Geena Davis, assumingly aggravated with the lack of good roles
for forty-something females in films, heads to the box to headline her
first series [as producer and star]. Commander-in-Chief is exactly what you’d expect from the star of Thelma & Louise and Angie, too – melodrama, melodrama, melodrama, messages about the importance of family and friends, and, oh, melodrama.
It
may be set in the White House, and it may centre around a President
(Davis plays the first female president), but there’s a lot more suds
here than The West Wing ever had. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not completely soapy… but compared to the politically centric Wing, it’s fluffier than a dried-up sponge.
Despite
its soapish elements, there’s still a lot here to enjoy; most of all,
the good performances. Davis is the best she’s been in a long time in
the role of President Allen, whilst Donald Sutherland relishes his role
as her smarmy opponent. In supporting roles, Kyle Secor; Plly Holliday;
Caitlan Wachs; Matt Lanter; Peter Coyote; and Natasha Henstridge (Yep,
the Species babe in serious-territory) are also finely tuned.
The
series doesn’t have a lot of ‘power-packed’ moments, and that’s
probably why it lost it’s audience very quickly, and consequently, was
axed, but it’s still entertaining – and a very easy watch.
Highlight episodes include: one that features TV series vet Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope)
coming to town as Allen’s choice for the new attorney general. Not as
easy to swear him in as one would expect, when it’s revealed that the
man once paroled a crook who, a week after he was let out of jail, went
and shot an elderly woman in the face. Yep, a media frenzy, and then
some, kicks into high gear. There’s also another, centering on
President Allen’s (Geena Davis) state of the union address, that’s
good. In it, she’s going through the archives and watching the speeches
of her predecessors to try and come up with something, whilst trying to
block out the opinion of her incessant adversary, sir neak-a-lot,
Templeton (Sutherland). Another, which is set completely on Air Force
One, is also a doozie.
DVD
Extras Extras on the set include: commentaries on quite a few episodes,
bloopers, deleted scenes, and interviews - not a bad offering for a
series that most folks involved are simply trying to get forget. Conclusion:
Movie 70% Extras: 60% 
|
