First off, as others have noted, this 2-part mini series is about James Comey and not Donald Trump. In fact Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein has more screen time than Trump does. Showtime aired the mini-series in 2020, then uncertain if Trump would prevail again in November, or not.
James Comey has the very unique label as being an individual hated by both sides of the aisle. The mini-series is based on his book, where he tries to set some records straight. If anything, the mini series canonizes him more than he probably deserves. It was probably the only way Showtime could have made the mini series. As the show makes clear, Comey and the FBI officially concluded the investigation into Hillary's email account months before the 2016 election, but about 2 weeks before the election, it was revealed that her Blackberry contained thousands of emails that could not be accessed during the initial investigation. The crux of the conflict Comey and the FBI had was: Advise Congress less than a week before the 2016 Election that they are reopening the email case, or wait until after the election, and had Hillary Clinton won, they would reopen the case and be in a position to defend why they waited until after the election to do so, when they had information and emails from the Blackberry before the election. Imagine the Fox News headlines then - it would have made "MonicaGate" and Whitewater look like a picnic.
The mini series opens with Rosenstein getting ready to pack up his office, assisted by an DAG staffer who also served as Sally Yates' assistant. Rosenstein narrates the story and Comey's rugged nationalism and pride and unquestioning belief in what the FBI does comes into focus. Comey is a Republican but was appointed by President Obama, who, unlike his successor, believed in reaching across the aisle to appoint members of the opposing party in the interest of total transparency for the people of the country. The mini series then revisits the events leading up to the 2016 election, and the events several months afterwards, when Yates and eventually Comey were fired by the new President who was fixated on the Russian election meddling investigation.
The acting is first rate. Jeff Daniels plays Comey as a proud citizen and loving father who remembers the names of everyone in his office, and the custodial staff as well. Again, the show does cast an "angelic" light on Comey which he may or may not deserve. As Donald Trump, Irish actor Brenden Gleeson takes a few pages out of the Alec Baldwin impersonation book but does a fairly good job. At times his mannerisms reminded me of Marlon Brando in The Godfather - the parallels between the "loyalty" that Trump demanded by everyone in his circle and organized crime is actually noticed by the FBI at the time. Michael Kelly plays Andrew McCabe, the deputy director of the FBI who becomes director (briefly) after Comey is fired. Kelly also played the sociopathic Doug Stamper in the TV series House of Cards, so he is no stranger to DC-based roles, although McCabe is a decent person who maintains a sense of calm while others, particularly Rosenstein, become unraveled. Other familiar faces appear in the show, from Holly Hunter as Yates, Peter Coyote as Robert Mueller, and William Sadler as Michael Flynn.
By now most Americans feel one way or another about Donald Trump (and James Comey, for that matter). The mini series won't change your mind one way or another about them. But if anything, it tells an almost Shakespearean story about a complex man thrust into an extremely difficult, and in many ways world-changing, position.
James Comey has the very unique label as being an individual hated by both sides of the aisle. The mini-series is based on his book, where he tries to set some records straight. If anything, the mini series canonizes him more than he probably deserves. It was probably the only way Showtime could have made the mini series. As the show makes clear, Comey and the FBI officially concluded the investigation into Hillary's email account months before the 2016 election, but about 2 weeks before the election, it was revealed that her Blackberry contained thousands of emails that could not be accessed during the initial investigation. The crux of the conflict Comey and the FBI had was: Advise Congress less than a week before the 2016 Election that they are reopening the email case, or wait until after the election, and had Hillary Clinton won, they would reopen the case and be in a position to defend why they waited until after the election to do so, when they had information and emails from the Blackberry before the election. Imagine the Fox News headlines then - it would have made "MonicaGate" and Whitewater look like a picnic.
The mini series opens with Rosenstein getting ready to pack up his office, assisted by an DAG staffer who also served as Sally Yates' assistant. Rosenstein narrates the story and Comey's rugged nationalism and pride and unquestioning belief in what the FBI does comes into focus. Comey is a Republican but was appointed by President Obama, who, unlike his successor, believed in reaching across the aisle to appoint members of the opposing party in the interest of total transparency for the people of the country. The mini series then revisits the events leading up to the 2016 election, and the events several months afterwards, when Yates and eventually Comey were fired by the new President who was fixated on the Russian election meddling investigation.
The acting is first rate. Jeff Daniels plays Comey as a proud citizen and loving father who remembers the names of everyone in his office, and the custodial staff as well. Again, the show does cast an "angelic" light on Comey which he may or may not deserve. As Donald Trump, Irish actor Brenden Gleeson takes a few pages out of the Alec Baldwin impersonation book but does a fairly good job. At times his mannerisms reminded me of Marlon Brando in The Godfather - the parallels between the "loyalty" that Trump demanded by everyone in his circle and organized crime is actually noticed by the FBI at the time. Michael Kelly plays Andrew McCabe, the deputy director of the FBI who becomes director (briefly) after Comey is fired. Kelly also played the sociopathic Doug Stamper in the TV series House of Cards, so he is no stranger to DC-based roles, although McCabe is a decent person who maintains a sense of calm while others, particularly Rosenstein, become unraveled. Other familiar faces appear in the show, from Holly Hunter as Yates, Peter Coyote as Robert Mueller, and William Sadler as Michael Flynn.
By now most Americans feel one way or another about Donald Trump (and James Comey, for that matter). The mini series won't change your mind one way or another about them. But if anything, it tells an almost Shakespearean story about a complex man thrust into an extremely difficult, and in many ways world-changing, position.