Based on last night’s episode, it hard to tell if ABC’s new political drama, Commander in Chief, will last for more than one season, or even its first season. I will admit when I first heard that ABC was planning a West Wing type drama featuring a woman as president I was intrigued. When I read more about how this woman was, implausibly, a socially-liberal political independent serving a Republican administration I had to stifle a yawn, but I decided ti give the show a try. However, it just wasn’t as good as I had hoped.
***SPOILERS***
The show starts out with a choir of French children singing “America, America†in French while Geena Davis’ Vice-President Mackenzie Allen watches. She gets called out of the auditorium by the Attorney-General (played by 24’s Leslie Hope) and the president’s Chief of Staff. Apparently, the president has been diagnosed with an aneurysm and will no longer be able to fulfill his duties as president. Of course, the 25th amendment comes into play making Mack president; however, the Chief of Staff and AG want her to resign so the Republican Speaker of the House can take office. The VP and her Chief of Staff husband are resistant to the idea. To show that she won’t be a pushover, the first thing the VP does is move the Sixth Fleet. A real I-am-woman-hear-me-roar moment.
Once back in Washington, the VP discusses the choice of taking office or resigning with her family. Her husband, son, and youngest daughter are supportive of whatever decision she thinks is best. Her eldest daughter, on the other hand, seems to be a Phyllis Schlafly in waiting and thinks her mother should resign because she couldn’t support the Republican agenda of the president. Later that evening, the ailing president calls Mack to his hospital bed and asks her to resign, and in the end she decides to do so. Unfortunately, the president dies that same night before anything can be announced.
So far, the episode is a little boring, but good enough to keep watching. Once the president is dead, Mack is automatically thrust into office, but is still determined to abide by the last request of the president and resign. Enter Nathan Templeton, a stereotypical compassionate conservative, who not only thinks a woman doesn’t have the cajones to be president, but spouts the fire and brimstone sort of Repulicanism no one but a right wing nut could love. It’s at this point that Commander in Chief starts to become a bit annoying. Donald Sutherland’s Templeton is the worst kind of caricature Republican. Spouting off crap about the desire for power. Prior to the death of the president, VP Mack had been working to get a Muslim woman accused of adultery freed from the death sentence to which she had been condemned by a Nigerian Sharia Court. Cold-hearted Templeton would rather sacrifice an “adulterous†woman who couldn’t “keep he legs closed†than risk upsetting the Muslim world. This is all Mack needs to toss her resignation speech and step up to the presidency. Like I said, annoying.
Once in office, adjustments need to be made. Her Chief of Staff husband is looking forward to becoming White House Chief of Staff to the president, but is forced to accept the role of First Gentleman. Here’s where the second annoying part begins. Of course, this is a Republican administration, so Nancy Regan’s glorious portrait is held up as the example of being a good First Lady, not Hillary Clinton. This also begins a 15-minute montage of boring Hillary Clinton snipes that becomes old real quick.
Once in office, President Allen, the socially-liberal political independent, decides she will make no changes to the cabinet. Faced with her first resignation, Mack faces down the cabinet and asks anyone who wishes to resign to do so now to her face. No one speaks up. Right here is where I think the show took a major step away from reality. First of all, what president would come into office and not replace at least some of the cabinet with his or her own picks. What cabinet, of any party, would choose to follow someone who did not share their political viewpoint. Yeah, some might stay, but I think many would go.
Next, President Allen decides to threaten an invasion of Nigeria in order to free the aforementioned “adulterous†woman. While I thought this was fun television to watch, it didn’t seem very realistic. It was more like the woman president trying to prove she has the cajones to invade a country simply for what she perceives as a wrong. The boys in the room seemed to be all atwitter, but again not very realistic I think.
The show ends with the most hokey and hackneyed speech I’ve d ever heard. Hell, President Bush could do better than that. Overall, I wasn’t too impressed with Commander in Chief, but I’ve always loved good political drama. Hell, I hated The West Wing when it first aired, but grew the like the show, the writing, and the characters over time. Commander in Chief certainly has its fair share of great acting, but if the writing doesn’t improve I doubt this show will finish one term, let alone another.