Amerika (1987): A Reflection of Cold War Anxieties
Amerika, the mini series was created during the Cold War. Back when the USA was run by Republicans and the enemy was the communist Soviet Union. Given the real life fast pace of living in America and keeping up with the Jones, it is no wonder that most people found the slow pace of the mini series too boring to sit through. Maybe in the era of binge watching programs Amerika will find it’s true audience, and the message of the communist victory without casualties will be a wake up call. Otherwise we might be in for a modern day version of Donald Wrye’s dystopian future.
The series unfolds in an alternate reality, in which the Soviet Union never collapsed. Worse, after a successful economic war and propaganda campaign, it is given control over the administration of the United States by the UNited Nations. The story centers on the lives of American citizens under Soviet rule. The themes of resistance, collaboration, and the erosion of democratic freedoms are key to the narrative. At the heart of the story is the struggle of a Nebraska family, particularly that of Marion (played by Kris Kristofferson), a farmer who becomes a reluctant collaborator, and his daughter, Jackie (portrayed by Mariel Hemingway), who joins the underground resistance movement.
TV Mini Series – Rich Man Poor Man
The reception of *Amerika* was complex and varied and complex. On one hand, it garnered strong viewership numbers, drawing millions of viewers each night during its broadcast. The series sparked heated discussions across the United States, with some praising its thought-provoking premise and others criticizing it for potentially stoking fear and paranoia about Soviet intentions. One reviewer balked that the loss of running water was unrealistic, but as we look around today at the consequences of failing infrastructures and their widespread destructive consequences. It isn’t difficult to speculate that some areas could indeed easily be without a reliable water source. Hell, we even have laws against collecting rain water, what’s to stop the powers that be from simply shutting off the mains?
The controversy of Amerika was in no small part due to the reality of the military might of the USA in the eighties. As evidenced by the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. To be pertinent today, we should simplify the threat as the US, falling to communism. The US of today is a far cry from the US of yesterday. Both our educational institutes and military organizations appear to be more obsessed with gender politics than producing the brightest and strongest on the world stage. So maybe we are already in a dystopian reality and this mini-series needs to be watched for it’s message in political resilience.
*Amerika* stands as a testament to the power of television to provoke thought and discussion about complex political and social issues. The series does elude to the us versus them reality of communist rule. While everyone now seems to fear “threats to democracy”, they simultaneously overlook the divisionary effect this has on the populace. How their hatred takes attention away from the elites who are actually orchestrating the mistrust. The series challenges viewers to confront their fears and beliefs about democracy, freedom, and the global balance of power. Whether viewed as a cautionary tale or a speculative fiction, *Amerika* remains a compelling exploration of what might have been, offering insights into both the past and the present-day concerns about authoritarianism and political resilience.
