Not Now, Zero Day

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As a fan who eagerly awaited it, I’m excited to share that the entire six-episode run of the intriguing limited series “Zero Day” debuted on Netflix on February 20. While I won’t reveal too much to avoid spoilers, let me tell you that this gripping show is definitely worth watching!

The Netflix show “Zero Day” is set in an era that didn’t occur after November 5, 2024. Given its release during a potential Democratic Party-controlled term, it seems like the co-creators Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt intended it as a comforting gesture. However, even if the series were creatively innovative or brilliantly acted (which it’s not), the plot revolving around an aged ex-president who may be dealing with severe dementia but conceals it following a cyberattack to preserve his powerful position while defending the U.S. against various adversaries (labeled as “radical leftists,” “tech types,” and internal political enemies) is a striking example of liberal arrogance and outdated.

As we witness our elected officials dismantling the country in real-time, the propaganda presented by “Zero Day” pales in comparison. Viewing it through this lens, the series appears as an endless loop of self-congratulation, which makes it particularly ill-timed escapism.

In “Zero Day,” the narrative revolves around ex-president George Mullen (Robert De Niro, embodying his anti-Trump sentiments), who spends his days leisurely activities like swimming and jogging with his golden retriever, dressing in U.S. military gear at his expansive estate, and delaying the publication of his memoir. A mysterious group of hackers cause a nationwide blackout and communication failure for a minute, resulting in over 3,000 deaths that come to be known as Zero Day. President Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett) suspends the Constitution to allow the Zero Day Commission to take action, and she appoints Mullen to head it, despite his resignation after a single term. As a former prosecutor, Vietnam War veteran, and intelligence worker, Mullen is tasked with investigating the attack. The film argues that controversial methods such as arresting citizens without evidence, conducting warrantless searches of homes, detaining individuals in black sites, and legally employing torture are necessary to apprehend criminals. Initially hesitant about the legality of these actions, Mullen eventually becomes fully committed to his role, suggesting that such measures may be justified for the sake of catching the wrongdoers. The movie seems to promote the idea that these extreme methods are acceptable in the pursuit of justice.

In order to establish Mullen’s character as widely admired among all Americans, the novel “Zero Day” portrays him as a robust and decisive politician whose leadership style bridges the gap between red states and blue states. Although he has a past marred by mistakes, such as the tragic loss of his addict son to a drug overdose, he aspires to be the leader the country necessitates. The novel suggests that Mullen is particularly well-suited for this role because he reprimands protesters for obstructing law enforcement and manages to win their applause through phrases like “We’re Americans.” Mullen frequently uses instances of dissent as opportunities to educate the audience, a tactic that “Zero Day” often employs.

The main issue at hand appears to be that character Mullen, who has been portrayed as virtuous, seems to be experiencing a decline in mental faculties. This is something he’s trying to conceal from his daughter, Alex (Lizzy Caplan), his former chief of staff, Valerie (Connie Britton), and his associate, Roger (Jesse Plemons), who has a questionable past. Mullen is starting to hallucinate, hearing the Sex Pistols song “Who Killed Bambi?” at an unbearably loud volume. He also forgets long-time employees, safe combinations containing sensitive information, and crucial details about national security matters such as Zero Day.

The show uses a repetitive musical cue, harsh yellow lighting, and slightly blurry visual effects to suggest that Mullen may take action regarding his condition. However, it turns out that this is a misdirection because Mullen continues to hide his mental deterioration for several episodes, even going so far as to torture a conspiracy theorist (played by Dan Stevens).

Eventually, someone proposes a theory about Mullen’s behavior that could explain his erratic decision-making. However, the show quickly dismisses this theory and instead emphasizes that Mullen’s deceit, embrace of harsh interrogation tactics, and use of national intelligence organizations for half-baked missions are all examples of true leadership. This portrayal is intended to evoke a sense of patriotism, with an “America, hoo-rah” sentiment.

Similar to numerous other political dramas of a neoliberal nature — such as The Diplomat — there’s a significant amount of personal fantasy in this series. Matthew Modine portrays the Speaker of the House, a Republican figure, who despises the extreme factions within his party, including “white nationalists spewing about being supplanted” and “the misguided who believe an election can be open to interpretation.” Despite being evil, Zero Day suggests, he at least maintains decorum. A Mossad agent from Israel is the only character Mullen can rely on, given his disrespect for the Russians. Gaby Hoffmann adorns a black cap reminiscent of Elon Musk to portray a social media billionaire who faces consequences for disparaging government employees as “limited in their actual abilities.” Clark Gregg plays a character similar to Jeffrey Epstein, who vanishes before the show can explore his alleged links to politicians on both sides of the aisle. The series features numerous interchangeable white male actors as the leftist targets, veterans who became radicalized following their overseas tours; there’s no empathy shown towards their likely PTSD and feelings of betrayal and frustration from participating in endless wars. Instead, Zero Day exudes a strong “be quiet and be patriotic” vibe, with numerous storylines culminating in an appeal for centrism as the only logical choice, and isn’t that what we all want?

In summary, the last episode of the series delivers an apparently motivating speech emphasizing the importance of seeking common good instead of wins, facing truths rather than avoiding them. However, it fails to provide any concrete solutions, other than the previously mentioned use of torture to silence a critic. This empty rhetoric is strikingly similar to our current reality, where the divide between right and left seems insurmountable. Regrettably, the series suggests that a political leader can fix everything simply by giving their best, which is an overly simplistic idea with no real-world applicability at present.

In the miniseries “Zero Day”, Mullen is portrayed as if he’s the acting president despite not being in office at that time. This overly thorough portrayal makes the plot seem more absurd when it lacks backing up this character’s virtues with any political actions or policies. Unlike what you’d expect from a leader, Mullen doesn’t work towards building alliances, addressing public concerns about corporate influence in government, or present a future vision that isn’t just rehashed self-help rhetoric. Instead, his popularity stems from a personality cult, an image he carefully crafts and expects the American public to accept without question. This unquestioning portrayal of Mullen, who is defined primarily by his charisma, causes “Zero Day” to fall into the very trap it seems to warn viewers about. As a lingering remnant of the Resistance era, “Zero Day” clings to an outdated status quo and while its belief that one powerful speech can restore normalcy isn’t its biggest mistake, it is its most naive.

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2025-02-20 22:55