"A young, fresh-faced Hill staffer gets her first job in Washington, D.C. to discover two things: The government has stopped working, and alien spawn have come to earth and eaten the brains of a growing number of Congressmen and Hill staffers."[1]

I've found love in a hopeless place: American politics. Well, not necessarily American politics an sich, but the way its tragedy has snowballed into different creative outlets. Or, to be more specific, I LOVE BRAINDEAD. Which is about the current hopeless state of American politics. And bugs.

"There's no denying that one weird thing is followed by another."

We live in a crazy political climate. There's no denying that one weird thing is followed by another which, say, five years or so ago seemed unfathomable, crazy and out of this world. Heightened by the increase of (social) media, two sides are deliberately set opposed each other induced with 'alternative news'; telling both sides what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. Or if you're living in the Netherlands, there were 28 sides to choose from during the 2017 general election, going from left to right to moderate to 'no one can explain this'.[2]

Left: Laura Healy played by Mary Elizabath Winstead. Right: Gustav Triplett played by Johnny Ray Gill. Photo: CBS.

No one can explain this

Although we Dutchies had a wider range to choose from, the many elections held world wide (including the Netherlands) were induced by contradiction and extremism. Giving the 'no one can explain this' voice its own television show. Putting one yelling person opposite another concentrating around all the (personal) conflicts and back stabbing instead of actually trying to make the world a better place. It's almost a miracle that we HAVEN'T seen Trump and Clinton rolling over the floor pulling each others hair out. Maybe if it went on for just a tad bit longer the sensational-hungry were treated with a plate full of 'oh no s/he didn't' cheap reality show flashbacks.

So how to explain this sudden extremism found in world wide politics? 'Bugs',  say Michelle and Robert King. Brain eating outer space bugs that have started munching on the brains of politicians. Side effects may include: balance and hearing loss, aversion to alcohol, a new found love for 'You Might Think' by The Cars and EXTREME POLITICAL VIEWS. The latter mostly causing the sudden change in the political atmosphere.

Get the space bugs in your head

The Kings are best known as the creators of The Good Wife. Although BrainDead is their brain child (pun pun pun) it's absolutely nothing like The Good Wife. Except that it's beyond marvellous and smart and definitely worthy of an Emmy or two.

One reviewer described BrainDead as "über topical but deliciously wacky", which for me pretty much sums up every feeling I have for this show.[3] It's smart, collected but weird and has a clear political message to the people. However, as another reviewer kindly points out: "You don't have to be into entomology or politics to enjoy it."[4]

"You don't have to be into entomology or politics to enjoy this show."

Although everything takes place in Washington D.C. and the politics and the bugs are the main storyline, the show mostly emphasises on human connection. This I think is best reflected in the conflicted relationship between protagonist Laurel Healy (team democrat played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Gareth Ritter (team republican played by Aaron Tveit). Although they have the jitterbugs for one another (pun pun pun) their ideals often get in the way to go full overboard. Though they try and try and try, expanding their own (world) view, finding a middle ground or -if all else fails- connecting to one another as human to human.

RECOMMENDED: You Better Think Millennial Pink

Left: Gareth Ritter played by Aaron Tveit. Photo: CBS.

Stop bugging me!

So here are three reasons why you too should get hooked on BrainDead! (If only so we could share monkey brains with one another).

1. Originality is key

Wikipedia describes BrainDead as a 'political satire science fiction comedy-drama', which are a lot of words and are ALL true.[5] There's truly a genre for everyone in this show, drawing out plots with almost every colour of the rainbow and perfectly showcasing the wide range of the actors and the storyline. The storyline itself being something I haven't seen before in anyway like this. Naturally we're all too familiar with aliens trying to take over the earth (always, for some weird reason, starting its way in America as if 'we' don't matter enough within the world wide scheme of politics. Just saying, just saying), but this takeover is much more subtle -which should be a hard thing to say when exploding heads is an integral part of the plot- and has a strange smell of realness to it (or it could be the exploded heads...).

Right: Red Wheatus played by Tony Shalhoub. Photo: CBS.

Another key-point within BrainDead is the semi-unwillingness of the writers to particularly or exclusively demonise one party over another. By concentrating around the humanness of the situation and the extremism of the bugs slowly unveiling, instead of actively trying to unhinge one side of the house, it gets a strong message across about the American political climate as a whole.

"BrainDead shows how extremism can polarise the country."

And although this by many reviewers is deemed as indecisive, I think it perfectly demonstrates the point BrainDead is trying to make: through extremism the real issues (like bugs in the head) are overlooked and diverted to a forever ongoing nothingness of arguing and humiliating each other.

As Aaron Tveit said in an interview: "It is not necessarily a political statement from a liberal media or liberal creative world against conservative or republicans. We are showing how extremism can polarise the country. I think if that's a political statement, it's the political statement [of the show]."[6]

Also the recap songs by Jonathan Coulton are the + on the A, as you can see/hear here. Be mindful of the spoilers.

2. The A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Cast

And yes, that's Cast. With a capital letter C. I present to you -among many others- Ramona Flowers, Adrian Monk and Enjolras either trying to solve the bug problem or attributing to it. Every character has a reason to exist. That's to say: there's no one on your screen wondering why s/he is there; everyone holds a piece of the puzzle to make the story tick. Moving the plot along through bugging (pun pun pun) each other.

3. It's cancelled

BOOHOO!

As Aaron Tveit said in an interview about the attraction of conspiracies: "The nice thing about conspiracy within any kind of genre or in books, television and film is that there's constantly something to strive for and something to overcome. Which I think, especially in TV series, you need a story that can play out. And a story that can hopefully sustain over a season or multiple seasons."[7]

Unfortunately they didn't listen to my beloved Broadway poster boy (although there were apparently plans for it being a 4 seasonal show).[8] Which is not just a shame, it's an outright scandal. It's outrageous. It's living proof that bugs have gotten the better of the CBS Television Studio staff. So I say we should fight this -peacefully- by watching the show and sharing our love for it on every platform we think possible. I JUST LOVE BRAINDEAD! I WANT MORE! I WANT MORE AND MORE AND I JUST AND AAAAHH! *head explodes*


Have you seen BrainDead? Do you also find it suspicious America is always alienated first (pun pun pun)? And last but not least: What are your thoughts on brain eating bugs?



Sources:
[1] IMDb, "BrainDead", http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4877736/.
[2] Wikipedia, "Tweede Kamer Verkiezingen 2017" (15 June 2017), https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweede_Kamerverkiezingen_2017.
[3] Deadline Hollywood, "Elizabeth Winstead, Danny Pino, Tony Shalhoub in Braindead - TV Review" (9 June 2016), Youtube video, 3:02, https://youtu.be/SumJnFFVDes.
[4] See note 1.
[5] Wikipedia, "BrainDead" (21 June 2017), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrainDead.
[6] TV Fanatic, "Aaron Tveit and Mary Elizabeth Winstead for BrainDead" (8 June 2016), Youtube video, 15:22, https://youtu.be/Brl2kp18484.
[7] See note 1.
[8] Wochit News, "Comedy/Thriller 'BrainDead' Debuts on CBS" (13 June 2016), Youtube video, 0:39, https://youtu.be/jo-1gTr_sa0.