The Plot Against America

“The HBO series The Plot Against America, created by The Wire’s David Simon and Ed Burns and based on Philip Roth’s acclaimed novel, brilliantly imagines an alternate American history during World War II.

Told through the eyes of the Levins, a working-class Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey, the six-part limited series charts the political rise of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh, a xenophobic populist who captures the presidency in 1940 and turns the nation toward fascism. Caught in the upheaval, the Levins learn that the violence threatening the lives of ordinary Americans is never more than a moment’s political provocation away. Winona Ryder, Anthony Boyle, Zoe Kazan, Morgan Spector, Michael Kostroff, David Krumholtz, Azhy Robertson, Caleb Malis, and John Tuturro star in this powerful tale of intolerance and totalitarianism.”

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided us with a free copy of this Blu-ray/DVD that we reviewed in this blog post. The opinions we share are our own.

Sound familiar? This alternate-history of America in the 1940’s may be fiction, but there is a lot about this mini-series that mirrors our society and the dangerous precipice we’ve reached as a nation. Mis-information, racism, fear, are all part of our political landscape today, and The Plot Against America captures that, applying it to another period in our history so we might be better able to evaluate some of the decisions and views some of us have today. The series goes far in exploring some of the darker sides of humanity and intolerance, thankfully a point we haven’t reached ourselves just yet, but this makes for a very heartbreaking and thought-provoking story.

The writing is excellent, as one would expect from the creator of The Wire. The hardest part of watching the series is how depressingly similar it seems to real life, which can be a bit of a downer. So, if you’re wanting something to escape from reality, something I think we all need from time to time, this might not be exactly what you’re looking for in the moment. However, there are several Alternative-History shows that I do enjoy, and seeing another path American could have taken always peaks my interests.

Here’s an episode breakdown of the mini-series:

Part 1 – Series premiere. Herman Levin, anticipating a promotion at work, takes his family to look at a house in an upwardly mobile neighborhood, though Bess is wary of leaving the safety of their tight-knit Jewish community and raising a family amid growing anti-Semitism sparked by Lindbergh’s ascendancy.

Part 2 – Lindbergh’s increasingly popular campaign sweeps through the United States and captures some in the Levin family as well as Bengelsdorf, with Evelyn as his assistant and lover, becoming a fundamental asset in the Lindbergh camp, while Sandy, enamored of the aviator’s charm, celebrity, and history, begins a rebellion of his own within the family of New Deal Democrats.

Part 3 – In the early days of the Lindbergh administration, Herman decides the family will continue with their planned trip to Washington, D.C., despite Bess’ desire to visit Canada, where Jewish families are emigrating. After paying a visit to Evelyn, Sandy shows interest in an assimilation program targeting Jewish youth and spearheaded by Bengelsdorf.

Part 4 – Evelyn and Bengelsdorf receive an invitation from Mrs. Lindbergh to a state dinner for Nazi Germany’s foreign minister, as Evelyn makes Sandy the face of the youth assimilation program. Back from war, Alvin takes a job at his uncle’s warehouse. Philip is traumatized by a death in the neighborhood.

Part 5 – After learning the family has been selected for an essentially forced relocation to Kentucky under the Homestead Act, Herman looks to make a challenge in court, while Bess and Philip appeal to Bengelsdorf and Evelyn, respectively. Later, Bess gives Herman an ultimatum when violence breaks out at a rally for Lindbergh’s most public liberal challenger.

Part 6 – Series finale. As riots and conspiracies spread across the country in the lead up to Election Day, Herman takes measures to keep his family safe. Meanwhile, Bess does all she can at a great distance to help a small child caught in a maelstrom of anti-Semitism in Kentucky. Alvin is recruited for a new and secret mission as the ties that bind the Levins together are stressed.

Video

This series has been released on DVD only, providing a Standard Definition Widescreen 16×9 2.0:1. The quality is decent, for standard definition, but if you’re wanting to see it in High Definition you’ll have to stream it on HBO Max. Although I know it’s a cost issue, I wish HBO would release all of their shows on Blu-ray.

Audio

The audio is presented in Dolby 5.1. The track sounds fine for this series, which isn’t going to shock and awe you with any type of explosions and gunfire. Dialogue is clear and concise, well balanced with the center channel and surrounds.

Special Features

This set includes:

• Invitation to the Set: A behind-the-scenes look with the cast and crew
• Why Plot Now?: Creators David Simon and Ed Burns and the cast discuss why the time was right to adapt Philip Roth’s cautionary novel

The Plot Against America is a very interesting series that explores some of the darkest parts of America, and a path we could be heading down now. While it can be a depressing look at times, being able to reflect on our society today is well worth the time it takes to get through this mini-series.