TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Commander In Chief - Series 1 [2005]


RRP: £39.99
Our Price: £10.99 (subject to change)

Editorial
Synopsis

Geena Davis (THELMA AND LOUISE, THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST) lights up the screen as President Mackenzie Allen, earning a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in the show's inaugural season. Experience all the captivating drama as an acclaimed cast, Donald Sutherland (DON’T LOOK NOW, AN AMERICAN HAUNTING), joins Davis for every thrilling episode of Season One. When the President of the United States dies in office, his independent Vice President ventures into territory no woman has ever entered before. Now, the nation's first female Commander In Chief must balance the pressures of running the country and the responsibility of raising a family -- while facing a sustained torrent of underhanded attacks from the Speaker Of The House (Sutherland). It's an exhilarating blend of suspense and drama that is as realistic as it is riveting.


Overshadowed but worthy
Review date: 2008-03-28 Rating: 6 out of 10

On occassions in history it has appeared that some Presidents are overshadowed by the successes of their predecessors. Compare for a moment the reputations of Truman and Johnson with FDR and Kennedy - sometimes a President is remembered most for who they followed rather than their own actions.

`Commander in Chief' suffers significantly from a similar problem - witness the number of comparisons to `The West Wing' amongst the reviews here for evidence of that. It is understandable as `Commander in Chief' appeared to be treading the same ground and tried to steal viewers away from its older competitor.

However `Commander in Chief' deserves to be judged on its own merits as it has an individual style, emphasis and agenda. It is primarily a story of a woman and her attempt to establish herself as the President and set an agenda in place. She is a trailblazer - her status as an independent and a woman makes her an extreme outsider to the Washington establishment and her family have to adjust to the change in their circumstances.

On top of that the ambitious Speaker of the House, Nathan Templeton (played by Donald Sutherland) is trying to discredit her in order to ensure that he wins the Presidency in two years time.

The show certainly had great potential for dramatic conflict. Unfortunately these eighteen episodes can only hint at that and the result is an experience that is maddeningly incomplete.

It walks a frustrating line - at times seeming like a typical family drama, at other times having the Machiavellian overtones of Macbeth (Mrs Templeton does seem to have something of the Lady Macbeth about her). In just eighteen episodes the direction is never quite set in stone and we are left with a show that lacks dramatic identity.

So, why watch `Commander in Chief' at all given its short life? Well, the show firstly has two stellar leads in Geena Davis and Donald Sutherland who play off each other wonderfully and a strong supporting cast. You come to care about the characters and whilst each episode's outcome can usually be predicted it is interesting watching the characters arriving at it.

Secondly, because there are some really strong episodes amongst the eighteen that were filmed and whilst the wider plotlines do not come to a conclusion it is interesting to see where the show was headed.

Finally, because it is a different take on the White House than is presented elsewhere. The show has a feminist outlook on politics, debating the equal rights amendment, the compatibility of political office with family life and the `glass ceiling' for women's jobs. Coupled with its moderate family values, `Commander in Chief' has a unique political outlook that differentiates it from other political dramas.

`Commander in Chief' is not a complete picture. It never comes to a conclusion and now sadly never will. It simply ends in the middle of a number of plot threads. Whilst incomplete, it does entertain and impresses in its short life. For fans of political drama, it is worth a look.

Similar Products

Reviews


Pure Brilliance!!
Review date: 2008-02-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

Perhaps I am biased, I do like American Political Dramas, but this is truly outstanding and highly addictive. I bought the complete Season One and I'm glad I did now. Once you watch the first episode, you'll be hooked!

Geena Davis plays the first female President, and the show is about the everyday battles she has to fight against other members of the government. First rate performance by all the cast. It almost makes you wish that Macenzie Allen was the REAL PRESIDENT.

If you like The West Wing, you'll almost certainly love this.

Geena Davis is fantastic in this
Review date: 2008-01-04 Rating: 8 out of 10

As my title suggests, you should watch this programme for Geena Davis alone. She is absolutely great.
Apart from Davis' stellar performance as Madam President, this had some really good storylines but I felt a lot of hem were just a regurgitation of The West Wing - e.g. the situation in North Korea.
Donald Sutherland as Nathan Templeton was also worth watching - he's so deliciously hateful but also a great character to watch.
A fantastic look at the inner workings of the White House and the soap opera element kept it alive.
It's such a shame that it won't be back for another series. Even if the other characters were only average, Davis and Sutherland deserved another chance for their great acting.

Wish Fulfilment and Ernest Posturing!
Review date: 2007-10-10 Rating: 6 out of 10

Considering the exceptional cast Commander in Chief never really rises above gentle wish fulfilment and earnest posturing.

The problems are all due to the rather uninspired scripts. These people have spent their lives in politics, for God's sake, and then enter the White House behaving and acting like Saints. Does that ring true?

The First Lady gag involving the President's husband is very poorly delivered. The President's Husband is a very badly drawn character. The family are two-dimensional. The Production values look good and the Production Design is very well done.

With a wilder-than-fiction President already in Office in America it must be enormously hard to invent one and give it any sense of authenticity.

Tries to be the West Wing, but doesn't quite make it
Review date: 2007-06-25 Rating: 8 out of 10

I ordered Commander in Chief - Series 1 after my wife and I watched every series of the West Wing on DVD and ended up wondering where else we could get a fix of intelligent viewing. As per other reviews here on Amazon, it does appear that Commander in Chief is trying to be another West Wing, but Series 1 doesn't quite reach the standard of the West Wing (not even the first series). The balance between intelligent viewing and soap is just slightly too far towards soap at the moment. Cut out some of the "drama" around the two eldest children and spend the saved time on political intrigue and it will get better. That the most gripping episodes were those about potential conflict with North Korea makes it clear that politics wins over soap.

A few minor annoyances too - (a) the title sequence coming up well into the start of the programme instead of being right at the beginning, (b) the really bland background (both visual and audio) during that sequence, and (c) the (possibly intentional) naffness of the first gentleman.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Geena Davis
Harry J. Lennix
Donald Sutherland
Ever Carradine
Kyle Secor

Creators:
Geena Davis (Primary Contributor)
Donald Sutherland (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
EAN: 8717418111021
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: Anamorphic, Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2007-01-29
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 734 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2005
Language: English (Original Language)

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional