The Plot Against America

[bushwackerbob]

Is anyone watching The Plot Against America? The first episode of the limited series debuted this past Sunday on HBO. I thought the first episode was pretty good. When I heard that David Simon, the creator of the classic series "the Wire" was the creative force behind the series, I thought it was a good show to check out. There is only one thing I would have done a little differently. The series is set in 1940 and the gimmick of the series is that there is an alternate reality. I fancy myself as someone who is fairly knowledgeable in regards to the history of that era, as I am particularly interested in the events of that particularly turbulent time. The one thing I would like to have seen at the outset of the series is a little exposition, whether it be via a Star Wars style crawl, or a brief trailer before the show began detailing what the show's about, what the series wants to say, where it's going, a little context and overview of the historical era in which the show takes place and where it diverged with our actual timeline. I kind of felt the same way with the Watchmen, almost as if I missed the bus the first day of school and was playing catch up on the second day. Still, it looks like a wonderful, compelling series as it explores important issues such as anti-semitism, and how that was reflected in our own nation at the time, not to mention the whatifs if certain events turned out differently and how that would have shaped America.

[Dogfish]

David Simon doesn't do introductions or exposition. Makes a point of it. So you're basically going to have to sink or learn to swim, and while that's the same with any of his work it is probably a bit of a longer stretch when it's alt-history.

I was going to check it out but honestly I'm just not feeling it. Not right now. I need the TV equivalent of two tons of candyfloss.

[bushwackerbob]

In regards to the Wire, which I did not see I real time, I sort of binge watch the episodes ( I am in the middle of season 4) on HBO GO, and when I watched it on HBO GO, there were about 2-3 minute trailers before the episode 1 of each season where Simon discusses where the show is going and what it's trying to say through the following season's slate of episodes. I don't know whether or not this trailer appeared on the show when it first aired, but I appreciated the overview. That's all I was asking for, just a little summary or overview or exposition stating this was the state of the country at the time, this is what I want to say about it, where our history diverged with an alternate timeline, and where is the story going.

[bushwackerbob]

SPOILER ALERT! Although I don't think anyone here is really watching the show, but I have a constitutional question about the show that will definitely reveal story spoilers. In the final episode, President Lindberg's plane goes missing, he is presumed dead. We get a VP who becomes an evil bad guy, there are charges of sedition, treason, that he is unfit for office, and Lindberg's wife calls for his removal from office, and a special Presidential election in 1942, a mid term election year. In the miniseries these events actually occurred. A special presidential election in a mid term year? Huh? What about the line of succession? There is a long line of office holders that are supposed to be in line in case of death or removal from office, and I believe the next person in line is either the Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader. I know that there are cabinet members also in line in that scenario, so how did we get to a special election. In Designated Survivor, Keifer Sutherland's lowly HUD Secretary assumed office when the Capitol was blown to bits during a State of the Union speech. As far as I am aware of, the constitution does not call for a special election when the President and VP are unable to serve. I am sure Phillip Roth who wrote the novel that the miniseries was based on did his due diligence in terms of what happens in these circumstances I do wonder how he justifies or explains how he got to the point where the line of succession is ignored in favor of a mid term special presidential election.

[Mr. X]

Article 2 section 1
"In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected."

[Visitor]

It wasn't until later that the Constitution was amended to increase the presidential succession line. This was done in response to Roosevelt's 4 terms in office.

[bushwackerbob]

Please forgive me for being obtuse, dumb, thick headed, or all of the above, but is what you are saying that the Constitution was amended after 1942, that it was indeed constitutional in that time period of 1942 to have special presidential elections instead of the line of succession thing, that if the same thing happened today, the line of succession dynamic that we have today would be in place instead of conducting a special presidential election?

[Visitor]

Yes, it's all Roosevelt's fault. They also moved the inaugural date to January from March since it didn't take as long to count votes and make the changeover earlier so a new president could get to work.