to blow stuff up in backward African nation, unless its leaders free a female 'dissident' whose crime was having sex. New president's choice for VP angers Donald Sutherland and scene is set for conflict...
Interesting concept, and despite aspects of poor production here and there and the fact that the botox in Geena Davis' face hardly allowed her lips to move, the plot and screenplay kept this viewer engaged and mildly tittilated.
Yet, I had to pinch myself every now and then, as part of me couldn't believe that the notion of a female American president was enough material to serve as the basis for a television show. I mean, WE're on to our second female PM now and it just doesn't seem to be an issue - and as far as I could tell, it never was. As well as being a fictional character, on the other hand, it seems poor old Geena is not even allowed to be elected into office, having to ride in on the coat-tails of her predecessor instead. Remarkable.
(Yes, yes. I know our first female PM wasn't 'elected' either, but our political system is structured differently and no one 'made way' for Shipley by dying. Quite the contrary; she practically stabbed her predecessor in the back.)
I was also a little unconvinced by the 'Nigerian prisoner' dilemma, which President Geena solved by stating that the U.S. was coming in to get save the prisoner whether Nigeria liked it or not. My wife's workmate said she found it a bit disappointing that Geena's first act as president (threatening the use of force) would prove her no different than her male predecessors, but it wasn't that I had a problem with. Upon entering office real female leaders have generally acted as 'leaders' rather than 'FEMALE leaders', because the role of PM or president or whatever has invariably been constructed by their male counterparts and is inherently gendered.
What irks me is how American material power is depicted in these shows. Because Republicans were shown as either devils incarnate or well-intentioned farts whose deaths act as plot devices, I'm assuming 'Commander in Chief''s world-view is solidly Democrat. Yet it seems to exhibit aspects of the same neo-con con ideas about America's material predominance that deludes the current administration. Despite what Americans may think, threatening a country that sees itself as a leader in its region with a breach of sovereignty is probably not going to make that country acquiesce to your demands. Power simply doesn't work like that, especially when it is a matter of interference in another nation's justice system. In the real world I'd say Nigeria would just tell the United States to get bent, knowing that they wouldn't start a conflict over a single execution.
But, I suppose it is just TV after all.
posted by Charlie Tan | 12:51 AM
2 Comments:
Interesting thoughts. I've not seen the show, but I am particularly interested in the whole female leader thing and have been posting on it regularly. Two examples of women leaders recently elected who have acted like "leaders" as you say, are Angie Merkel, who's been very strong and forceful so far and is playing the men's game better than the men, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who last week strolled into the Liberian treasury and sacked the ENTIRE staff in person, as a first step towards her pledge of rooting out corruption.
It would appear on first sight that Michelle Bachelet in Chile might be the exception here and might really bring a "woman's touch". Not much to go on yet, but first signs would seem to indicate that that might be her approach.
Cool blog, interesting information... Keep it UP » »
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