As I mentioned yesterday, the current presidency is such a circus that it’s made American Crime Story: Impeachment’s story feel a little creaky and small-time. Given the popularity of true crime as a genre and this nation’s increasing desire to watch President Trump flail (have you watched CNN lately? We need a stronger word than schadenfreude for — waves hands — all that), it’s safe to assume that savvy show-runners are preparing their Trump true-crime properties now.
But with a veritable Cheesecake Factory-sized menu of transgressions to choose from, these folks must be spoiled for choice. How can they choose just one crime, when there are so many allegations, ranging from sedition to sexual assault to financial crimes, to choose from?
The decision, I suspect, will come down to which tales stand the best chance of grabbing the attention of an audience that’s already relieved that he’s gone. So. What would you do, if you were planning a true-crime movie or series about Donald Trump? Which allegations would make for the best documentary or dramatic adaptation? Which one would you watch?
Since it’s been a loooong four years, I’ve pulled a couple roundups of potentially prosecutable charges that the soon-to-be-former president could face. Oh, look, there’s Stormy Daniels; forgot about her!
OK, got your idea? Let’s hear it, including format (series or feature, doc or drama), talking heads (if doc), or casting (if drama). Dibs on Bruce Campbell for Roger Stone. — EB
I'm biased by a long history with New Jersey politics (and some recent reading), but my pitch would be a scripted prequel mini-series to the Trump Presidency, centering on his time in Atlantic City. It has a great narrative arc - success than a crash - all sorts of crazy nonsense, and there's no way to tell the story that doesn't involve lots of interaction with both the mafia and the incredibly corrupt municipal, county and state governments. There are also loads of potential meaty roles for younger versions of people you've heard of, like Chris Christie and Steve Wynn and maybe even the Kushners. In my pitch, he's learning how to bluster his way through New Jersey politics in ways that mirror what he'll eventually do as President, at least seeing how nepotism, cronyism and payoffs buy success there. Big upside: at this point, he's upset literally everyone there already, so there isn't going to be any shortage of people willing to dish to inform the script.
On the soapier side I propose a dramatic series along the lines of James Brolin’s old Hotel, abound the coming later and goings and shady activities in the Trump Washington hotel in the old post office building. James Brolin can even play the manager again, with a revolving door of international guest stars playing guests paying $1k per night to seek Trump’s favor. And then someone playing the reporter team from ProPublica cracking the case - Rhea Seehorn and Ben Wishaw because I want them in everything.
I would love a somber ken burns style documentary anout the trump presidency from the point of view of the oval office (as in the physical space) itself. Same musical score as that dust bowl documentary. Same high living and higher expectations in the years just prior to the disaster that we all now know was coming. And then the office just bearing down and enduring indignity after indignity.
I'm biased by a long history with New Jersey politics (and some recent reading), but my pitch would be a scripted prequel mini-series to the Trump Presidency, centering on his time in Atlantic City. It has a great narrative arc - success than a crash - all sorts of crazy nonsense, and there's no way to tell the story that doesn't involve lots of interaction with both the mafia and the incredibly corrupt municipal, county and state governments. There are also loads of potential meaty roles for younger versions of people you've heard of, like Chris Christie and Steve Wynn and maybe even the Kushners. In my pitch, he's learning how to bluster his way through New Jersey politics in ways that mirror what he'll eventually do as President, at least seeing how nepotism, cronyism and payoffs buy success there. Big upside: at this point, he's upset literally everyone there already, so there isn't going to be any shortage of people willing to dish to inform the script.
On the soapier side I propose a dramatic series along the lines of James Brolin’s old Hotel, abound the coming later and goings and shady activities in the Trump Washington hotel in the old post office building. James Brolin can even play the manager again, with a revolving door of international guest stars playing guests paying $1k per night to seek Trump’s favor. And then someone playing the reporter team from ProPublica cracking the case - Rhea Seehorn and Ben Wishaw because I want them in everything.
I would love a somber ken burns style documentary anout the trump presidency from the point of view of the oval office (as in the physical space) itself. Same musical score as that dust bowl documentary. Same high living and higher expectations in the years just prior to the disaster that we all now know was coming. And then the office just bearing down and enduring indignity after indignity.