IS THERE something to the theory that having something happen in our national fiction makes it more likely to happen in real life?
If that's the case, ABC's new "Commander in Chief" may be paving the way for a woman to sit in the Oval Office, and doing a nice job telling that story, thank you very much.
The Tuesday, 9 p.m. offering is one of the bright spots in a fall TV season, both because of the talents of star Geena Davis and a political/dramatic backdrop that makes for captivating stories each week.
The premise is more than just having Vice President Mackenzie Allen (Davis) ascend to the presidency after the death of her running mate.
The plot is thickened by the fact that Allen, politically an independent, had been plucked from her job as president of the University of Richmond mainly to lure female voters to a GOP ticket.
Indeed, the two top officials' views were so divergent that before he dies from a massive stroke, President Bridges asks Allen to resign and let the speaker of the House (Donald Sutherland) assume the top spot.
Bridges' argument to Allen: The two of them have never seen eye to eye, and she doesn't share his political vision or that of the party that worked
He argues that wouldn't be the case for Speaker Nathan Templeton, who we quickly see is power hungry and particularly adept at manipulating politics and people.
Doing a nice job to convey the odd mix of sadness, shock and ambition that swirls through her when she hears about her president's illness and, soon enough, his death, Davis makes Allen one of the more interesting characters
She makes her bright and
But Davis makes this multilayered character about more than just work.
She's a warm, caring person, as well, coping with a range of personal concerns.
As the show proceeds, we'll see her struggle to be available as mother to her three kids and as a wife to her husband (Kyle Secor from "Homicide"), stuck in a demoralizing transition from her chief of staff to "first gentleman."
Created by Rod Lurie, the writer-director of the Oscar-nominated film "The Contender," which so convincingly delved into the political landscape of the presidency, this new show hits the ground running.
The first episode convincingly introduced the players and launched Allen's presidency, while the second added a new face to the mix, her choice for vice president (Peter Coyote). He's a former general, and, it turns out, the very guy she debated opposite as the other party's choice for VP in the election just passed.
But he just happens to be the kind of straight-shooting, former Army general who she thinks could help her run the country.
As Allen, Davis is solid and will be the backbone of the story, making her character both strong and vulnerable, both chillingly tough and emotionally open, especially in scenes that involve her family and the inner circle of her staff.
Every story that thrives on conflict--and this is about Washington politics, after all--needs a good bad guy.
Who could provide that better than Sutherland, he of the movie "M*A*S*H" and a star in so many other hit films you can't mention them all?
As Templeton, with white, wavy hair and a smile just stolen from a politically savvy Cheshire cat, Sutherland makes his character a pure power insider, a politician who loves the game as much as he covets the power just beyond his reach.
Having come so close to the real seat of power--a bungled pitch is all that keeps Allen from resigning and making him president--Templeton
The supporting cast who play the aides, Cabinet members and the president's kids are
Catch it a few times, and you'll be ready to elect Davis not only as the next president, but as a regular visitor to your home each Tuesday night at 9.
Hoping against hope that she won't have to cancel for another commitment.
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