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(More customer reviews)When President Teddy Bridges (Will Lyman) has a stroke, independent Vice President Mackenzie Allen (Geena Davis) finds herself being politely asked to turn in a resignation letter. After all, she was only picked to increase Bridges's support with women voters. Bridges administration personnel did not actually expect her to assume the presidency.
Instead, Allen decides that she will take the oath of office and become America's first woman president. For creator Rod Lurie, having a woman president was not enough; he wanted to examine how the chief executive of America balanced her work and family obligations.
Because this change in American women's political status also affects men, 'Commander' also examined how husband Rod Calloway (Kyle Secor) adapts to being the 'first' First Gentleman. Claiming to be comfortable, Rod subsequently expresses obvious discomfort with some aspects of his own new public image ("First...Do No Harm"). A major strength of this series was that it also gives serious airtime to the challenges a First Gentleman could face.
Rod briefly considers becoming commissioner of baseball before deciding that it would pose a conflict of interest ("First Disaster"). Later on, the Allen-Calloway marriage gets challenged when he is discovered with an intern ("The State of the Unions").
"Rubie Dubidoux and the Brown Bound Express" makes another inevitable comparison with the Clinton administration. Since he is unofficially her closest advisor, Mackenzie subsequently decides that appointing Rod to an official position only makes sense. However gender politics in 21st Century America doesn't have that decision being perceived as smoothly as this first couple would like. Is Mackenzie a strong leader or is Rod ultimately controlling her? Is this nepotisim or is he really the most qualified person for the job?
"Commander" is also special because Polly Bergen guest stars as Mackenzie's mom, Kate Allen. Bergen had ironically stared in "Kisses for my President" (1964) Hollywood's earlier take on what having a female Chief Executive would be like. That president had to resign when she got pregnant!
"The Mom Who Came to Dinner" also marks the addition of Mark-Paul Gosselaar to the cast as Richard "Dickie" McDonald, a young but very sharp media advisor
Of course having a good drama would have been remotely impossible without a good arch nemesis on hand to keep things heated up. He's still a 'Hollywood liberal' but Donald Sutherland plays conservative Republican Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton with gleeful abandon. Templeton is continually a thorn in Allen's side--he does not like her on either a political or a personal level.
10 episodes are included in this release. Extras include unaired scenes (mmm...!), an exclusive interview with Geena Davis, and insights into the show itself from the creator--replete with commentary. I am upset "Commander" has been cancelled, but am happy that it got scheduled for DVD release so soon afterward. I'll always have my memories
Click Here to see more reviews about: Commander in Chief: Part One (The Inaugural Edition) (2005)
Geena Davis lights up the screen as President Mackenzie Allen, earning a Golden Globe(R) award for Best Actress in the show's inaugural season. Experience the first 10 thrilling episodes of the captivating drama, starring Davis, Emmy(R) Award winner Donald Sutherland, and an acclaimed cast. 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 O, The Oprah Magazine, calls "realistic and riveting!"
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Click here for more information about Commander in Chief: Part One (The Inaugural Edition) (2005)
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