Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Juan Cole Talks "Heroes" & American Politics




Nothing goes better together than sci fi and politics. Whether it's the philosophical dystopian Matrix Trilogy, or Marvel's foray into bigotry through the X-Men. So it was a treat to see one of my favorite analysts of Mid East affairs Juan Cole, who blogs at Informed Comment, talk politics about NBC's hit series "Heroes." Looking at the obvious inspirations of the show, namely the obsession with security in post-9/11 America, Cole points out how the worldview of "Heroes" clashes with the Bush White House's "1 percent doctrine" on terrorism.



Heroes- Dick Cheney's least favorite TV show?

Why the worldview of "Heroes" clashes with the vice president's "1 percent doctrine" on terrorism.

By Juan Cole

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/05/30/heroes/

May. 30, 2007 NBC's hit series "Heroes" was the most-watched new show on network television this year despite its demanding plot lines and stretches of subtitled Japanese. Its season finale, which aired May 21, dominated the 9 p.m. time slot. What explains the show's popularity, especially with younger viewers? I think it is that, like the Fox thriller "24," "Heroes" is a response to Sept. 11 and the rise of international terrorism. But while "24" skews to the right politically, "Heroes" seems like a left-wing response to those events. In fact, it functions as a thoughtful critique of Vice President Dick Cheney's doctrine on counterterrorism.

In Bush and Cheney's "war on terror," the evildoers are external and are clearly discernible. In "Heroes," each person agonizes over the evil within, a point of view more common on the political left than on the right. Each of the flawed characters is capable of both nobility and iniquity. In Bush's vision, the main threat remains rival states (Saddam's Iraq, Ahmadinejad's Iran). States are absent from "Heroes," as though irrelevant. "Heroes" makes terrorism a universal and psychological issue rather than one attached to a clash of civilizations or to a particular race.

In its commentary on terror, "Heroes" thus avoids the caffeinated Islamophobia of "24." And at a time when "24," a favorite of older Republicans, is fading in the ratings, "Heroes" may also be a better guide to where the thinking of the young, post-Bush generation is heading when it comes to terror. It's certainly where their eyes are going. NBC's "Heroes" runs opposite Fox's "24" on Monday nights and snags a higher total of younger viewers, while the median age of "24" viewers keeps rising. As "Heroes" star Adrian Pasdar, who plays politician Nathan Petrelli, explained in an interview before this season's finale, "On Monday nights we own the demographics." He was referring to winning the ratings battle among the all-important 18-49 age group that advertisers love.

"Heroes" posits a world in which a small number of persons have been born with extraordinary powers drawn from the standard science fiction repertory. The powers include levitating objects, mind reading, flying, miraculous healing, bursting into flames and, as with the painter Isaac Mendez (Santiago Cabrera), prophesying the future. The plot that drives the first season has to do with a prophetic painting by Mendez that shows New York City being blown up. The bomb is not mechanical but is a human being, a mutant, who cannot control his powers and will ultimately explode in the midst of the city if not stopped. For much of the season the mutants do not know exactly who will explode or when, but they know it will happen unless they prevent it.

For full article:

Heroes- Dick Cheney's Least Favorite TV show?

6 comments:

Queen Makkeda said...

I did not know Heroes was that popular...or acute. I wished I had DVR so that I could watch the old episodes

Unknown said...

2015723dongdong
gucci outlet
lululemon
michael kors uk
michael kors
replica watches
jordan 4s
timberland boots
dior handbags
polo ralph lauren
louis vuitton handbags
coach outlet
gucci
oakley sunglasses
coach outlet
ray ban glasses
louis vuitton handbags
jrodan retro
oakley sunglasses outlet
louis vuitton handbags
christian louboutin outlet
christian louboutin outlet
insanity workout dvd
louis vuitton outlet
hollister co
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton outlet
ray ban outlet
kevin durant shoes
insanity workout
longchamp handbags
hollister
hollister kids
cheap jordans
nfl jerseys
abercrombie store
chanel handbags

Unknown said...

louis vuitton outlet, gucci outlet, oakley sunglasses, ugg boots, longchamp, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, louboutin shoes, nike free, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, ray ban sunglasses, longchamp pas cher, louboutin outlet, longchamp outlet, tory burch outlet, replica watches, replica watches, cheap oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton, nike outlet, nike air max, nike air max, prada handbags, tiffany jewelry, polo ralph lauren outlet, nike free, louboutin pas cher, louboutin, oakley sunglasses, longchamp outlet, oakley sunglasses, burberry, uggs on sale, polo ralph lauren outlet, michael kors, oakley sunglasses, nike roshe run, ugg boots, christian louboutin outlet, jordan shoes, tiffany and co, sac longchamp, ralph lauren pas cher, kate spade outlet, air jordan pas cher, air max, louis vuitton outlet, chanel handbags, prada outlet

Unknown said...

baseball bats, louboutin, ferragamo shoes, mcm handbags, p90x workout, nike huarache, timberland boots, jimmy choo shoes, north face outlet, converse outlet, hollister, gucci, reebok shoes, wedding dresses, nike air max, instyler, babyliss, longchamp, valentino shoes, mac cosmetics, soccer jerseys, ralph lauren, chi flat iron, north face outlet, herve leger, hollister, nike air max, lancel, converse, insanity workout, lululemon, nike trainers, vans, new balance, mont blanc, nfl jerseys, celine handbags, hollister, bottega veneta, giuseppe zanotti, iphone cases, asics running shoes, soccer shoes, birkin bag, nike roshe, oakley, abercrombie and fitch, ray ban, ghd, vans shoes, beats by dre

Unknown said...

karen millen, louis vuitton, thomas sabo, louis vuitton, pandora charms, wedding dresses, juicy couture outlet, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, moncler, ugg boots uk, moncler, swarovski, marc jacobs, canada goose, doudoune canada goose, swarovski crystal, canada goose, moncler, sac louis vuitton pas cher, canada goose, toms shoes, canada goose, hollister, barbour, canada goose uk, canada goose outlet, bottes ugg, supra shoes, moncler, pandora charms, moncler, moncler, coach outlet, canada goose outlet, moncler outlet, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, juicy couture outlet, barbour jackets, links of london, montre pas cher, pandora jewelry, moncler, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, replica watches

rehabgad1 said...



Good write-up. I definitely love this site. Keep it up
https://prokr123.page.tl/
http://prokr123.zohosites.com/
http://prokr114.bravesites.com/
http://ksa41.com/
https://www.prokr.net/ksa/jeddah-water-leaks-detection-isolate-companies/