User Reviews

I'm not sure why so many people have left bad reviews for this show, there truly are a lot of snobs writing reviews here. It seems like a lot of them are from people who dislike Katherine Heigl as well. Who cares! The plot is great and it has picked up pace in the most recent episodes. No it is not Homeland, but what do you expect from a show on NBC? The main reason I watch movies and television is for an escape from reality and I really could care less if a show doesn't accurately portray the government and CIA. If I wanted this, I would watch a documentary, which I do quite frequently. If you take it for what it is, a fun, entertaining action/drama, then you will enjoy it.

i like this show despite its inherent weaknesses the writing is good. First off its way better than the crap Tea Leoni is doing on Madam Secretary, a single woman who is leading a show without the ever saving hubby in the background. The writing on this show is really good because it carries someone like Katherine Heigel a less than stellar actor. The rest of the characters need more development that would help to offset Heigel's weakness. We need to acknowledge progress here, a black female president I love her don't care what other critics are saying.....a female lead yeah okay she's white and a blond, we could have dropped some stereotypes but lets face it its America and capitalism we have to sell corporate advertising so let us give in to the stereotypical male fantasies here ... one more time.

I'm kinda digging this show. It's sort of like Homeland but it doesn't take itself as seriously. It has a good cast with some star power and it's success doesn't rely solely on "celebrities". The story does need a little fleshing out though. So far there has only been one personal life explored, and that has been limited. Right now it is very work focused and the human side of the characters are not being explained very well.

The show definitely has room to grow but I'm not sure if it will take that opportunity. I feel that it could become stale very quickly if they don't develop the concept. Aside from that it's still a pretty good show with plenty of potential.

My favorite show is Blacklist. This show is definitely my second. I enjoy the relationships, the acting, the story lines. Since I am not a CIA agent nor white house official I do not know the inner workings to determine whether everything is exact in detail. However I have worked in Iraq & Afghanistan & been through many of the other countries where being shoved into the back of a van with a wrap over your head to be taken somewhere is not unlikely at all. I enjoy this show for the sheer entertainment value. It keeps me in suspense & is able to do so without continual foul language, sexual innuendo or graphic sex scenes. It seems without those items, however, shows do not tend to make the cut. I am reaching a point of just not even having cable because anytime I find a show I enjoy it is canceled.

They could really have kept this going, had they just gone a bit simpler. Making the story-line a bit more human with some additional real-life touches would have kept it going for at least another couple seasons. It's a fine line that keeps shows engaging, and this was a clear example of one that just missed the mark. The look of this production was as good as anything out there today, but audiences need characters they can look forward to seeing week after week. SOA came close, but just fell short in having folks caring for those on screen. Never a huge fan of Katherine Heigl, she was not the issue in this production, as matter of fact this was one of the better outings she's been part of for quite some time. There's a fine line when someone can step back and critique.. and when principals want to listen, it seriously can matter to an astonishing degree.

I was hooked at the beginning but gradually realized I was watching a vanity piece for Ms, Heigl, which was produced by her and her mother. After the opening scene and it's implications the plot very quickly became shallow and contrived. I just as quickly got tired of Heigl's permanent perkiness and endless wardrobe statements. Compared to Tea Leoni (Madam Secretary), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) or even Kerry Washington (Scandal) she simply doesn't convey the gravitas the role demands. The one thing the pilot episode has going for it is pacing. Perhaps the producers can build in some character development around her in the coming episodes, (Shonda Rhimes where are you?), but given the two Heigl's involvement, I'm not optimistic. Catherine is a beautiful woman, and I hope she eventually finds a role that suits her, but this is definitely not it.

I'm not sure why all the negative press over this show. It's more interesting than Madame Secretary and not as silly as The Blacklist. Perhaps I'm over all the Heigl negative press whereas other reviewers maybe not so much. There's a lot going on here and I love the altering behavior between Woodard and Heigl. Are they friends? Does the President trust Charlie or suspect her? Additionally Heigl's character, Charlie, seems damaged, that's why Charlie acts the way she does. Has she been harmed by the loss of her fiancé', the President's son, or too much seen in the field as a CIA operative? Either way, there's something not quite right with Charlie, but what is right is her ability to read what might happen or what's about to happen. I like this show, its characters and I'll keep watching.

I don't know why there's so much hate for this show, it seems that most negative reviews are written by people who have something against Katherine Heigl. The complaints seem to range from her being a producer (Oh my god an actor producing! That's never been done before!), to her wardrobe (which I find to be quite understated and more realistic than a lot of other shows), to her personally (it's a vanity project, she's not serious enough, too serious, etc.), even people who won't shut up about the name of her character (really, Charleston Tucker is the dumbest name you've ever heard? Really??). I had neither a positive nor negative opinion of her before watching this show, so to me, she is just fine in the role and I find her to be believable and likable, a flawed but nevertheless genuine character. I like the flow of the story arc, each episode is meaningful to the overall story yet adds in new plot lines rather well. I think the supporting cast is solid and interesting. The only issue I have is some of the details can be unbelievable (no spoilers but they are minor details so far) but for a network TV show I'm willing to suspend disbelief at times and give it the benefit of the doubt if it doesn't bore me to death or make me scream at the television for insulting my intelligence, and State of Affairs so far hasn't been boring or ridiculously stupid. In fact, it's one of the only shows on television I watch, and I can count those on one hand. I like it, and I like Katherine Heigl in it. Good for her, and I hope all the negative comments about her don't prevent the show from having a chance.

Reading other reviews, this show has been damned for 1. Heigl is an executive producer therefore has a vested interest in promoting her character 2. She's too young for her high level role 3. She's got a daft name in Charleston 4. Poorly acted and poor plot. Let's look atthese 1. Check out the exec producers for, amongst others, TheBlacklist, CSI (all iterations) and Bones (now there's a show long pastit's best used by date that's now smelling). 2. Heigl is in her mid 30's but I didn't hear any similar criticisms of the character of Jack Ryan in the same role. Also, a bit older but is 44 too young to actually be the President (JFK). 3. And did others say Indiana Jones had a silly name. I've heard a lot of silly names but this is no worse than many 4. Subjective but it's not bad. Not great but not bad.

So, to summarise, it hasn't set the TV world alight and I can't see it winning awards but I'm happy enough to while a way an hour watching it as reflected in my score. As an aside, I knew about POTUS and also FLOTUS but as the spouse of the President is a man, what DO you call him? FHOTUS doesn't trip off the tongue so easily.

I've never turned a TV show off halfway through the show before tonight. I was even working on something on my laptop and this was so bad that it distracted me.

This was just awful. Katherine Heigl is over-acting. Of course, she over-acted in 'Grey's Anatomy'. Thing is? EVERYONE over-acts in Grey's Anatomy. It's a medical drama about young people. Young people are all about drama. Even so, in Grey's Anatomy, she had other people to balance her out.

In this show she is over-acting on top of a mountain pretty much by herself with others at the base of the mountain trying to talk off the ledge. Example? She walks into a room screaming about something here and when others make calm suggestions, she laughs hysterically.

Maybe in time it will become obvious in the second show why Katherine Heigl is emoting all over the place. I'm not going to stick around to find out. I much prefer the other shows on at 9pm (Mountain) 10 pm (Eastern and Pacific). In short? Don't waste your time.

This series is either one big joke, or produced by an insanely bad producer. The actors are ridiculing actual government work by their attempt to overly dramatize a day at the office. It is unrealistic, fake, the acting and script is beyond worse, not even to touch upon the president's portrayal. I highly recommend the Blacklist/House of Cards/West wing/Newsroom appreciators to not watch this series and I hope this series will be taken off the air and that the money will instead be spent on for example a continuation of the Newsroom or anything else really. Concerning the main actress, this is possibly the worst casting decision made in history. Katherine may be an OK actress, this role is not suited for her as the casted person will need more character, backbone rather than flair and charm.

I'm not sure why everyone are blindly hating this show because of Katherine Heigl, I'm sure she is a Good actresses than others that we most commonly see in current TV Shows. the shows has the right script and plot and enough to keep you engaged. Somebody said something about she laughing loudly when the situation didn't need it - this is just silly. Most of all we have Alfre Woodard on the show, which is a good thing to look forward, and also, you cannot decide on a show just by one episode.. give it a chance.. I"m sure it will be good.!!......... ...................... ............... ........................... ............ ..................... ............ ............................. ....................... ....................... ................................ ........................................ ........................

This show was dead for me seconds after I started to watch the pilot.

Introducing a character by having him/her discussing their life with a therapist is a trite, pedestrian old trick that bears the hallmark of sloppy script-writing.

To underline how unimaginative this is, I would like to mention how I very recently gave up on another show (Black Box) for the exact same reason.

This show is obviously aimed at a dumb audience, and will therefore go on to be just as pedestrian and dull as it is at its opening until the very last episode. Don't waste any more time on it.

Having seen the first two episodes, I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying State of Affairs! Katherine Heigl plays a brash, confident, assertive woman who is in a very high stress job with an enormous amount of responsibility - her views go directly to the President of the United States! However, although she briefs PODUS on the daily "State of Affairs" her loyalty remains, first and foremost to the C.I.A. What an ominous weight that puts on her shoulders, particularly considering that the President was almost her Mother-In-Law! I hope this show continues to develop in the fashion it began ... wrapped around "Charlie's" daily life ... it is very promising and the "secrets" she is forced to keep must be overwhelming! I am looking forward to more!

First discovered Heigl on Grey's Anatomy (Izzy<3) and I have loved her ever since. When I first saw previews for this show I was excited to see her back on TV but was a little hesitant on how well this show would turn out. However, I have to say this is a great show with a great plot/excellent writing as well as great acting. It has always kept my attention throughout the hour and is yet another show I will look forward to on Monday nights.

I would also like to point out that the current rating this show has is completely UNFAIR and is only due to people not liking Katherine Heigl for how she has acted in the past or for whatever reason. GROW UP PEOPLE AND MOVE ON! This show deserves a much higher rating, plain and simple.

If this show was screened by a room full of writers like (Genius) Aaron Sorkin, editors like Pietro Scalia, cinematographers like Wally Pfister, casting directors like Margery Simkin, and the like, the consensus would have been a resounding, "NO!" The fact that this show even made it on air indicates that NBC was informed by the studio that it would absorb a certain episode-count risk/cost that would normally be shared and incurred by the network. Plus the creators of the show must have done a great job of strong-arming the people who would have prevented such a debacle from making it into the NBC network lineup.

Shows like Newsroom, White Collar, House of Lies, The Blacklist, House of Cards, The Good Wife, Suits, Game of Thrones, Halt and Catch Fire, The Last Ship, Gotham, Extant, and so many more are on air because the writing is spectacular, the ability to convince the audience is present either in storytelling, building a characters role, plot-building, bringing a ridiculous level of coherence to the story, and most importantly the creators of these shows understand that the audience are intellectuals in politics, law, business, consulting, technology, information security, the military, comics, science, astronomy, and so forth. When a show like State of Affairs thinks that it can get away with putting together the "Corporate TV Studio Formula" for network success and doesn't do a decent job of tying up loose ends, the critics/reviewers will line up to bring the show to a halt.

Since many of the other reviewers have already provided specifics of why certain elements don't work it is best to describe the show as such:

Watching this show is much like meeting an arrogant punk who thinks he/she is a world-class athlete or musician, but truly hasn't developed his/her craft enough to be able to compete on the world-stage to "run with the best of them". The truly annoying part is that he/she will keep insinuating that "He/she has competed and won on the world stage before", and in the back of one's mind one can only conclude, "No, not really. You're not ready yet. (Not for a serious plot/show/story/role)". A message I like to send to the creators of State of Affairs: In 2014, there are numerous amount of shows that outpace State of Affairs, that have tons of gas in the tank to push into full gear if they need to, they have put in thousands upon thousands of hours of their blood and sweat into their shows even though their creators are geniuses, and yet they still push to do better and get better. In other words, a junior-high school athlete cannot convince a pro-athlete coach or trainer that he/she is ready to compete at such a ridiculously high level. One has to put in the time to graduate and get to the ultimate stage of true professionalism or get an entire new staff of writers, an entire new cast, editors who can truly tie the story together so that the dialogue can be complimentary to the entire scheme of the story. Otherwise, taking a comedic-satirical approach may work with the current cast, and changing the storyline so that it doesn't feel like 2010.

Most importantly the writers need to understand the difference between screen writing for a TV show versus a Broadway play. Phrasing of words chosen for specific dialogue for shows in 2014 are written much like song lyrics which is why they are interesting to listen to when well executed by a well trained actor. Unfortunately, State of Affairs has no idea that there are certain dialogue phrasing standards to adhere to which is why it is much like hiring a tone-deaf, American-Idol reject to be one's songwriter. It won't work!

I'm not a Katherine Heigl fan, but after seeing this show I am truly one now. Katherine had the strength and balls to craft a character as strong willed and powered as Charleston is on the show. I went in expecting something similar to the Blacklist and it did not disappoint. Mind you this show does in no way rip off The Blacklist, it just takes place in a similar environment. Its real, uncompromising, and extremely fun to watch. I was on the edge of my seat the whole episode.

The acting through out was strong, an asset to a show that is just starting out. I also found no production issues or any of the sort of chaos that was described going on behind the scenes. This is a well written, powerfully acted and immensely talented show thats just getting started. The political intrigue and the twists in the end of the pilot are pretty interesting and set this show up to be possibly even better than The Blacklist.

Katherine Heigl as a top CIA-analyst is the worst casting choice since Kate Mulgrew as a ship's captain in Voyager... I don't care if she's hard or not to work with, as a professional I've had to work with disagreeable people. Nor am I saying that she's a bad actress "in general". Kate Mulgrew is a talented actress, but whereas she is great in Orange Is The New Black as Red; she was horribly unbelievable in Voyager (and I've been a soldier, with command experience, and with female military peers who inspired & lead.) I loved the idea of a female captain in Star Trek, until I saw Mulgrew in the role. Likewise, Heigl was good in the ensemble/cast for Grey's for that role; her innocence worked in harmony with her character's innocence.

However, even with the bad casting, for me it's all about, or should be about, can she play the role?... and in this case, I feel like she's phoned this role in... with not having a natural similarity with the character, she would have had to did deep to prepare & gain the gravitas necessary for the role... or perhaps whoever prepped her / she did research with completely snowed her... but either way, it's impossible to take her serious in this role. She should watch Charlize Theron in Monster before taking another role that isn't "her". Theron prepared, Theron dug deep to embrace & explore the new persona.

Well this is Heigl's Voyager, State of Affairs should do something to which I'm unaware has ever been done in TV and "admit" their mistake & kill off her character & re-write & re-cast the role... I'd give the show another chance then.

Until then however, I owe my DVR a sincere apology for recording the first episode.