- Network: ABC
- Series Premiere Date: Sep 27, 2005
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Critic Reviews
- Critic score
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As drama, tonight's pilot has its flaws, but it is, nevertheless, one of those electrifying TV productions that instead of simply seeking to divert or amuse, challenges viewers to imagine a reality other than the one they have been conditioned to accept.
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It all promises to be addictive watching.
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The best new fall drama.
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"The West Wing" was more vivid, original and compelling than "Commander in Chief" is likely to become. But impressive Geena Davis and the Oval Office gender twist are indeed refreshing.
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Davis... is very good.
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A diverting, silly potboiler, a bold cartoon with none of the staffers' anxious beetle scuttling that gives NBC's venerable The West Wing a sense of verisimilitude. [3 Oct 2005, p.39]
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It's a whole lot better than the premise on paper, and though initially it takes a bit to warm to Davis.
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Tonight's premiere rises and falls with Davis, and she's completely in command. We'll just have to hope the rest of the show falls in line behind her.
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Davis fills the "leader of the free world" shoes admirably, quickly demonstrating herself to be a formidable presence when she tangles with Sutherland.
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It's less a vision of what a real female presidency might be like than an extended allegory about gender politics in the workplace. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
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Well written and playful with its premise.
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It is probably too soon in the series to expect to see more complexity, or some sense of the grinding difficulty of the job of President, and the number of no-win situations that present themselves every day in the Oval Office. But “Commander in Chief” really does make things look too easy.
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Heavy-handed.
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While not quite the out-of-the-gate obvious hit that “The West Wing” was, ["Commander In Chief"] has enough going for it that it may soon become America’s favorite soap opera about a president of the United States.
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Maybe Davis will grow into the role. Perhaps Commander in Chief will develop into something deeper than a smooth, self-satisfied show. For now, the series enjoys one important asset: impeccable timing.
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"Commander'' looks good, summons up some real energy in key scenes and establishes a certain warmth in its portrayal of the Allen family.
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Polished and lively, it is also simplistic, melodramatic and half-baked — though it clips along nicely enough that you may not notice.
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Some viewers will be put off by the many unbelievable aspects of ''Commander in Chief," and not least of all by Geena Davis.
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Although it would be extraordinary for any series to match the level of political complexity and realism of "The West Wing," this one barely tries.
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Despite nice touches in writer-director-exec producer Rod LurieRod Lurie's handsome-looking pilot, there's also a smothering stiffness to it, including Geena Davis' performance as the first female president.
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Anyone who learned politics from The West Wing will feel adrift in Commander in Chief's vacuum. Where are the polls, the clamoring press? We get little proof that the nation President Allen governs even exists.
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A script so unimaginative, and characters so flat and forced, that it begs for a recall vote.
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The writing on "Commander in Chief" often is so distressingly thin and pale, this West Wing drama will suffer in comparison to the robust early years of, well, NBC's "The West Wing."
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An absurd fairy tale.
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Simplistic and shamelessly manipulative.
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Finally, the best new comedy of the 2005-06 TV season is here... What's that, you say? This is a drama and not a comedy? Oh, dear.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 183 out of 217
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Mixed: 6 out of 217
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Negative: 28 out of 217
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IanBMay 7, 2007
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NancySApr 24, 2007Best best show that i have never seen, even better than prison break. hope we could see more and more seasons.
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JohnCMar 15, 2007