Lessons learned from the TV series Tyrant

It is about getting better...

Rizal Philippines
January 1, 2017

Happy New Year every one.

During this 3 long holidays, I found nothing much to do, after biking and cleaning bikes, except to watch TV. One that caught my attention is the TV series at CT channel Tyrants

I found to be entertaining and riveting and I had my eyes glued to channel almost the whole day today watching last night before and after new year. I found interesting insights and twists in the series:

1.  Extreme paranoia drove Jassam  the current President, to suspect his own son his general plotting against him and even tried to kill his own brother, Bassam, the main protagonist, the pediatrician from USA turned politician.  He even suspected that the whole thing was happening like his daughter in law getting miscarriage and having hysterectomy, the war with Calipahate, the losing of the City of Maan at ficitional country of Abuddin at the Middle East to the Calipahate were perhaps punishment of God to him.

2.  Love of brother and parents.   The series emphasized that although at one point in the interrogation at the Calipahate side of a brother who turned against another, it was said " he was your brother"  The President even said that disobeying your parents or even turning against a brother could bring ill tidings to your business or regime.   (I am glad my paranoia about my brother not doing business with me as an ill act was unfounded, because he is interested to do business with me.)  At the end of the day, brothers will be brothers and country men will be country men. as Khalid (aka Bassam) decided to stay instead of running away to Lebanon, decided to stay and fight Caliphate. and even join forces with Gen. Said (the son of Jassam) and well with Jassam

It is noteworthy how Bassam aka Khalid motivated and inspired the tribal fighters that their tribe resisted the Romans and barbarians early on.  And this time, they will do the same.

3.  The real tyrants were the ladies and not the men presidents nor the generals.  Who were the puppet runners?   The mother (who died in a mistaken bombing) and the first lady. The thing with the First Lady though, compared with Jassam and the current PHL president is that she recognized her mistake and corrected her action although it may mean treason.  She knew how to plot and leverage vs the Generals under the President.   How to cajole, threaten them.

   When Bassam was on a mission to disable the SAM of the Caliphate and Gen Said was arrested for alleged bombing of her grandmother, the First Lady wasted no effort in freeing Gen Said, mobilizing the Gen. Solomon through Molly, the husband of Bassam to rescue Barry aka Bassam.  (Would Digong swallow his pride)

   When the Arab league was investigating the alleged use of chemical weapon vs its own people (to save face with the Chinese ambassador at city of Maan) she said she can testify vs Pres. Jassam in exchange for her sons position in the govt.   How daring and how bold.  GMA would be put to shame.

These are great l lessons in nego and power play.

4.  Power trips

     The head will always nit prick the subordinate and accuse the subordinate of treason or insubordination for certain procedural matters (leave the matter to me even if the subordinate is after the group's goal.  But sometimes in the case of Caliphate, personal revenge got better of the black Calipahate leader although he was instructed not take revenge against the man Khalid.   In the end, he was badly injured to be saved by Bassam (Barry, Khalid)

Well you get great insights into power, politics, diplomacy oil terrorism etc.  mercenaries, weapons deal.

Unfortunately after 3 years, the series breathed its last this October 2016  (you cant keep on building excitement forever in a series.   Somehow, they will live happily ever after, you cant keep on killing the villains or protagonist or repeating the same plots