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Vernham is simultaneously totally confident in her own wisdom and completely lacking in any real guiding ideology.
She needs to feel loved.
She wants to make her own decisions.
She wants someone to tell her what those decisions should be.
The emptiness of that country is likely by design.
Yet the superficial slick of uneasiness isnt anchored to anything deep.
As any good Model U.N. student knows, though, the real story is always in the details.
For a series about a rise to power, details of that rise go weirdly unspecified.
Is he bumbling or canny?
Is he just striving for power or does he actually want to right wrongs?
Is he victim or perpetrator?
In a more assured series, ambiguity like that could be fruitful.
Instead, its the source of the most frustrating parallel betweenThe RegimeandThe Idol.
UltimatelyThe Regimeis a series desperate to saythings but can only get as far as noticing them.
It observes and reflects back the hypocrisy of well-heeled leaders who costume themselves as rural salt-of-the-earth plebes.
It depicts the cringe-inducing scene of everyone applauding a powerful persons terrible attempt at artistic performance.
It sees the cowardice of the surrounding advisers.
Its all seeing with nothing to show for it.
