Commander In Chief – Part One
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: B
A few
years ago back in 2000, Rod Lurie was responsible for the film The Contender. It was a weak film, but Joan Allen and Jeff
Bridges received Academy Award nominations for their roles for both political
reasons and performances that raised a somewhat formulaic film to a higher
level. Now, Lurie has returned with
another tale of a women finally running the U.S. in Geena Davis and the TV
series Commander In Chief. The show has had mixed success, but is
actually a very strong hour-long drama that is ripe for rediscovery and this
new 2-DVD “Inaugural Edition” demonstrates how good the show really is.
David
gets to the top office starting as Vice President when her President dies from
a terrible health crisis. It is assumed
by all that she was just a token and many ask her to forget it and step
down. She stays, foiling the aspirations
of a veteran politician and speaker of the house (a great performance and
character for the great Donald Sutherland) to become the title character. He starts to plot way to get rid of her and
it is not pretty, yet she is busier with her family and running the country
well. Then there is the unexpected
crisis and unexpected personal attacks, but the show has more.
This is
the best role Davis has had in years and she or any other big screen feature
film actress of her caliber would have been foolish to pass up because it is a
great role. Lurie has done an uncanny
job of reflecting the political state of the country without getting
heavy-handed and directly addressing “today’s headlines” in a way that keeps it
from dating or breaking the compelling suspension of disbelief it establishes
so well and quickly. Whether the show
kept this pace is something we’ll save for the next DVD set, but this is the
strongest hour drama in part by just not being a police procedural, about
doctors or police. That it is a really
good show is the rest.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is a little soft and likely shot in
digital High Definition. It still looks
good, but can be underwhelming when the scripts are so good. The same for the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, which
has clear dialogue, but subdued surrounds.
The combination is good, but not as strong as it should be. This set has no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
