MovieChat Forums > Agent Carter (2015) Discussion > Please Americans, stop it with Russians ...

Please Americans, stop it with Russians already!

posted 9 years ago by biba_yu
41 replies | jump to latest

I liked the show at the beginning. Then started that stupid Russian thing, AGAIN. Enough already! Russians DON'T speak English between themselves, they are not keeping their children in cages, they are not killing machines, they are not mindless idiots with killing instincts, nor hating USA soooo badly as you think. You people just spread meaningless hate towards the whole nation! I really started to hate this show and I am not Russian or some crazy communist. I just hate the way America in their shows presents themselves as greatest heroes in the world and every other nation they don't like as some kind of iron, mindless monsters. That is called nationalism and that is called promoting hate towards the whole one nation. Not to mention that USA attacked most countries than any other country in the world, including mine.
I started to hate this show and I really, really liked it at first. I realize it's a fiction, but then don't use it for politics, please. I hate politics in something that's supposed to be an art. SO please, stop it! Art should never promote hate or politics. I am very big fan of art, don't spoil me that.
Thanks!

[–] Chrispy_G 9 years ago

This show isn't reality, it takes place in a very fictional, very different version of our own reality.

It operates entirely under its own very fictional rules and events.

Calm down, it isn't a propaganda piece or something.

Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Game of Thrones

[–] biba_yu 9 years ago

I just don't like politics in anything I consider art and what I like. It's everywhere, whenever I open any media here's some stupid politician. So, if it's a fiction and it is... please, choose fictional country to be horrible monster enemy not existing one. That's not ok. Many shows successfully created fictional countries, why spread hate towards existing? I just don't think it's right. I really don't wont WW3 some day.
It's because Americans consider hating Russia is ok, but imagine instead of Russia here that it was UK, or Nigeria, or Israel, or Norway, or Mexico. Would it be ok then? No. Then why hypocrisy?

[–] DrZaat 9 years ago

I think you're taking this too seriously. The show is set in the late 40s, at the time the Cold War began. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, politically motivated representations of Russia have decreased drastically--altho, admittedly, recent aggression on Putin's part may revive such portrayals.

However, this has nothing to do with Agent Carter. Perhaps, not being from the US, you are not familiar with the origins of the story in Marvel Comics. The Soviet [not Russian!] facility shown in the show was the place where the "Black Widow Project" was conducted, a place for training super-secret assassins.

The well-known character, Black Widow, was a product of this project [in stories dating back to the 1970s]. Since the Marvel tv shows share the same continuity as the Marvel movies, it makes sense for Carter and her comrades to have a mission linked with this project as a way to make a connection with the Marvel movies.

At any rate, the show does not imply that Russians keep their children in cages. This was a special, highly secret operation, not a picture of life in the USSR in general. Around fifteen years earlier, a clinic in the US was allowing black men to die from syphilis rather than give them the cure, so they could study the effects of the disease. Hopefully, nowadays we have gone beyond such revolting practices, but in the past the US, the Soviets, and just about everybody else has committed outrageous acts for highly questionable purposes.

Furthermore, the Soviets certainly went to great lengths to conduct espionage against the US. It's common knowledge that whole towns were built in which secret agents lived as Americans, speaking only English, shopping in US-styled stores, etc., to train them to pass as Americans while acting as spies here.

Again, however, the purpose of the story line in Agent Carter is not political--no more so than a film about Americans fighting Nazi Germany would be now. The Nazis are gone--except for pathetic groups of wannabees, of which there are probably more here than in Germany. So, too, the Soviet Union is a thing of the past. Do you think a movie like Saving Private Ryan is intended to incite hatred of modern Germans? Neither was that story line in this show politically motivated to arouse hate for post-Soviet Russia.

[–] biba_yu 9 years ago

Hm, that actually makes sense. Thank you for explanation. I could be taking this too seriously, but I am just tired of all the news and politics and especially because like 90% of news is bad. Keep in mind that cold war is up again. So when I watch some nice fictional series or movie, I want to be away from that news, at least for some time. I don't want to be reminded that we are all always on the edge. That's depressing, and it made me nervous because I was so in love with character at the beginning of the series (I don't mean that kind of "In love" :))

[–] DrZaat 9 years ago

Glad I could help.

[–] atomicbombskickbutt 9 years ago

believe me i know how you feel the world has become a dark place. while i would agree you are over reacting in response to the show it is understandable where your opinions are coming from. the mans comments in response to your query are quite on the mark there have always been some *beep* claiming the party line of its for the greater good and in so doing authorized some of the most truly unspeakable acts in history. Americans Russians Germans these are but a few. if anything should sour ones view of the world my country makes that list too. when you think Canadian the stereotype suggests nice polite friendly everyone likes us. then you find yourself unfortunate enough to read something like this...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/albertas-michener-centre-cant-shake-sordid-history/article9848678/

the Alberta government’s eugenics program from 1928 to 1972 where 2844 people were sterilized for "the greater good" of society..... and were the "good guys" everyone loves? wrap your head around that for a minute...
that buildings still standing in the middle of my city by the way and im glad i was born in 1983. else i would have been there because of my Asperger's Syndrome and i sure as hell can tell you i would not have been happy about it.

in short the world sucks, people suck, there is darkness and evil in all shapes and sizes in all corners of the world. it will only go away so long as good men and woman find the courage to stand and say no more rather than look on in apathy. the world is a dark place but only so long as we as people choose to leave it that way. i sincerely hope we don't reach the tipping point when its too late before we decide to do something about it. welcome to a legitimately jaded world view sadly well earned :(

[–] joubqa 9 years ago

"Perhaps, not being from the US, you are not familiar with the origins of the story in Marvel Comics." People around the world read Marvel comics, you know... it's not just americans. Other than that good post and I agree

[–] fatality713 9 years ago

While most of what you say is true, you can't really blame him for having this reaction. If an American is even remotely hinted at having done something wrong the entire US would be up in arms with Trump and the pseudoamerican Cruz calling for carpet bombing the country. So this fella having seen his country degraded and even the civilians portrayed as bloodthirsty psychos is completely understandable.

[–] General_Haberdashery 9 years ago

@ DrZaat

Wow.

You laid it all out quite well and without a hint of annoyance, frustration, or impatience.

Hats off to you, Doc. 👌

[–] zaphod08 9 years ago

The cold war was a real thing, and it was reflected in the comics. Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant Man, and the Fantastic Four all had early issues involving the USSR and China. The fact that you don't like politics in your art doesn't change that at all.

In the kingdom of the blind, you're the village idiot.

[–] laura-827 9 years ago

I can understand your discomfort at having your country depicted in a negative or stereotypical way. I watch a lot of films made outside the U.S., and it can be embarrassing how Americans are depicted. While it would be nice to not experience such discomfort, I think it's unrealistic to hope that politics will ever be removed from art--there's just so much material there.

I know few people that mistake fiction for reality. Sadly, the "fiction" that is spread via political propaganda by politicians, media pundits and religious leaders enjoys too much credibility among the gullible here. On the other hand, America is filled with immigrants from other countries, so that almost everyone has an opportunity to learn that people are just people no matter where they're from. I think it also helps that people from all over the globe can now easily interact through social media.

Everyone I've met from Russia is warm-hearted and family oriented. I hope the friendly conversation on this board helps you to enjoy this show, despite the presence of historic stereotypes.

[–] mimosveta 9 years ago

Calm down, it isn't a propaganda piece or something.

Actually it is, fact you don't realize it's propaganda piece, shows just how fargone you are, how propaganda has become as mundane for you as breathing, you can't even tell it anymore.

___
Anyone who has ever read any spoilers,
knows that Winter Is Coming

[–] Hemorrhage911 8 years ago

Uh, no, no it's not propaganda. It's fiction, it's entire purpose is entertainment and not pushing some political end goal.

Stop posting nonsense.

[–] merh 9 years ago

This was a tie-in to Ultron basically.
Fleshing out Black Widow's story

This isn't Wall Street-this is Hell. We have a little something called integrity-Crowley

[–] Captain_Augustus_McCrae 9 years ago

Wait- WHO was America's opponent in the Cold War, again? And WHAT era does this show depict?

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae

[–] MrsBuckyBarnes 9 years ago

i'm genuinely sorry the OP got so upset. as a brit who has never been to russia, i did not see the plot involving russians and the black widow project as representative of russia, but rather the typical amoral conduct of sociopathic scientists who happened to be russian. they could have been from anywhere, brits, american, chinese, and would have done the same thing.

[–] IamtheProphetChuck 9 years ago

I apologize on behalf of this show for having been set during the height of the Cold War.

(\___/)This is Bunny! Put him on your
(='.'=)signature to help him gain
(")_(")world domination

[–] mimosveta 9 years ago

I apologize on behalf of this show for having been set during the height of the Cold War.

It's funny how some of you defend this show's rampant russophobia by saying it's depicting cold war era, and other's say it's fictional story that has nothing to do with reality.

Still, when super popular leftist like Stephen Colbert calls Putin a "psychotic tyrant" he gets round of applause. If Colbert was to speak in such a way about any other group, other than russians, and slavs, he'd be booed and could never work again. But no one likes slavs, hell, slavs don't like slavs, so it's fine if you attack them mercilessly and if 40 years after the cold war, as Obama is trying to poke the bear and the dragon once again, you still can't make a show that mentions russians, that is at least little bit neutral. Sure, passions were high during cold war, but you had 40 years to realize just how much you were lied too. Russians learned, but you still don't get it?

___
Anyone who has ever read any spoilers,
knows that Winter Is Coming

[–] bwhami-1 9 years ago

During the 50's, the time period of Agent Carter, The Soviet Union wanted to control the World. They controlled Eastern Europe, gained control of Cuba trough Castro and were making inroads in South America with people like Che Guevara. Nikita Khrushchev announced to the West "We will Bury You." The Korean War was a war against Communism. Mao had taken control of the largest country on Earth, China. The People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union combined were a large force that wanted Communism to destroy democracy. The 50's and early 60's were a very scary time too. The last Friday of every month, at 10:00 A.M. in Los Angeles they sounded the Air Raid siren, so we would know what to listen for in case of a soviet missile attack. People build bomb shelters. We practiced Air Raid Drills in School to prepare for an attack by the Soviet Union. I lived through all of that. The Soviet Union was the enemy back then. Stalin killed over 50,000,000 Russian citizens. Anyone in Soviet Union who did not agree with his ideas was killed. Unless you lived in that time period, you have no reason to complain about what the program shows. It depicts that time period very well.

[–] GeoM7 9 years ago

You know, it's funny and sad how many shows portray Russia or Russians as the evil, villain or as the dumb and what not but almost nowhere is shown in a positive way. No I'm not Russian, I'm from one of those you called Eastern Europe countries, that lived under communist dictatorship and Russian influence. You know, real people actually lived under fear, countries lived under constrains and terror for a long time. People I knew have been killed, people I knew have been imprisoned or deported. I do not want to hear more empty words from other western countries peoples who lived under democracy... like they know how it feels like. I'm sorry but they do not know all the horror its been done and covered up. 'It depicts that time period very well' is so far from reality and mostly because these are tv shows and not documentaries.

On the other hand I can understand the OP. For some people these shows that portray their country and its people in a negative way its a constant reminder of how bad it was in the past, while the effect still last nowadays, and a reminder of how they will never live up to see something changed and be better than they were. Even if you don't put that label on them by yourself, its always there for them. You call that over reacting but when someone touches a sensitive point in American history or one of their many flaws, you see them flipping tables and what not.

[–] xiandaniel 8 years ago

The largest country on earth is Russia, not China.
Soviet Union was even bigger.

[–] toddmh1 9 years ago

so you are upset that actors speak English on American TV shows??

[–] joe_538 9 years ago

If you adjust the audio settings they speak Spanish or French... Somebody out there would probably be upset with that, too.

[–] rjbmuse-1 9 years ago

I agree, biba_yu.

[–] Ratchapakinai 9 years ago

OP, some of us can discern reality from fiction. I don't hate Russian because they
are portrayed as bad guys in movies. Does anyone who isn't a moron?