Madam Secretary

By trying to make her politically neutral, they threaten to defang the drama.

Created by Barbara Hall, Madam Secretary has enough interesting pieces, as well as a great big world of trouble to mine, to have significant potential. The premiere, however, doesn’t bode particularly well for being able to maximize those assets, and as they say in diplomatic circles, the devil is in the details.

Leoni is fine in the title role and Daly is thoroughly dutiful as her heaven-sent husband. But the accomplished Neuwirth is little seen in the first hour while Ivanek is getting stuck in a rut of playing basically the same character over and over. What’s missing from Madame Secretary is an overriding reason to keep watching. Nothing really crackles so far.

All the show has now is that potential, the raw talent, and a setting it doesn't know what to do with.

Leoni brings an unaffected and alluring authority to this classy but contrived political procedural.

Madam Secretary has the pedigree and potential to be a great show. It just has to be more original.

Her ability to outwit a power-mongering bulldog like Jackson notwithstanding, she is, so far, a paragon of political virtue. That may make her a welcome presence at first, but a TV version of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” aired 50 years ago and lasted just a year. As for Madam Secretary, a few warts may be needed to hold our attention in the long run.