The Capitol Raid Being Adapted for Television Is Capitalism at Its Ugliest
Showtime turning the siege into a show tells us everything we already knew about this country
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
Within just two months, the attempted fascist coup by White nationalists caught its first Hollywood green light. Last Thursday, Showtime announced that the network has ordered three scripts about the Trump-incited riot on Capitol Hill for a series to be helmed by Billy Ray, director of political drama The Comey Rule. The three-part act has been made plain: the waning days of the pumpkin presidency, the insurrection, and its aftermath.
The speed with which this happened was as predictable as tax season. Twitter saw it coming from a mile away: A conspiratorial assault called forth by fascist animus and a celebrity president just screams ratings. Bloodshed and White nationalism sell like toilet paper in a pandemic, apparently — with no shortages in sight.
In the Content Era, every event — especially one with Whiteness at its center — is subject to ravaging by the TV and film industry. Yet Showtime’s rush to dramatize the Capitol raid disregards both reality (how can a script be…
