With the arrival of President Trump into the White House this winter, Hollywood is responding by kicking out three new military themed shows for its September lineup. Coincidence? Some critics are crying foul, saying that the shows are more flag-waving patriotic, conservative propaganda.
But the producers of one of these new shows, SEAL Team claim that isn’t true. They claim that there is nothing overtly political about their show and that the SEALs depicted, serve regardless of who is in power in the White House.
“Their sense of duty and honor transcends partisan politics,” executive producer Sarah Timberman told reporters Tuesday at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour.
Added exec producer and series creator Benjamin Cavell: “They do that work no matter who’s in the White House and whether they voted for them or not.”
SEAL Team, set to premiere Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m ET/PT, follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train for, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask of them.
While several military shows were already in the mix before Trump’s surprising presidential victory (see: USA Network’s Shooter and History’s Six), several were put into development on the broadcast networks after he was sworn in as the Big Four networks attempted to reach the middle of the country that may have otherwise been ignored previously.
“When we were developing this, it was anyone’s guess where we were going to be politically,” Timberman said. “I don’t think the show is about this current moment in politics.”
If anything, she pointed to real-life armed service members whom she met while working on SEAL Team who hadn’t supported the war in Iraq, but helped fight it in various ways nonetheless. “People who put their lives on the line and fulfill the duty when they may not even agree with a goal — there’s an opportunity to look at all that,” Timberman said. “We’re going to reflect the geo-political reality of the world we live in.”
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