Messages from the apocalypse: Security issues in American TV series

Abstract

While the Cold War generated a number of American TV series exploring national security issues in the context of apocalyptic nuclear policies, it was the end of the Cold War that raised issues about the purpose of the security services and saw television series from The X-Files on with the recurring trope of security conspiracy leading to apocalypse. Since 9/11, terrorism, asymmetric warfare, and the constant threat of apocalypse have been so inventively explored by American TV series that this paper argues they have led mainstream news services in the discussion of security issues. In particular, 24 and West Wing scooped the mainstream press in discussion of the corrosive effect of state-sanctioned torture and assassination on the US presidency. The American TV series' contribution to democratic deliberation is considered.