Téa Leoni
Tim Daly
Željko Ivanek
Bebe Neuwirth
Patina Miller
Geoffrey Arend
Erich Bergen
Sebastian Arcelus
Evan Roe
Wallis Currie-Wood

Created by:
Barbara Hall

2014-
Drama
CBS
TV-PG

“Madam Secretary,” created, written, and co-executive produced by Barbara Hall and co-executive produced by Morgan Freeman (via his production company, Revelations Entertainment), plays in the same sandbox as “The Good Wife” and “The West Wing,” but the first episode places it in a corner far away from the big kids. Tonally, it’s a great fit with “The Good Wife” on Sunday nights, however, it’s a bit too soft stylistically. Its themes are strong, but the writing showcased in its first episode is a bit weak. It’s professional, but it’s not special. It needs to be much sharper.

Despite the shortcomings of that episode, I have a good feeling about “Madam Secretary.” First of all, Téa Leoni is a pleasure to watch. She has an ease to her acting that’s appealing, and I buy her in the role of a former CIA agent turned college professor turned Secretary of State. She always seems to understand what’s going on without telegraphing it. Second of all, the rest of the cast, filled mostly with acting veterans, does a good job of supporting her. Third of all, while the first episode doesn’t have the immediate urgency of “The Good Wife” or the loftiness and dynamic writing of “The West Wing,” it is well-executed.

While there’s nothing new here, that doesn’t bother me much. It does feel very familiar, though. For instance: The first episode features two American teens who are captured in Syria; Leoni’s titular character thinks she’s out of government, but, of course, that’s not for long; she has kids who will prove to be annoying; she resists the idea of having a stylist, but acquiesces later on; the President’s Chief of Staff feels threatened by her close relationship with the President; and so on.

I hope that the writers will begin to develop the overarching story of “Madam Secretary” in a plausible yet engrossing way. By the way, they should either drop the lame attempts at humor or find some better jokes, stat. All of the pieces are in place, so it will be up to the writers (at this point, the writer, creator, and showrunner, Barbara Hall) to pull it off. …

After finishing the first season of “Madam Secretary,” I’m happy to note that this show gets into a nice groove by the end of this season. While it still isn’t as compelling as it could be, the plot moves along just enough to warrant watching it. Plus, there’s a current of optimism that flows underneath it, even during its tensest moments. I hope the next season gets even better, because “Madam Secretary” still has plenty of room to grow.

Verdict: Good Overall

About: (Source: madamsecretary)

MADAM SECRETARY stars Tèa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. A college professor and a brilliant former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, Elizabeth returns to public life at the request of the President following the suspicious death of her predecessor. The President values her apolitical leanings, her deep knowledge of the Middle East, her flair for languages and her ability to not just think outside the box, but to not even acknowledge there is a box. McCord’s team includes her Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver, speechwriter Matt Mahoney, press coordinator Daisy Grant and her charming assistant Blake Moran. When McCord debates third world problems, finesses foreign dignitaries at work and does battle with the President’s combative Chief of Staff Russell Jackson, it’s just a warm-up for when she goes home to her supportive husband, Henry, and their two bright children, where “politics” and “compromise” take on new meaning.