CBS’s “BrainDead” is a show unlike any on television right now. Part comedy, part political drama, part science fiction, the show is the brainchild of Robert and Michelle King, creators of “The Good Wife.” Produced by Ridley Scott, “BrainDead” centers on Laurel Healy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she takes a job working for her brother, a Democratic senator. Laurel is not happy about working in the government – she has to put her documentary filmmaking on pause, and move from L.A. to D.C. – but her new job leads to an out of this world discovery. Due to the behaviors of the people she’s working for, which are strange even for politicians, as well as the fact that a scientist’s head explodes in front of her, Laurel begins to suspect that something bigger is going on in the nation’s capital… that bugs from space are infecting people’s brains and changing their personalities.
But that’s all information you can find through a quick search on Wikipedia. At first glance, “BrainDead” may seem like a show to write off. First of all, it’s on CBS, a network that I don’t normally pay attention to. Second of all, in a long list of political dramas that are currently popular during the season of the 2016 election, BrainDead seems like one you might be able to pass on. However, there are many reasons the show is worth your attention. Here are just five:
1. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Tveit, and Tony Shalhoub
The show’s three main stars are ones you may be familiar with. I’ll save you the “Where do I know them from?” visit to IMDB. Hailing from the world of thrillers and horror films, most recently “10 Cloverfield Lane,” Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the perfect choice to play the independent Laurel. As a romantic interest and political opposition, we have Aaron Tveit, who starred in the film adaptation of “Les Miserables” and most recently “Grease: Live.” Rounding out the leading trio is Tony Shalhoub, a three-time Emmy winner known for “Monk.”
2. Political Commentary
The commentary of this political-science-fiction-dramedy does not seem to lean as far left as you may expect. Those alien bugs infect people who have political leanings towards both the left and the right; their main goal so far seems to be to cause chaos. The show highlights the ridiculous sides of both parties while still continuing to highlight the difficulties of getting anything done on Capitol Hill.
3. The Music
Featuring music by Jonathan Coulton, each episode starts out with a musical recap. Musical episodes had a good run, but musical recaps are a new and entertaining way to remind you what happened last week without being boring. Might this all lead to an episode where Aaron Tveit sings about aliens? We can only hope.
Additionally, the evil alien bugs seem to have an unnatural obsession with “You Might Think” by The Cars, which brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “ear worm.”
4. Nikki M. James and Johnny Ray Gill
James and Gill star as Rochelle and Gustav, the true scientific sleuths of the show. Each of them come to Laurel after someone close to them dies, concerned about the weak explanations for their family and friend’s deaths. The pair work together in a classic skeptic/believer partnership. These characters bring more than the expected side character comic relief. James and Gill both portray how much their characters care about what is going on in their city. They have lost people close to them and are determined to get to the bottom of it.
5. Alien Bugs
Let’s face it: sci-fi is kind of cool now. “BrainDead” represents a genre mixture that millennial media consumers love. When the political commentary gets too real, you’re reminded of the alien bugs. When the science fiction gets too out there, the show acknowledges it. When the romance gets too complex… well, they make it even more complex by throwing in some salami.
Will space bugs take over America? Will Donald Trump become president? Will Gustav’s cat have to take another cat scan? With 3 episodes left in its thirteen episode season, now is the perfect time to get caught up on “BrainDead” and watch it all play out.
