History Literature / FavoriteSon

In 1988; the book was adapted into a mini-series airing on Creator/{{NBC}} on October 30-November 1, 1988[[note]]the last day being one week before Election Day 1988[[/note]] and starred Creator/HarryHamlin; [[Film/CrocodileDundee Linda Kozlowski]]; James Whoitmore; [[Film/{{Scarface}} Robert]] [[WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany Loggia]]; Mitchell Ryan; [[Series/{{Frasier}} John Mahoney]]; Ronny Cox; [[Series/{{Hunter}} Stepfanie Kramer]]; Lance Guest; Creator/JasonAlexander[[note]]just under a year before his big break as George Constanza on ‘’Series/{{Seinfeld}}’’[[/note]] and Richard Bradford. The mini-series proved a hit (the 2nd of the 3-part miniseries beating out ‘’Series/MondayNightFootball’’) and led to Loggia’s Nick Mancuso character getting a spinoff in ‘’Mancuso, FBI’’; which ran for the 1989-90 season before its cancellation. Additionally, Sohmer would pen a follow-up called ''Patriots''; in which - as the Cold War winds down - now lame-duck President Baker has to fend off a coup attempt from [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar Vietnam veterans]] angered over Baker's pursuit of disarmament.

* VillainousBreakdown: Sally Crain when she discovers Fallon — having been shown B-roll footage suggesting Crain issued a signal to open fire — threw her under the bus by leaking a story involving her sexual relations with several other men; ultimately setting the stage for Crain assassinating Fallon.

Meanwhile at the White House; with about 10 days to go before the party convention, Lou Brenner - White House Chief of Staff to President Sam Baker - is leading the charge to have Baker replace Vice-President Daniel Eastman with Fallon, citing polls suggesting such a move was the only chance Baker had to win re-election. Meanwhile, the assassin is identified as a retired Marine and one-time CIA agent named Rolf Petersen who had since gone rogue; but upon expressing fears that such a disclosure would disrupt American relations with allies in Latin America, Brenner manages to intimidate FBI director Henry O’Brien into going through the motions of an investigation, complete with assigning just two agents, an inexperienced agent named Dave Ross and Nick Mancuso; a crotchety, cynical veteran nearing retirement. However, despite a series of events the two manage to expose the aforementioned conspiracy; though not before others are murdered, including a Secret Service agent Eastman assigns to find dirt on Fallon later being murdered; Eastman and Baker getting into a shouting match in front of the press while welcoming diplomats from UsefulNotes/{{Africa}}, Eastman breaking with Baker to declare a last-minute nomination challenge; Fallon revealing himself to be a fascist (which results in Baker being turned off to the idea of even considering Fallon for VP); Brenner trying various forms of blackmail to keep Fallon in line; the revelation Col. Martinez was injected by the CIA with AIDS, Mancuso showing Fallon B-roll showing Crain was in on the assassination of Martinez and attempt on Fallon’s life, and Ross being stabbed to death after having sex with Crain. In the end, Crain. following a VillainousBreakdown, assassinates Sen. Fallon before turning the gun on herself; the various conspirators are arrested and forced out of their jobs and Baker chooses Speaker of the House Charles [=MacDonald=] [[TakeAThirdOption as his running mate for the fall campaign]].

* GovernmentConspiracy: The one involving Terry Fallon and Sally Crain; as well as a separate conspiracy involving the [[CIAEvilFBIGood CIA]] injecting Col. Martinez with AIDS prior to the events leading to Martinez’s assassination.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Terry Fallon. Fallon is introduced as a charismatic hero after making a speech after having been wounded by a sniper who succeeded in assassinating UsefulNotes/{{Nicaragua}}n contra leader Col. Octavio Martinez, instantly making the previously little-known Senator a national figure who is recommended by the staff of President Sam Baker to have Fallon replace incumbent Vice-President Daniel Eastman due to polls suggesting such a move was the only chance Baker had to win re-election. As the book and series go on, it's later revealed that Fallon had not only cheated on his wife; but had habitually [[DomesticAbuse maritally raped]] her (including once on their honeymoon) and had her committed after she refused a three-way with Fallon and a friend[[note]]later revealed to be his press aide, Sally Crain[[/note]], proves to be an avowed fascist (which [[spoiler:turns Baker off from picking Fallon]][[note]], ultimately - after Eastman broke with Baker and decided on a last-minute nomination challenge - picking [[TakeAThirdOption House Speaker Charles [=MacDonald=]]][[/note]]) and is implied to have, if not orchestrated, known about the assassination attempt on Col. Martinez[[note]]later revealed to have been infected with the AIDS virus by the [[CIAEvilFBIGood CIA]] in a separate GovernmentConspiracy[[/note]], with his being wounded a complete accident. However, Fallon's true nature is not revealed in-universe, as Fallon [[spoiler:is assassinated by Crain following a VillainousBreakdown after a network producer friend leaks word that Fallon threw her under the bus by leaking a story about her frequent sexual encounters with other men]].

* CIAEvilFBIGood: Relatively speaking; though for most of the book and miniseries it appears the FBI is little better than the CIA, with the assignment of Dave Ross, an inexperienced youngster and Nick Mancuso, an agent seemingly phoning it in under his retirement a few months later. Mancuso even alludes to his suspicions by mentioning that if the FBI was serious about finding the shooter, a whole division of agents would have been assigned instead of “a lame duck and a green kid”.

In 1988; the book was adapted into a mini-series airing on Creator/{{NBC}} on October 30-November 1, 1988[[note]]the last day being one week before Election Day 1988[[/note]] and starred Creator/HarryHamlin; [[Film/CrocodileDundee Linda Kozlowski]]; James Whoitmore; [[Film/{{Scarface}} Robert]] [[WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany Loggia]]; Mitchell Ryan; [[Series/{{Frasier}} John Mahoney]]; Ronny Cox; [[Series/{{Hunter}} Stepfanie Kramer]]; Lance Guest; Creator/JasonAlexander[[note]]just under a year before his big break as George Constanza on ‘’Series/{{Seinfeld}}’’[[/note]] and Richard Bradford. The mini-series proved a hit (the 2nd of the 3-part miniseries beating out ‘’Series/MondayNightFootball’’) and led to Loggia’s Nick Mancuso character getting a spinoff in ‘’Mancuso, FBI’’; which ran for the 1989-90 season before its cancellation. Additionally, Sohmer would pen a follow-up called ''Patriots''; in which - [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp as the Cold War winds down]] - now lame-duck President Baker has to fend off a coup attempt from [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar Vietnam veterans]] angered over Baker's pursuit of disarmament.

** The story ends when Sally Crain, following a VillaniousBreakdown upon Fallon firing her and leaking a story tying her to a Washington sex ring in response to being shown B-roll footage indicating Crain gave the signal to open fire, assassinates Fallon after Fallon gives a speech publicly denouncing her.

* AlternateHistory: The most recent real life President mentioned in the miniseries is UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter (the novel includes a brief mention of UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, though the circumstances involving Reagan giving way to Sam Baker is not made clear in the book), and since it's mentioned that Sam Baker is running for re-election, it's unclear what took place between 1980 and 1988 (such as whether UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan became President, for instance). However, several real life political and media personalities are referenced such as [[Series/TwentyTwenty Barbara Walters]], former Colorado Senator Gary Hart, Senators Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Alan Cranston of California and Bob Packwood of Oregon and Nicaraguan Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega.

Favorite Son is a 1987 novel by former Creator/{{CBS}} and Creator/{{NBC}} executive Steve Sohmer.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Terry Fallon. Fallon is introduced as a charismatic hero after making a speech after having been wounded by a sniper who succeeded in assassinating UsefulNotes/{{Nicaragua}}n contra leader Col. Octavio Martinez, instantly making the previously little-known Senator a national figure who is recommended by the staff of President Sam Baker to have Fallon replace incumbent Vice-President Daniel Eastman due to polls suggesting such a move was the only chance Baker had to win re-election. As the book and series go on, it's later revealed that Fallon had not only [[YourCheatingHeart cheated on his wife]]; but had habitually [[DomesticAbuse maritally raped]] her (including once on their honeymoon) and had her committed after she refused a three-way with Fallon and a friend[[note]]later revealed to be his press aide, Sally Crain[[/note]], proves to be an avowed fascist (which [[spoiler:turns Baker off from picking Fallon]][[note]], ultimately - after Eastman broke with Baker and decided on a last-minute nomination challenge - picking [[TakeAThirdOption House Speaker Charles [=MacDonald=]]][[/note]]) and is implied to have, if not orchestrated, known about the assassination attempt on Col. Martinez[[note]]later revealed to have been infected with the AIDS virus by the [[CIAEvilFBIGood CIA]] in a separate GovernmentConspiracy[[/note]], with his being wounded a complete accident. However, Fallon's true nature is not revealed in-universe, as Fallon [[spoiler:is assassinated by Crain following a VillainousBreakdown after a network producer friend leaks word that Fallon threw her under the bus by leaking a story about her frequent sexual encounters with other men]].

* ImportantHaircut: During the overnight period after Sally Crain's involvement with a Washington sex ring was leaked to the media by Senator Terry Fallon, the signal that indicates her VillaniousBreakdown prior to assassinating Fallon later that morning.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: Mancuso has Sally Crain serve [[WeNeedADistraction as a distraction]] to the Secret Service agent attempting to find dirt on Sen. Fallon before he figures it out, leading to the agent being killed in a struggle with Ross after the agent attempted to kill the young FBI agent.

In 1988; the book was adapted into a mini-series airing on Creator/{{NBC}} on October 30-November 1, 1988[[note]]the last day being one week before Election Day 1988[[/note]] and starred Creator/HarryHamlin; [[Film/CrocodileDundee Linda Kozlowski]]; James Whoitmore; [[Film/{{Scarface}} Robert]] [[Disney/OliverAndCompany Loggia]]; Mitchell Ryan; [[Series/{{Frasier}} John Mahoney]]; Ronny Cox; [[Series/{{Hunter}} Stepfanie Kramer]]; Lance Guest; Creator/JasonAlexander[[note]]just under a year before his big break as George Constanza on ‘’Series/{{Seinfeld}}’’[[/note]] and Richard Bradford. The mini-series proved a hit (the 2nd of the 3-part miniseries beating out ‘’Series/MondayNightFootball’’) and led to Loggia’s Nick Mancuso character getting a spinoff in ‘’Mancuso, FBI’’; which ran for the 1989-90 season before its cancellation. Additionally, Sohmer would pen a follow-up called ''Patriots''; in which - [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp as the Cold War winds down]] - now lame-duck President Baker has to fend off a coup attempt from [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar Vietnam veterans]] angered over Baker's pursuit of disarmament.

* AlternateHistory: The most recent real life President mentioned is UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter, and since it's mentioned that Sam Baker is running for re-election, it's unclear what took place between 1980 and 1988 (such as whether UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan became President, for instance). However, several real life political and media personalities are referenced such as [[Series/TwentyTwenty Barbara Walters]], former Colorado Senator Gary Hart, Senators Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Alan Cranston of California and Bob Packwood of Oregon and Nicaraguan Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega.

Meanwhile at the White House; with about 10 days to go before the party convention, Lou Brenner - White House Chief of Staff to President Sam Baker - is leading the charge to have Baker replace Vice-President Daniel Eastman with Fallon, citing polls suggesting such a move was the only chance Baker had to win re-election. Meanwhile, the assassin is identified as a retired Marine and one-time CIA agent named Rolf Petersen who had since gone rogue; but upon expressing fears that such a disclosure would disrupt American relations with allies in Latin America, Brenner manages to intimidate FBI director Henry O’Brien into going through the motions of an investigation, complete with assigning just two agents, an inexperienced agent named Dave Ross and Nick Mancuso; a crotchety, cynical veteran nearing retirement. However, despite a series of events the two manage to expose the aforementioned conspiracy; though not before others are murdered, including a Secret Service agent Eastman assigns to find dirt on Fallon later being murdered; Eastman breaking with Baker to declare a last-minute nomination challenge; Fallon revealing himself to be a fascist (which results in Baker being turned off to the idea of even considering Fallon for VP); Brenner trying various forms of blackmail to keep Fallon in line; the revelation Col. Martinez was injected by the CIA with AIDS, Mancuso showing Fallon B-roll showing Crain was in on the assassination of Martinez and attempt on Fallon’s life, and Ross being stabbed to death after having sex with Crain. In the end, Crain. following a VillainousBreakdown, assassinates Sen. Fallon before turning the gun on herself; the various conspirators are arrested and forced out of their jobs and Baker chooses Speaker of the House Charles [=MacDonald=] [[TakeAThirdOption as his running mate for the fall campaign]].

* [[TheManBehindTheMan The Woman Behind the Man]]: Sally Crain, who is Fallon’s press aide and also lover, had puffed Fallon dating to her days as a reporter for a UsefulNotes/{{Houston}} newspaper and Fallon’s campaign for City Council a decade earlier. Additionally; Chief of Staff Brenner attempts to be this to President Baker.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Terry Fallon. Fallon is introduced as a charismatic hero after making a speech after having been wounded by a sniper who succeeded in assassinating UsefulNotes/{{Nicaragua}}n contra leader Col. Octavio Martinez, instantly making the previously little-known Senator a national figure who is recommended by the staff of President Sam Baker to have Fallon replace incumbent Vice-President Daniel Eastman due to polls suggesting such a move was the only chance Baker had to win re-election. As the book and series go on, it's later revealed that Fallon had not only [[YourCheatingHeart cheated on his wife]]; but had habitually [[DomesticAbuse maritally raped]] her and had her committed after she refused a three-way with Fallon and a friend[[note]]later revealed to be his press aide, Sally Crain[[/note]], proves to be an avowed fascist (which [[spoiler:turns Baker off from picking Fallon]][[note]], ultimately - after Eastman broke with Baker and decided on a last-minute nomination challenge - picking House Speaker Charles [=MacDonald=][[/note]]) and is implied to have, if not orchestrated, known about the assassination attempt on Col. Martinez[[note]]later revealed to have been infected with the AIDS virus by the [[CIAEvilFBIGood CIA]] in a separate GovernmentConspiracy[[/note]], with his being wounded a complete accident. However, Fallon's true nature is not revealed in-universe, as Fallon [[spoiler:is assassinated by Crain following a VillainousBreakdown after a network producer friend leaks word that Fallon threw her under the bus by leaking a story about her frequent sexual encounters with other men]].

* VomitDiscretionShot: In addition to the incident covered under GoryDiscretionShot; Dave Ross has this reaction upon stumbling across seeing the dog of the murdered Beckwith family licking some blood.

* GoryDiscretionShot: When Sally shoots herself to avoid arrest in assassinating Fallon, the camera cuts to a horrified Stevie stepping away, [[VomitDiscretionShot apparently about to throw up]].

In 1988; the book was adapted into a mini-series airing on Creator/{{NBC}} on October 30-November 1, 1988[[note]]the last day being one week before Election Day 1988[[/note]] and starred Creator/HarryHamlin; [[Film/CrocodileDundee Linda Kozlowski]]; James Whoitmore; [[Film/{{Scarface}} Robert]] [[Disney/OliverAndCompany Loggia]]; Mitchell Ryan; [[Series/{{Frasier}} John Mahoney]]; Ronny Cox; [[Series/{{Hunter}} Stepfanie Kramer]]; Lance Guest; Creator/JasonAlexander[[note]]just under a year before his big break as George Constanza on ‘’Series/{{Seinfeld}}’’[[/note]] and Richard Bradford. The mini-series proved a hit (the 2nd of the 3-part miniseries beating out ‘’Series/MondayNightFootball’’) and led to Loggia’s Nick Mancuso character getting a spinoff in ‘’Mancuso, FBI’’; which ran for the 1989-90 season before its cancellation.