THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA “Part 3”: A Terrifying New Reality
Six months after Lindbergh’s election, Jews around the country struggle to hold on to their identities, many living in constant fear. In Part 3 of The Plot Against America, freedom slowly begins to unravel.
Episode Summary
Since Lindbergh’s victory, the country has become a dangerous place for Jews. The Levin family have struggled as well, each in their own way. Young Philip (Azhy Robertson), like many Jewish children, has recurring nightmares. Sandy (Caleb Malis) idolizes Lindbergh (Ben Cole), and sees his parents’ resentment toward him as narrow-minded. Bess (Zoe Kazan) lives in fear every day, and slowly begins to devolve into an emotional wreck. Herman (Morgan Spector) is angry at the situation in which he finds himself, and refuses to keep quiet in potentially dangerous situations, causing his family even greater anxiety.
Despite Bess’ fears, Herman insists the family move forward with a long-planned vacation to Washington D.C. The trip takes a downward turn as the family is victimized by prejudice nearly everywhere they go. Thankfully, however, there are a few bright spots of kindness as well, mostly on the part of one Mr. Taylor (Michael Cerveris). These bright spots are what finally convince Herman to allow Sandy to travel to Kentucky as part of Rabbi Benglesdorf’s (John Turturro) “Just Folks” program, created with Lindbergh’s approval.
Meanwhile, Alvin (Anthony Boyle) is doing what he can to contribute to the war effort as part of the Canadian army. His location is under constant air raids, but he and the other soldiers find ways to go on with their efforts and to enjoy what little R&R they have. Alvin becomes one of two soldiers tasked with a risky but important mission to steal a German navigation system. The mission fails, and the episode ends with Alvin in a hospital bed, missing half his right leg.
A Timely Message
For the past few weeks, our planet has been suffering through a strange, stressful, and frightening time. Many of us are not accustomed to living with potential danger as part of our daily lives, and yet right now, such is our new reality. While the fear of a virus is not necessarily commensurate to the fear felt by the oppressed, there are some parallels, and even after life goes back to normal, all of us can and should remember the lessons we learned here.
Think about the fear you’ve felt the past few weeks. Now imagine living in that fear every single day, throughout your life. With coronavirus and COVID-19, the world’s scientific community is hard at work trying to find a solution. Now imagine what it would feel like if nobody cared about what you’re feeling, and worse, the world seemed to actively be working against finding something to help you. That is real fear, and daily reality for oppressed groups.
In the world of The Plot Against America, this fear pushes the family, and the Jewish community at large, to the breaking point. Bess’ stress level is incredibly high despite Herman’s insistence that they’ll be fine. When they first arrive in Washington D.C., an Officer (Ian Campbell Dunn) volunteers to guide them to their hotel. Bess becomes emotional, worried about “where he may be leading us.” Imagine living in such incredible fear that you can’t be sure if an act of kindness is really that, and the uncertainty weighing on you causes an emotional break. It’s terrifying.
As the family is struggling to enjoy their vacation in the midst of snide comments and cruel stares, we’re given the most incredible image of the series so far. After a long day of sightseeing, they visit the Lincoln Memorial. While there, you can see the family structure beginning to fall apart, as Bess continues to lose herself in her fears, and Herman refuses to acknowledge those fears. Watching a fear of tyranny ripping the family apart under the gaze of American history’s greatest emancipator was incredibly effective.
Where Bess reacts with tears, Herman reacts with anger. So too does Alvin. For all the angry feelings between them, the pair are far more similar than either would like to admit. Herman refuses to allow the new reality to change his plans, nor to reconsider his own outspoken nature, even when his loudly voiced political opinions bring danger to his family. Simply put, he has pride in who he is, and refuses to kowtow to what he considers injustice. Alvin chose to enlist in the Canadian army for very similar reasons, as he says in a brilliant line from the episode: “I’m not here because I’m an American. My country’s gone to hell. I’m here to settle an old score.”
To Conclude
The Plot Against America continues HBO’s incredible streak of excellent, top-tier original television. Halfway through the series, Simon and Burns have crafted a richly detailed, multi-faceted story, ripe for dramatic investment from conscientious viewers. We feel the growing apprehension through deeply complex, relatable characters. All in all, it comes together as one of the most compelling, and critically important, television offerings in recent memory.
The Plot Against America: Part 3 aired on March 30th, 2020, on HBO. The series is currently available to stream on HBO NOW and HBO GO.
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