Let me say first: I really liked this show; and I thought it was canceled *way* too quickly.
At the same time, I see echoes of 'Brooklyn South': another great show (also headed by Steven Bochco) that was canceled before its time; partly - I suspect - because it started stretching for story lines.
While it was the story of a new - and uncertain - female POTUS, tackling the day-to-day machinations of the Hill, while at the same time having to prove herself as "as good as a man", I thought it was great viewing; but when it started to get into ERA and oil spills and nuclear crises, it seemed to lose its way a bit.
Its strength (at least in the first 10 episodes) was in the character development of the main protagonists - in particular the transition of SOH Templeton (Donald Sutherland) from hissing villain to principled, but implacable, opponent - and if it had held that course, I think it might have been given a second chance.
Unfortunately (I presume), ratings won out, and and a solid, intelligent show felt the pressure to provide "thrills" instead of substance - something it's main competitor (The West Wing) never compromised on.
Pity. I would have liked to have seen a few more seasons about 'Mac' and her "team", and found out a bit more about them all. And if you can find the episodes that were made, I definitely recommend you give them a look - if only to work out just how stupid ratings wars are.
At the same time, I see echoes of 'Brooklyn South': another great show (also headed by Steven Bochco) that was canceled before its time; partly - I suspect - because it started stretching for story lines.
While it was the story of a new - and uncertain - female POTUS, tackling the day-to-day machinations of the Hill, while at the same time having to prove herself as "as good as a man", I thought it was great viewing; but when it started to get into ERA and oil spills and nuclear crises, it seemed to lose its way a bit.
Its strength (at least in the first 10 episodes) was in the character development of the main protagonists - in particular the transition of SOH Templeton (Donald Sutherland) from hissing villain to principled, but implacable, opponent - and if it had held that course, I think it might have been given a second chance.
Unfortunately (I presume), ratings won out, and and a solid, intelligent show felt the pressure to provide "thrills" instead of substance - something it's main competitor (The West Wing) never compromised on.
Pity. I would have liked to have seen a few more seasons about 'Mac' and her "team", and found out a bit more about them all. And if you can find the episodes that were made, I definitely recommend you give them a look - if only to work out just how stupid ratings wars are.