Last night was the first episode of Commander in Chief produced by Steven Bochco (replacing the show’s creator, Rod Lurie), and changes are already visible:
– New theme music and a slightly longer opening sequence.
– Episode titles no longer begins with the word “First.”
– More humor – someone actually named Rubie Dubidoux?
– House Speaker Nathan Templeton seems slated to become less evil and more three-dimensional. It could have been done more subtly than showing him caring for his diabetic wife, but I liked that scene. I’ve always liked Donald Sutherland and I want to like his characters, and hopefully I’ll be able to like this one more.
I’m glad this show is doing reasonably well in the ratings. It’s not as witty as The West Wing under Aaron Sorkin, but neither is the The West Wing under John Wells. And since WW is probably leaving after this season, I’ll need at least one White House show to watch.
Too bad you’re too young to have watched “Hail To The Chief,” which was, as I’m sure you know, the first TV show to feature a woman president, played by Patty Duke-Astin, as she was then known. I hope “Commander-in-Chief” lasts longer than that did.
Jeff is not, in fact, too young to have watched HAIL TO THE CHIEF. I know this, because I watched it myself and he’s only a year or two younger than me. And if memory serves, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF has already lasted longer than that bad sitcom did.
But the best thing about this episode: The hot First Son half-naked, wet and angry in a pool side catfight. It’s like Dynasty meets Smallville. Yum.
His body wasn’t as well-defined as I’d expected, though. I actually thought the blond guy’s was much better.