For months, COVID-19 has captivated audiences worldwide. Without question, the disease is a sensation. Even nations without an established epidemic culture have been enraptured, and many believe that it will influence culture for years after its initial run.
Comparisons have been made to 1918’s Spanish Flu and even the masterfully crafted Bubonic Death. This is unsurprising, as COVID-19 very clearly pays homage to the epidemics that inspired it. The emphasis on mask wearing and quarantining have been established techniques for decades, yet instead of outright copying these tropes COVID-19 cleverly injects a modern twist. For example, the internet is a hurdle many previous epidemics have struggled with; it can be difficult to spread a disease when such a large knowledge base is available to the general public. However, COVID-19 fully embraces the internet for its own purposes. The disease dares to ask, “If the internet can spread information, why not misinformation?”. False facts about COVID force characters into ludicrous situations bordering on comedy. In one notable scene, a series of cell towers are accused of spreading the disease and destroyed. In another, the French Health Minister is forced to explain why cocaine use does not protect from COVID-19. Of course, the standout is the plethora of scenes involving Zoom Meetings. Thanks to masterful performances, the audience is forced to wallow in the frustration of students as they pay tens of thousands of dollars for online school.
Speaking of performances, COVID-19 has more than its fair share of talent. The standout is Dr. Anthony Fauci, who many will remember for his response to the 1980’s AIDS Epidemic. Fauci has clearly learned from earlier criticism, and this time he plays his role with more subtlety. In many ways, he acts as a foil to the more expressive performances of every world leader except for New Zealand’s.