Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Yes, this is basically West Wing light,with good enough acting overall,though I still think Geena Davis(first female President of the United States) only truly shines in the very first episode of the series(which is also on this Part 2 DVD,but this time with the choice of listening to show creator Rod Lurie's commentary or not).It could perhaps be because that happens to be my favorite episode.She's fine in the other episodes but I enjoy watching the rest of the First Family much more.Geena Davis' character is under so much pressure as the President of the United States,that she rarely gets a chance to flash her great smile and showcase her friendly nature.
I like all of the First Family actors,and also like the way this series mostly focuses on their relationships with each other rather than getting too deep into political issues.Both the eldest daughter,played by Caitlin Wachs, and the the youngest daughter,played by Jasmine Anthony, are top-notch and greatly add to the show.Matt Lanter(son) and Kyle Secor(husband) are both solid as well.Later on in the series,the grandmother is added to help keep the family more secure.
Both Ever Carradine(Robert Carradine's daughter),who plays press secretary Kelly Ludlow and Harry J. Lennix who plays Chief of Staff Jim Gardner are both great additions to an already stellar cast.
Any political issues discussed in this 18 episode series(only episode #1 and episodes #11-18 are on these 2 discs from Part 2) are very basic and most have been done in much more detail on the far superior West Wing(this is also what creator Rod Lurie says on his commmentary track;so we agree).
Notes:
-Luckily,the final episode doesn't end in a cliff-hanger,but rather sets up the upcoming battle for re-election against a worthy opponent.
-There will also be an upcoming Commander In Chief Tv movie that I heard Geena Davis mention,when she was being interviewed on The View Tv show,fairly recently.
-The President's son played by Matt Lanter was actually CGI'd (his face was placed over the other actor's face using Computer Generated Imagery),into some scenes from the pilot episode because he replaced the initial actor they hired(since they later decided he didn't look good enough-as I learned from Rod Lurie's good audio commentary).
-In episode #17 @ 18:38 point in the episode,the Chief of Staff wryly says,"I'm betting this President can handle a bow and arrow",obviously referring to Geena Davis placing 24th out of 28 semi-finalists for the Olympic Archery team in 1999.
-Geena Davis can speak Swedish and is a member of Mensa (her IQ is 140). My IQ is very near 45 on a good day.DVD EXTRAS:
-A Conversation with Madame President: An OK interview with Geena Davis,featuring her nice smile and friendly nature along with some insight;as well as some clips from the show interspersed between her comments (5 minutes and 53 seconds in length).
GRADE: C+
-Deleted Scenes: 20 deleted scenes(21minutes and 38 seconds in length) taken from some of the 18 episodes of the entire series.Most are short but sweet,with only a few perhaps that shouldn't have been deleted from the actual episodes.Thankfully, there is a 'Play All' deleted scenes choice.
GRADE: C+
-White House Humor,Bloopers and Outtakes:You get to see Geena Davis clown around and make faces before she starts her scenes,as well as seeing many other cast regulars make mistakes.Nothing hilarious,but still funny and enjoyable.I'm sure you'll at least chuckle from time to time and wish there was more than just the 3 minutes and 35 seconds of it.
GRADE: B MINUS
-Audio Commentary for Episode #1-commentary by show creator Rod Lurie: As mentioned before, they included episode #1(the pilot) on this Part 2 DVD set(you can only access it from the Special Features:Commentary section),so they could add Rod Lurie's fine and informative commentary.You learn some behind the scenes secrets(such as Matt Lanter replacing the initial actor chosen for role), roughly what goes into getting a pilot ready for Tv and get to hear some very opinionated comments by Rod Lurie as well.He did however mention that he didn't want to get into any scandalous issues about the show,but still I learned enough from his commentary to recommend it.
GRADE: B
-Audio Commentary for Episode #16:Elephant in the Room-commentary by writer/producer Dee Johnson: Informative enough but still dull at times.
GRADE: CSUMMARY:
I enjoyed the entire 18 episode series(only episode #1 and episodes #11-18 are on this DVD Season 1 Part 2 set)of Commander In Chief,with episode #1 being my favorite.I also enjoyed all the episodes that focused on the President's children.
Unfortunately,having seen the far superior West Wing Tv series as well,Commander In Chief pales in comparison.However,the lighter nature of Commander In Chief makes it a more relaxing and less cerebral minded show that focuses more on family values,as well as how a close-knit family deals with being in the spotlight 24 hours a day,without completely falling apart.It has a strong heart and enough solid acting to keep you rooting for this First Family and all those they care about.God Bless America (and Canada too).
OVERALL GRADE(WITHOUT Dvd Extras): B
OVERALL GRADE(WITH Dvd Extras): B+
Click Here to see more reviews about: Commander in Chief - The Inaugural Edition, Part 2 (Episodes 11-18) (2005)
Acclaimed actress Geena Davis joins Emmy(R) Award winner Donald Sutherland and an accomplished cast in a captivating blend of drama, excitement, and political intrigue. Enjoy the thrilling conclusion to the series' award-winning first season -- complete with exclusive bonus features. As a potentially devastating confrontation with North Korea escalates, President Allen's (Davis) leadership skills are put to the test. At the same time, tensions remain high between the President and the Speaker Of The House (Sutherland), forcing the Commander In Chief to master the art of political hardball -- all while juggling the full-time responsibilities of motherhood. The San Francisco Chronicle raves that Davis is an "inspired choice, equal parts powerful leader, conflicted mother, and concerned wife." Experience the excitement and the drama of this outstanding series with the gripping culmination of Season One.
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