Maybe it is too facile to say that Tyrant is an inverted Homeland*, or The Godfather** in the Middle East** or a variation on Mr. Chips to Scarface***. A few episodes in though, it seems like a quick and easy way to describe the show.
* An American returning to American from the Middle East after becoming one of them and a Freedonian returning to Freedonia after living his life as an American.
** The youngest brother is pulled into the bad news family business after having a life in a legitimate profession with his blonde wife
*** The descent of a really nice guy into villain-hood.
There hasn't been as much time yet to paint all the shades of gray we're used on cable television to but we're getting there. The advent of the nominal revolutionary leader being a poseur douchebag is one of my favorite additions to the show. Yeah, they're facing a terrible dictatorial dynasty, but this other guy sure sucks too.
A scene between the American ambassador and the president brought a few things to look forward to. The tete-e-tete precedes the apparently imminent crackdown of protestors in the square * To this point, the new president has been shown to be reckless and emotional and dangerous, while the ambassador has been shown to be a sell out, happy to take in the luxury his position provides him by looking the other way constantly.
* Message to dictators: Fill in your squares. They are bad news for your regime. - The Daily Show
Jamal, the president, takes the temperature of the United States on the violence he's about to impart. He's accepted the nominal decrying but wants to know there's no actual consequences for it. The ambassador is astonishingly honest with him (and the viewer) that whether they kill 50 or 500, the wrong individual, such as a cute co-ed, could bring unwanted attention and serious reprisals from the United States in order to comply with public opinion. It is a great example of realpolitik.
The threat of taking away the American strategic presence with their naval base is very real, as Jamal points out. But it's not as strong as he thinks, as the ambassador responds that the lease on the base is with the government, not the family. It's not an ideal situation for the Americans but it is an out for them, if the situation becomes dire. The ambassador finally shows a bit of integrity and willingness to speak to Jamal (or previously, his father) truthfully.
From here, it will be interesting to see how Jamal weighs the threat of American pulling its support and how the ambassador continues to function, and what his motivations and end goal are.
No comments:
Post a Comment