Commander in Chief

OK, so I watched the new network show about the presidency -- being filled by a woman (my friend calls it Breast Wing) -- which premiered last night. There were some things to like, some cliches and some stuff that just left me scratching my head.

I like the premise -- the first female president, how her husband and family handle it, etc. Right off the bat, we meet her (Geena Davis), as she is in France trying to secure their help in getting the release of a Nigerian woman who is about to be stoned to death for adultery. When Geena becomes president, she is even more determined to free this woman -- but now she has the power of the free world behind her. When it's pointed out to Geena that the Islamic countries won't like a female president (people are trying to get her to resign so the Speaker, Donald Sutherland, can take over), she says they'll just have to get used to it.

While I applaud the writers for diving into this particular subject matter (lord knows the West Wing screws it up every time they try), they certainly oversimplified a HUGE thing going on. First, gee.... it's great that she wants to rescue this one woman. But this isn't realistic. She can't butt her -- and our air force -- into Nigeria's business like that. And does she intend to do this for every woman who stands ready to be stoned? And in only Nigeria or every country? The climax scene had her bringing the Nigerian ambassador into what I'm guessing was the situation room. There, she lays out their plan to send a commando unit to extract the woman. The ambassador backs down and says he'll call the big cheese. HOLD THE PHONE FOLKS. Isn't stuff like that supposed to be covert? Do you really announce you're going to invade another country?! Doesn't make sense to me. Of course, Hollywood style, Nigeria cooperates and as Geena gives her first big speech to the country, the woman is turned over to our troops (who were allowed to land there?!?!). I think a more suitable, realistic ending would have been that as the President gives her speech, we see the woman killed anyway. Now THAT would have been something.