THE EVƎNT

THE EVƎNT is a new TV series. At the moment it appears to be a cross between the X-Files and Seven Days in May. The plot recycles the tiresome trope of a massive gov’t conspiracy. This is especially tiresome at a time when we have real honest-to-goodness enemies in the world.

Mind you, I’m not denying that gov’t can be the enemy too. But as Obama and the Congressional Democrats have shown, you don’t need to be conspiratorial to be the enemy.

One oddity about the series is the casting of a black actor to play the part of a Latino-American president. Surely there are plenty of Latino-American actors who could play the role just as well or better. Indeed, they cast an eye-catching Latina to play his wife.

Also, Blair Underwood comes across as a rather bland actor, so it’s not as if he brings something indispensable to the part. There are other actors–both black and Hispanic–who are more compelling.

To some extent the show seems to be allegorizing the Obama and his hawkish opponents. But, then, why not make the president a black character? Or would that be too obvious?

Of course, there really are Afro-Latinos. But that’s awfully subtle for Hollywood. And as far as that goes, one could always cast a real Afro-Latino in the role.

I’m guessing the director/producer wanted to evoke associations with Obama, but also introduce a bit of distance by making the character Latino rather than black. That way it wouldn’t seem quite so heavy-handed.

Still, it’s like a throwback to the days when Anthony Quinn was Hollywood’s all-purpose person of color.