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.
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… Read more »
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!!!!!!!!!!!
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.
I really thought that this show was going to come back on…I LOVED this show!! It was so witty and intellectual. Geena Davis played her part like a TRUE woman president would play. They say that if you want to win a war, put a woman in charge. I would love to see a 2 hour movie based on this show. In a way, I am surprised that it made it as far as it did! People are so afraid of change-I wonder when we are going to have a woman president??? They should never have put it on tv… Read more »
CiC was a warmup for Hillary in 2008. Ho-hum. Hi-ho. Or just ho.
Commander in chief is a wonderful soap opera, i think that ABC made a bad decision about cancel this tv program. The serie is intelligent is so different for the others, every single person has their own personality. And i think that the program has to return. Im from Mexico and i his fan number 1 here. Sorry for my english.
This was my favorite show. I loved the plot and its intelligent I really think it had some poor advertising and that lost a lot of viewers. I really need my show to come back on! =]
ABC, I just want to say I am very upset with this move. CIC was a show I really admired. You messed up with this one. How can you leave loyal followers in the dust like that? I am so upset I can’t even begin to describe it.
Where is the most thought provoking show in T.V. Commander in Chief ?. I orginally thought ABC was not going to cowtow to the powers that be and set the bar for other networks by running this forward thinking television show. Instead it chose to go with the current drivel like Desperate Housewives. Can you even compare how these two show portray women. which would you want your daughter to watch and emulate? I think most of us who appreciate intelligent t.v. already watch public tv, the history channel and discovery anyway and the cancellation of CIC just reinforced all… Read more »
I really do miss Commander in Chief. I thought this show was great. My husband actually watched this with me. Why do they cancel shows that are good and keep the ones that are crappy.
*Shrug* you Erik – says a male conservative lit. teacher who enjoyed the writing and the show. Never could stay awake for one episode of West Wing. Studio 60?? – “ho hum” with a *shrug* on top. Davis and Sutherland’s acting was excellent – hence the rewards. Somebody got to ABC execs about how dangerously thoughtful the show was. Unexplained “production difficulties” my a–. We should wonder why this show was scuttled.
this was really a great show that gave the viewers a better understanding of the difficulties and decisions that have to be made for the good of the many versus the few. It also showed the people that a man or a woman in this position will always have to contend and fiight for what they need for the good of the people.
I can’t help but notice the majority of posters here vying to get the show back are women. Of course, my noticing that or my evident glee of the fact that the show was cancelled may just be immediately disregarded as masogynistic; to which I say, *shrug* Commander in Chief was a blatant rip off of Aaron Sorkin’s West Wing. Aside from stealing the same plots, subject matter, and even a number of the cast members, the acting was simply not up to par. Nor was the quality of writing for that matter. Furthermore, the baseline was not realistic in… Read more »
Every show has some slow moments. Bring it BACK.
Finally, I find a show that is NOT reality TV, NOT having to do with the medical practice,NOT a game show,NOT just about sex, and NOT crime or court related.
Then the show is not consistant with its dates/times so its hard to know when it is actually on.
Then ‘of course’ it’s cancelled.
Please bring back Commander in Chief.
Show it on a regular time/day, the viewers will come back!