Reza Aslan Talks Representation And Criticism Of 'United States Of Al'

A sitcom about a Marine combat veteran and a former Afghan interpreter has sparked controversy.

"United States of Al" is a new sitcom from CBS and Chuck Lorre that tells the story of two friends: Riley, a Marine combat veteran, and Al, a former Afghan interpreter starting his new life in America.  Executive producer Reza Aslan: "What we always say is that this show is not about the war in Afghanistan. This show is about what that war did to two people, you know, one who's an Afghan, and one who is an American."  "United States of Al' is especially relevant amid the Biden administration's announcement to remove all troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11. And while the sitcom doesn't ignore that, executive producer Reza Aslan says the show is more focused on humanizing the politics.