The following contains spoilers for The Franchise season 1 episode 5, “Scene 16: Eric’s Hospital Scene,” now streaming on MaxThe Franchise’slatest parody of the Marvel Cinematic Universe references one of the most divisive elements ofIron Man 3.The Franchisehas been targeting the blockbuster ecosystem since the opening minutes of the HBO comedy. Thecast ofThe Franchiseboasts a number of comic actors and even veterans of superhero properties, giving the show’s silly and profane sense of comedy a lived-in quality.
Amid the scatological jokes and wordplay of “Scene 16: Eric’s Hospital Scene,” the fifth episode of the show’s first season also places a spotlight on one of a controversial decision made by the Iron Man films over a decade ago. The episode draws attention to the bizarre nature of a partnership between Disney and another nation to produce additional footage for one of their movies, while also underscoring the reasons such a partnership is controversial in real life. Here’s howThe Franchise’s latest parody of the MCUand the film industry as a whole brings in a global superpower.
The Franchise Takes Aim At Hollywood’s Relationship With China
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The comically bizarre speech is quickly leaked to the press, which causes a massive problem for the studio that Eric must solve by inserting more branding for Chinese companies into the film, including for a potentially toxic milk.This is reflective of the way that various western film studios have been wary of angering the Chinese government or audiences. This has includeddifferent cuts of movies being shown in China, adding sequences that celebrate China while removing violence and sexual content the country deems controversial. Eric’s outburst moves along the tension between the studio andTecto, and references some clear real life events.
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Tectobeing derailed to make room for Chinese product placement feels directly reminiscent of what happened duringIron Man 3. As part of an attempt to make inroads with the Chinese government, Disney and Marvel Studios arranged forIron Man 3to have an additional four minutes of run-time filmed exclusively for the Chinese cut of the film. The scene gave more screen-time to Wang Xueqi’s minor role of Dr. Wu, while also introducing Fan Bingbing as his assistant. TheChinese version ofIron Man 3included several moments that are directly parodied inThe Franchise.
The Franchise Mocks John Cena’s Apology To China
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The Franchisedoesn’t just draw attention to the MCU in regards to their response to China, either. During an interview for his role inF9, John Cena referred to Taiwan as a country. This is considered a major fopaux in regards to China. As a result, Cena quickly recorded an apology in Mandarin in a bid to appease the nation’s government and populace.The Franchisepokes fun at this by having Eric make a similar speechduring the credits tag of the episode, apologizing for his comments about pandas and other aspects of Chinese culture.
Taiwan has been independently governed since 1949. However, China still views the island as part of its territory. This has caused continued tensions between China and the United States for decades, as the latter adheres to the Taiwan Relations Act and offers support and defense of the island nation.
The Franchisemay play the satire for silly laughs, butthe commentary is clear thanks to characters like Dag. Alternating between comical obliviousness and precise analysis, Dag is quick to draw attention to the darker but accepted aspects of the film industry. In this episode, her comments draw attention to the moral complications working with a government that has been, as reported byHuman Rights Watch, accused of crimes against humanity by the UN. AlthoughThe Franchiseuses the real life inspiration for hilarious results, it’s clear how the series sees the working relationships some studios embrace with China.
The Franchise
Cast
The Franchise is a Max original comedy television series that follows a film crew as they document their increasingly chaotic and hectic work on a Superhero film franchise. Acting as a satire on the industry, the show looks to lampoon the process and the sometimes unreasonable expectations of keeping a long-standing franchise alive and kicking.
