Some shows you put on in the background while you're cooking. Some shows you put on to zone out for a while, or kill some time or forget about your problems. VICE is not that show.
VICE is a news magazine and web site, originally founded in Canada in 1994, now operates in 34 countries around the world. They recently launched a television show on HBO by the same name. The subject matter is about as heavy as it gets. To start, "Episode 1" includes two segments: one on political assassination in the Philippines and one on Taliban suicide bombers. Interesting and heavy enough subjects on their own, then you learn it's not one or two political assassinations in the Philippines, but in the hundreds, including a massacre of dozens while attempting to file for election...and the suicide bombers in question are children.
The summary page at HBO provides links to advocacy and human rights groups for the subjects of the episode, such as Child Soldiers International, Culture of Resistance and Amnesty International.
After a few taking a few breaths to find composure in a manner not unlike the end of Breaking Bad's "Dead Freight", quickly put on whatever comedy you can find on your DVR ("Get Conan on!"). Do not watch VICE without something lighter to follow it up with and do not make it the last thing you do before bed.
VICE's executive producers include HBO colleague Bill Maher and Fareed Zakaria. It airs Fridays at 11 p.m. Eastern on HBO, following Real Time with Bill Maher and can be found in repeats throughout the week on the HBO channels and on HBO Go.
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