It’s funny, but not as crazy as real politics
The Show: BrainDead, Season 1, Episode 5 The Moment: The baby picture
In Washington, D.C., Republicans and Democrats have become insanely extremist — because space bugs are eating their brains. Two congressmen, righty Red (Tony Shalhoub) and lefty Luke (Danny Pino), square off.
Luke shows Red a photo of a 1-year-old girl. “She’s the daughter of a veteran who’s dying of liver cancer, unless we vote yes on drug trials,” he says.
“And what, you got some pictures taken with him?” Red asks. “Him smiling, you smiling. You save him and he’ll hug you, and there will be more photos of you saving him from the big bad Republicans.”
“So you want to delay the vote because I’ll get credit for saving a young man?” Luke asks.
“Don’t act outraged,” Red says. “You’re looking at the presidency in 2020.” He waggles the photo, speaking in a baby voice: “‘Boo hoo, he saved my daddy, he deserves your vote.’ Come on! You don’t like children. No one likes children.”
I bet this show seemed far-fetched when Robert and Michelle King (the married writers behind The Good Wife) conceived of it: “What if we invented a concrete explanation for why people are so opposed and entrenched? What if it was — har — bugs that crash-land on a meteor?”
The series is well-written and amusing, a PG-rated Veep crossed with Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Shalhoub can do no wrong, even when he’s chewing more scenery than bugs are chewing brains. But it doesn’t even approach the genuine crazy of Clinton versus Trump. Space ants would be a relief. BrainDead airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on Global. Johanna Schneller is a media connoisseur who zeroes in on popculture moments. She usually appears Monday through Thursday.