As I reported earlier, ABC has chosen to cancel the freshman series Commander in Chief. The series stars Geena Davis as President Mackenzie Allen, the first female President of the United States. The show started off strong (with the critcs and in the ratings) but was then plagued by production issues – and then by a declining viewership. ABC has maintained that they believe in show and, though it will not appear on the Fall 2006 schedule, the show may not be gone for good.
It’s been reported that ABC chief Steve McPherson is actually in talks with Chief creator Rod Lurie to bring the characters back for a two-hour television movie. The deal isn’t finalized as yet but McPherson sounds hopeful they’ll be able to work something out over the summer.
“It’s a fantastic story that Rod has in mind, and there’s still a really dedicated audience for the show,” McPherson said. “It would give Rod a chance to tell a lot of stuff he didn’t get the opportunity to tell and give us another look at it (the concept) in a reconfigured form.” If the movie is produced and is successful, then other Commander in Chief projects may be produced in the future.
For those who can’t wait, be sure to tune in to ABC at the end of the month when the network will air the final three episodes of the first (but hopefully not last) season of Commander in Chief. Episodes are also available for download on
Apple’s online iTunes store.
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Commander in Chief
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First; Thank you for airing such an interesting & intelligent program. Second; What were you thinking when you cancelled Cammander in Chief! I don’t watch much TV but for once this was a program I didn’t feel guilty about watching. It made me think. The characters were believebable. I’m so weary of the crap that TV offers. ABC needs to realize all your viewers have alternative options, dvds, internet to entertain. You need to understand that it does make a difference and it can broaden perspectives when good programming is available.
ABC YOU HAVE LET US DOWN AGAIN. DO YOU WANT VIEWERS AT ALL. WE LOVED COMMANDER IN CHEIF OVER HERE IN IRELAND. IT WAS A FANTASTIC PROGRAMME. MACK IS FANTASTIC AS RULER OF THE FREE WORLD, MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT YOU REALLY HAVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. BRING IT BACK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is it that unless a program is a so called reality show the networks don’t want anything to do with it. It is so easy for them to state that the rating are not there and slate something else in the place of truly intelligent family programming. CIC was one program that allowed me and my family to sit and watch together. A chance for my kids to see in some way how the actual goverment works. I know! Hollywood style but still better than the majority of reality crap out there. It truly seems that unless you are a fan or survivor-ish type shows television as we knew it being a family thing to do is out. Thank God for netflix and the selection of the oldies but goodies. Get off your ass ABC and give us something we like. Screw the Neilsen, what do they know?
I have been waiting to see the next season. The show in reality only has about 4 seasons in it anyway. Though the timeline doesn’t have to go so fast as it did. I for one loved it when she fired Dicky for not listening to her and then his weaseling ways to go to Templeton’s camp. Saw that one coming. Realilty and Game Shows are much cheaper to make than dramas and therefore intelligent people have little choice when searching for decent programs.
I need commander in chief back!
fine they should do the 2 hour thing but it need to be a season premiere
please keep this show its brilliant
Ok ABC what is going on in your mind? Do you really want to loose all your viewers and screw it up big time , or are you just pissed off the Hillary is running now , and the real thing might take away from your “fiction” series , or are your executives only old farts that love the Wizard of Oz ” which you call SAIN Entertainment , or you don´t care at all ? I think all of the above applies , and you act as usual : Big ABC has spoken big ABC is right , and USA shut up ..
Well done guys …pad yourself on your shoulders one more time you have shown to the American public that you are the BIG Mac´s in TV , and that you do what you want but not what your viewers like .
Wow! Were “THEY” afraid that Genna Davis “LOOKED” too much like Hillary? Did viewership drop? Or did “THEY” temporarily shut the show down? I loved this show as did many of my friends and co-workers we’re waiting along with the rest of the so-called dropped viewers for the show’s return.
I agree with everyone else that it is a sham that they take such a great program off the air what is your problem.
This was probably one of the most enjoyable shows that I have ever watched. I enjoyed watching the West Wing but Geena Davis made this show a top rated show. Can’t understand why you cancel the good ones and keep the stupid reality shows running..
I really enjoyed Commander and Chief. I hope that there will be a Movie. I will be the first to watch it. I am no longer a viewer for ABC because of what they did to the show. I wont support them. It is obvious they dont know what a good show is because they replaced a good show with a lot of stupid ones. Until Commander and Chief comes back, SO-LONG-ABC!
Commander in Chief was one of my all time favorite shows. I looked forward to it all week. When I first heard it was canclled, I could not believe it possible that ABC would cancel such high quality show and replace it with another reality show. I am sad to see quality TV becoming a thing of the past.
What a fantastic series. My first thought when it went off the air was that the current administration had something to do with it,just a little bet to close to home. Everyone in the series was fantastic and I really miss it. We own both the DVDs and play them often. Please bring it back.
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