COMMANDER IN CHIEF: FIRST CHOICE (TV)
Summary
One in this drama series about America's first female president, Mackenzie Allen.
Horace and Rebecca are going back to school for the first time since their mother assumed the presidency, and complications are arising due to the presence of the press and Secret Service agents. Meanwhile, Jim Gardner takes Mackenzie aside to the situation room, leaving Rod to deal with Keaton’s nomination for the vice-presidency. Mackenzie arrives in the situation room and is briefed: nine D.E.A. agents were killed while in the country of San Pasquale while working on busting a drug cartel. Mackenzie wants to speak with General Sanchez, the leader of that country’s military junta, to straighten the matter out.
The call to General Sanchez is put through; they pass off the dead agents as contractors. Mackenzie warns him that the agents’ killers will be brought to the United States to stand trial and the conversation ends. Meanwhile Rod finds that Grace, the former first lady, is still in the White House. He feels sorry for her and gives her work to do to make her feel useful. Mackenzie suspects that General Sanchez himself ordered the agents killed and wants to meet with Juan Duran, the democratically elected president of San Pasquale who was exiled by Sanchez and forced to flee to the United States. Meanwhile, Horace and Rebecca arrive at school to find themselves swarmed by reporters. Rebecca is particularly distressed by their presence, but Joan helps her inside.
Mackenzie wants to arrest Sanchez in an American court and her staff tries to figure out how to do it. Rod meets with Keaton and grills him, insisting that what he does isn’t revenge for Keaton’s disparaging remarks about Mackenzie during the Bridges campaign. Nathan speaks to Mackenzie about Keaton’s nomination, saying he disapproves, but Mackenzie brushes him off. Nathan recalls eight months ago, when President Bridges insisted on removing Mackenzie from the vice presidential chair in favor of Nathan, but Nathan refuses his offer, saying Mackenzie could be useful to him.
Rebecca and Horace deal with their new school arrangement. Mackenzie sees footage of her children entering their school on the news and is outraged. She warns press officials to stay away from her children. Gardner notices Grace overseeing a function at the White House and is not pleased with what Rod has done, speaking to him about keeping Grace around. Meanwhile, Amy spends time with Tommy, President Bridges’ son. He warns her that now that her mother is President, she will no longer have time for her.
Mackenzie’s staff cannot figure out how to extradite Sanchez in a timely manner. They ask for more time to deliberate. She speaks with Duran and he agrees to be ready to reassume power in his country should their plan work. Rod goes over Keaton’s press statements, warning him that the press will not be as interested in defending his integrity as he is. They are interrupted when Mackenzie asks to see Keaton, warning him that Nathan may have dirt on him, but Keaton seems prepared. She also asks him for help with the San Pasquale situation.
Rebecca confides in Joan about her loneliness and distress at being surrounded by Secret Service or reporters constantly. Joan recommends speaking to Mackenzie about it. Gardner tries to take Rod off of the Keaton nomination so that he can handle it, but Rod is resistant. Meanwhile, Amy tries to see her mother but can’t because she is too busy.
In the situation room, the military outlines a limited air strike against San Pasquale to knock out their communications and power grid. Keaton and Mackenzie disagree and instead ask for a strike against San Pasquale’s coca fields to crush their drug trade, thereby robbing General Sanchez of the source of his authority. Gardner approves, but Nathan does not, citing the detrimental effects of the strike for both the United States and San Pasquale. Keaton catches up with Rod and says he’s changed his mind about Mackenzie and is willing to do whatever it takes to serve as her vice-president. Although Gardner is handling the nomination, he still wants Rod’s support.
Rebecca speaks to Mackenzie about her school situation and wants to transfer to a private school with her friends, but Mackenzie won’t let her. Kelly gives Mackenzie her address for the nation and she apologizes to Kelly for how she’s treated her lately. Mackenzie addresses the nation over live television and informs them of the San Pasquale crisis. The strike will target only a portion of the coca fields, in order to send a message without destroying the country. However, Mackenzie goes off-script to urge the citizens of San Pasquale to arrest General Sanchez and reinstate Duran, saying that American dusting of coca fields will continue until the country is free. Nathan is aghast at this. Kelly is left to explain Mackenzie’s statement to the press.
The air strike commences. The people of San Pasquale arrest General Sanchez and Duran is on his way back. At this, Mackenzie orders the air strike recalled. The episode ends as Amy comes to visit Mackenzie in her office, falling asleep on Rod’s lap. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 4, 2005 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:88215
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Presidents - United States
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2005-2006
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – ASPCA animal rights organization
- TV – Commercials – Aveeno skin lotion
- TV – Commercials – Barbie dolls
- TV – Commercials – Carnival cruise line
- TV – Commercials – Cheese Nips cheese crackers
- TV – Commercials – DHL shipping
- TV – Commercials – Diamond Trading Company diamond sellers
- TV – Commercials – Dove body lotion
- TV – Commercials – Firstgov.gov information site
- TV – Commercials – Go Girl Go! sports initiative
- TV – Commercials – Honda automobiles
- TV – Commercials – K-Mart department stores
- TV – Commercials – Kia automobiles
- TV – Commercials – LensCrafters eyewear
- TV – Commercials – L’oreal lip gloss
- TV – Commercials – MedlinePlus.gov medical information site
- TV – Commercials – O2 Optix contact lenses
- TV – Commercials – Oreo cookies
- TV – Commercials – Quaker Oatmeal Supreme instant oatmeal
- TV – Commercials – Requip restless leg syndrome medication
- TV – Commercials – Spot Bot stain remover
- TV – Commercials – Staples department stores
- TV – Commercials – Toasted Honey Crunch breakfast cereal
- TV – Commercials – Toyota automobiles
- TV – Commercials – Tyson chicken
- TV – Commercials – “In Her Shoes” motion picture
- TV – Commercials – “Jarhead” motion picture
- TV – Commercials – “The Family Stone” motion picture
- TV – Promos – “ABC Primetime”
- TV – Promos – “Boston Legal”
- TV – Promos – “Commander in Chief”
- TV – Promos – “Freddie”
- TV – Promos – “George Lopez”
- TV – Promos – “Hot Properties”
- TV – Promos – “Supernanny”
CREDITS
- Marc Frydman … Executive Producer
- Rod Lurie … Executive Producer, Director, Created by, Writer
- Dee Johnson … Executive Producer, Writer
- Geena Davis … Co-Executive Producer
- Allison Adler … Co-Executive Producer
- James Spies … Producer
- Alex Shevchenko … Associate Producer
- Anya Epstein … Supervising Producer
- Steven A. Cohen … Consulting Producer
- Stuart Stevens … Consulting Producer
- Crystal Nix Hines … Consulting Producer
- Larry Groupé … Music by, Theme Music by
- Geena Davis … Cast, President Mackenzie Allen
- Donald Sutherland … Cast, Nathan Templeton
- Harry Lennix … Cast, Jim Gardner
- Ever Carradine … Cast, Kelly Ludlow
- Kyle Secor … Cast, Rod Calloway
- Matt Lanter … Cast, Horace Calloway
- Caitlin Wachs … Cast, Rebecca Calloway
- Jasmine Anthony … Cast, Amy Calloway
- Peter Coyote … Cast, Warren Keaton
- Julie Ann Emery … Cast, Joan Greer
- Anthony Azizi … Cast, Vince Taylor
- Natasha Henstridge … Cast, Jayne Murray
- Mary Page Keller … Cast, Grace Bridges
- Kristen Shaw … Cast, Norah Woodruff
- Lisa Waltz … Cast, Alison Remarque
- Jason Wiles … Cast, Alex Williams
- Leslie Hope … Cast, Melanie Blackston
- Danny Mora … Cast, Juan Doran
- Michael O'Neill … Cast, Congressman Wilcox
- Jenna Gavigan … Cast, Jenny
- Stan Kelly … Cast, Roman Wolfe
- Kim Robillard … Cast, Principal Stokes
- Pamela Dunlap … Cast, Gilda Rockwell
- Ted Porter … Cast, Agent Elderson
- Hunter Allan … Cast, Tommy
- Hira Ambrosino … Cast, Laura
- Al Brown … Cast, General Pollack
- Brion Rose … Cast, Butler Sam
- J. Scott Shonka … Cast, Colonel Wesley
- Ned Vaughn … Cast, Reporter Charlie
- Kunal Sharma … Cast, A.J.
- Scott Williamson … Cast, Ralph Dolan DEA Chief
- Kate Jennings Grant … Cast, Reporter Samantha
- Steve Tom … Cast, Reporter Steve
- Steven Meek … Cast, Reporter #1
- Linda Shing … Cast, Reporter #2
- Wade Aaron … Cast, Reporter #3