5.01.2012

A look from the other side...

My wife has become quite infatuated with British television shows due to netflix.  I have enjoyed Dr. Who and Torchwood, but don't share her obsession with Period Drama, so I only half pay attention when she is watching things like The Grand and Downton Abbey.

Recently she started watching a BBC show of more recent vintage, called MI-5, which is an espionage, suspense show focusing on domestic counterintelligence/anti-terrorist operations.  I pay slightly more attention to this show, but not to the point where I tell her she can't watch it without me, like I did with Dr. Who. 

One thing that has really caught my eye over the course of the last dozen or so episodes is how America is portrayed.  For most of the 5th and 6th seasons(or series as the British call them) America, and also Israel, have been, if not The BAD GUYS, at least the clear cut protagonist. 

America is looking for an excuse to go invade Iran SOOOOOO bad, that we secretly give them nuclear weapons technology. 

Israel wants an excuse to go war with them soooooooo bad that they send in Mossad Agents disguised as Arab Terrorists to blow up a Saudi trade delegation. 

Kind of shocking to see US as the bad guys.  I'm not saying EVERY British citizen sees us the bad guys, but there must be a fair percentage of them ready to believe we are shoot first, ask questions later cowboys wanting to go to war just to earn a dime for them to feel safe portraying us that way on a pretty successful TV series. 

1 comment:

  1. Not really on the topic at hand, but tell her to check out The Forsyte Saga. One of my favorite mini-series from that genre.

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