Review: Commander in Chief 101 – 103
With NBC’s The West Wing in ratings crisis, ABC saw an opportunity for another to hit back with a female version of it. Starring Geena Davis as the President (also co-exec producer) it has all the elements you’d expect. Expectations created by her being the first female President, the dubious rising to the spot as an independent and family matters for extra complications. Nicely dividing familial drama with tough political warfare between the various factions (Democrats, Republicans, press, backstabbing Senators and Governors) while the internal workings of the White House are trying to settle to the new situation (school, security, chief of staff, press secretary). It’s definitely a crowded show, but with a keen sense of focus, it delivers fine drama and suspense.
October 28th, 2005 at 05:42
I was very impressed with the first episode of Commander in Chief, but subsequent outings have left me feeling less enthusiastic. There’s something about the “crisis of the week” format, coupled with the awesome power of President Allen’s perfect insight, that’s begun to bug me. The woman just doesn’t make mistakes!
Having quit The West Wing precisely one episode into the post-Sorkin era, I’m not surprised to hear that it’s finally shaking apart ratings-wise. I had hoped that Commander in Chief would mark at least a partial return to the sort of thing The West Wing did so well early on, but there’s been entirely too much good guy/bad guy plotting and far too little in the way of genuine depth to the characters’ portrayals. I can see growing tired enough of the current formula by the end of the season that I don’t return.
But perhaps we’ll see a positive shake-up as of episode seven, when the new production and writing team takes over. Such a change was the kiss of death for The West Wing, but it could prove to be just what’s needed in the case of Commander in Chief.