The writer of “The Wire” and “The Deuce” takes a break from the dark side of real life to explore an alternative history in which Franklin D Roosevelt lost the 1940 presidential election to an anti-Semitic isolationist—on a platform to lead America towards fascism. As the country prepares for a very different election, Anne McElvoy asks David Simon about the roots of anti-immigrant feeling in America and whether individuals can change the course of history. Plus, when does a storyteller need to learn to let go? And they swap lockdown binge-watching favourites from the streaming archives.

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