I have to confess I was a little sceptical about the new US series Commander in Chief. It's been panned by the critics as a sort of West Wing-lite, but I have very much enjoyed the first three episodes. It's broadcvast at 9pm on ABC1, which you can only get through Sky. I understand it will appear on E4 later in the year. It has the West Wing feel good theme, with public servants out to do their best and it is a little less edgy, but it manages to avoid using most of the stereotypes usually associated with dramas about female politicians. Geena Davis grows into the role as America's first female President and in the first three episodes scores two notable foreign policy successes, to prove her 'toughness' credentials. No doubt Hillary Clinton is an avid viewer.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Impressed by the Commander in Chief
I have to confess I was a little sceptical about the new US series Commander in Chief. It's been panned by the critics as a sort of West Wing-lite, but I have very much enjoyed the first three episodes. It's broadcvast at 9pm on ABC1, which you can only get through Sky. I understand it will appear on E4 later in the year. It has the West Wing feel good theme, with public servants out to do their best and it is a little less edgy, but it manages to avoid using most of the stereotypes usually associated with dramas about female politicians. Geena Davis grows into the role as America's first female President and in the first three episodes scores two notable foreign policy successes, to prove her 'toughness' credentials. No doubt Hillary Clinton is an avid viewer.
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6 comments:
It isn't bad, but it isn't the West Wing.
I found it stilted, improbable and disappointing. Geena Davis was truly awful in it, and Donald Sutherland looked like a man who must have needed the work. A shame, really, but presumable Senator Rodham Clinton is happy with it.
It's true, it isn't the West Wing, and I must admit to having felt slightly disloyal watching CiC initially. Yet it's still head and shoulders above the above rubbish on British TV at the moment. It's on 'Series record' now on my Sky+ - I can think of no higher honour!
Could you really imagine something similar about Number 10?
Definitely not WW, and I don't think anyone can argue against that. I've watched about 4 episodes of it, and I fount it seemed to focus too much on the family life of POTUS, rather than the actual job.
Is anyone watching WW at the same time as the American like myself? The election day episodes were almost back to classic WW in my opinion.
It's clear that everyone thinks it isn't the West Wing.
There's something about it that to my mind makes it feel as if it isn't vaguely contemporary, particularly later on in the series. It's like some gauche sitcom from the 80s, every episode ending with a pithy and facile moral.
And what is wrong with Mme President's face?
But despite my misgivings, I'm still watching it and still enjoying it.
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