Russian Flu; s1, e5

Interesting watching this 30 years later and after the COVID pandemic. Dr. Fleischman’s speech at the emergency town hall meeting and matter-of-fact statement that a flu virus is always named for its point of origin was notable. If that show aired today the writers would be eviscerated on social media for such a “scandalous,” xenophobic and politically incorrect statement. His mention of examples including “the Russian flu” and the townspeople then jumping to angry slurs and conspiracy theories about the Russian government and Gorbachev was comedy back then but no longer funny in 2020-21. Back in 1990, relations with China were not so dark and political because Fleischman mentions flu epidemics named for Chinese cities and none of the characters even reacted to those references.