ABC's venture into political fantasy, or feminist fantasy, debuts next week when Geena Davis will star as the leader of the male dominated free world. To date there is no indication that the female president will be posing in bikinis in the oval office, so perhaps this will be a serious effort to examine the obstacles faced by women who play by all the rules that conspicuously advantage men.
There is poetic justice in the elevation of Thelma from Thelma and Louise to the role of U.S. President. Other than cable news, I'm not a TV watcher, but I will be tuning in to this one.
Conservatives will also be tuning in. After all, they have theorized that this show is a liberal plot to ready the country for a Hillary take-over. Or in their words, what they fear is a TV show about a chick president.
ABC Television Network's "Commander In Chief"
Mackenzie Allen (Academy Award-winner Geena Davis), the 45-year-old Independent Vice President of the United States, is about to venture into territory no woman has entered before. While at an official ceremony with husband and Chief of Staff Rod Calloway (Kyle Secor), she is informed by the President's Chief of Staff, Jim Gardner (Harry Lennix), and the Attorney General that President Bridges is about to undergo emergency brain surgery for a tumor.
Mackenzie is stunned when Gardner tells her that, in the event the President does not recover, the party doesn't want her to succeed him. Instead, she's asked to step down in order to allow the Speaker of the House to assume the post, as he shares the party's ideals.
Mackenzie's doubts are confirmed when she visits President Bridges at the hospital and hears from him directly that he wants her to resign. Bridges dies before transition plans are finalized, however, and after sitting through an insulting and sexist conversation with Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton (Donald Sutherland), Mackenzie decides to forge ahead and assume the presidency, despite the obstacles that lie ahead.
Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00 p.m., ET; premieres Tuesday, September 27, 9:00-10:00 p.m.
feminism Geena Davis Commander In Chief Chick President feminist fantasy
