BrainDead
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BrainDead is a comic-thriller set in the world of Washington, D.C. politics that follows Laurel, a young, fresh-faced Hill staffer who discovers two things: the government has stopped working, and bugs are eating the brains of congress members and Hill staffers. The daughter of a Democratic political dynasty who left Washington, D.C. to become a documentary filmmaker, Laurel is pulled back into the family business when her brother, Luke, the Democratic whip Senator from Maryland, needs her help running his senate office. On the Hill, Laurel becomes unlikely friends with Gareth, the smart, hardworking Legislative Director to a top Republican, Senator Red Wheatus. Her other allies include Gustav, an eccentric genius who is the first in D.C. to recognize that something sinister is attacking the Capitol, and Rochelle, a medical student who teams up with Laurel and Gustav to protect and defend the citizens of D.C. from an untimely fate. As the tiny bugs continue to multiply, Laurel and her allies must work quickly to identify the other-worldly creatures, stop their infiltration and ultimately save the world.
Highest-rated episodes all ranked
- 01
Six Points on the New Congressional Budget: The False Dichotomy of Austerity vs. Expansionary PoliciesRed releases a new budget, and Luke and Laurel suspect that there's something dangerous buried inside of it. Meanwhile, Gareth witnesses the queen bug and realizes that Laurel has been right all along... and provides her with vital intelligence that will let her and her friends destroy the hive. - 02
Talking Points Toward a Wholistic View of Activism in Government: Can the Top Rebel?Laurel gets a financial offer to finish her video and prepares to leave DC when she realizes that they can't beat the bugs. However, a discovery about what the bugs have planned spurs her back to action. Meanwhile, an injured Red and Ella try to get the budget through Congress and Luke takes extreme measures to stop them. - 03
The End of All We Hold Dear: What Happens When Democracies Fail: A Brief SynopsisRochelle discovers Gustav's shocking secret as they plan to kill the cherry blossoms in DC. Meanwhile, Laurel realizes the bugs' weaknesses and confronts her father.
Cast
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01
The Insanity Principle: How Extremism in Politics is Threatening Democracy in the 21st CenturyJune 13, 2016Student and documentary-maker Laurel Healy reluctantly takes a job as a staffer for her brother, Senator Luke Healy. While Luke tries to neg - S01E02
Playing Politics: Living Life in the Shadow of the Budget Showdown - A CritiqueJune 20, 2016Both FBI agent Anthony Onofrio and resident Rochelle Daudier ask Laurel questions about Dr. Daudier's death. Meanwhile, genius Gustav Triple - S01E03
Goring Oxes: How You Can Survive the War on Government Through Five Easy StepsJune 27, 2016After another head explosion, the FBI receive a tip that terrorists are involved and begin questioning Laurel. Meanwhile, Ella plays dirty p - S01E04
Wake Up Grassroots: The Nine Virtues of Participatory Democracy, and How We Can Keep America Great by Encouraging an Informed ElectorateJuly 11, 2016Laurel, Rochelle, and Gustav go to the CDC with what they've found, but discover that they need a human test subject. However, when Laurel c - S01E05
Back to Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Congress and How It Gets Things Done (and Often Doesn't)July 24, 2016Laurel turns to Luke for help, and he asks her to consult with an entomologist. However, he's busy dealing with Red's new plan to obstruct h - S01E06
Past as Prologue: Notes Toward a Post-Reagan Theory of Party Alliance, Tribalist, and LoyaltyJuly 31, 2016Gustav and Rochelle work out a way to cure Laurel of the bug infestation, but it requires Gareth taking one for the team. Later, Gareth and - S01E07
The Power of Euphemism: How Torture Became a Matter of Debate in American PoliticsAugust 7, 2016Red uses his influence with the FBI to have them bring Laurel in for enhanced interrogation. Meanwhile, Gustav and Rochelle develop a way to - S01E08
The Path to War (1): The Gathering Political StormAugust 14, 2016Laurel takes steps to confirm if her father Dean is infected or not. Meanwhile, Gustav and Rochelle capture a man that they suspect is infec - S01E09
Taking on Water: How Leaks in D.C. Are Discovered and PatchedAugust 21, 2016Newscaster Claudia Monarch announces a Senate leak, and Red pushes for a special investigator to check out Luke. Meanwhile, Laurel and Garet - S01E10
The Path to War (2): The Impact of Propaganda on Congressional War VotesAugust 28, 2016Luke calls in a documentarian to create a viral video to stop the war vote, but he has connections to Laurel's past. Meanwhile, Laurel worri - S01E11Season's bestSix Points on the New Congressional Budget: The False Dichotomy of Austerity vs. Expansionary PoliciesSeptember 4, 2016Red releases a new budget, and Luke and Laurel suspect that there's something dangerous buried inside of it. Meanwhile, Gareth witnesses the
- S01E12Talking Points Toward a Wholistic View of Activism in Government: Can the Top Rebel?September 11, 2016Laurel gets a financial offer to finish her video and prepares to leave DC when she realizes that they can't beat the bugs. However, a disco
- S01E13The End of All We Hold Dear: What Happens When Democracies Fail: A Brief SynopsisSeptember 11, 2016Rochelle discovers Gustav's shocking secret as they plan to kill the cherry blossoms in DC. Meanwhile, Laurel realizes the bugs' weaknesses
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