In this ABC Network series, Geena plays the first female president of the US; Mackenzie Spencer Allen. The series was created by Rod Lurie, who was later replaced by Stephen Bochco, who then was replaced by Dee Johnson. Commander in Chief is produced by Touchstone Television in association with Battle Plan Productions.

The show was cancelled before the end of season 1, although all episodes were (eventually) aired and two DVD box sets have been released. The future of the show is somewhat vague; there are rumours about a made-for-TV film to “round everything up”, and the latest news is that the UK ABC1 has acquired the rights to the show. This is from an email from ABC1 to one of the girls at the CinC fan forum:

“Thank you for your email. There are discussions to show a TV movie of Commander in Chief, and also for a new series. I’m afraid I can only tell you that these are just discussions. Nothing is confirmed yet.”

Cast

Geena Davis: President Mackenzie Allen
Donald Sutherland: Nathan Templeton (Speaker of the House)
Harry J. Lennix: Jim Gardner (White House Chief of Staff)
Kyle Secor: Rod Calloway (First Gentleman)
Ever Carradine: Kelly Ludlow (Press Secretary)
Anthony Azizi: Vince Taylor (Special Aide to the President)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar: Richard ‘Dickie’ McDonald (Campaign Advisor)
Matt Lanter: Horace Calloway (son)
Caitlin Wachs: Rebecca Calloway (daughter)
Jasmine Jessica Anthony: Amy Calloway (daughter)

Websites

MackenzieWatch PodCasts
Awards and nominations
The tv-series’ IMDb entry
The tv-series’ Wikipedia entry
Commander in Chief at tv.com
Commander in Chief Online Petition

Resume courtesy of ABC.com

Mackenzie Allen (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 Allen (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.

Aside from the challenges Mackenzie faces, husband Rod has his own hurdles to overcome, as he finds himself being ushered into a pink and feminine office by the first lady’s aide. Her children, six-year-old Amy (Jasmine Anthony), as well as twins Horace (Matt Lanter), one of the most popular kids in school, and Rebecca (Caitlin Wachs), a rebellious teenager with raging hormones, must also learn to deal with their mother’s new role as leader of the free world.

Meeting with a saddened Congress and addressing a stunned nation, Mackenzie delivers an inaugural speech with the help of press secretary Kelly Ludlow (Ever Carradine), which manages to unite a grieving country, quell the critics who feel she’s not up to the task, and look to the bright future which lies ahead, led by the first female President of the United States.

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