S01.E06: The Call

[thewhiteowl]

 

Elizabeth faces unexpected consequences when she makes a plea to the President to help with a dire situation in Western Africa.

 

[Netfoot]

There is no chemistry between Matt & Daisy.  The least believable fiction in this show, is that they have a thing going on.  Whenever there is a scene with them engaging in some slap & tickle, I feel irritated that screen-time that could perhaps further the story-line is being wasted.

 

So, they find out LGJr is into running drugs/guns, which forces them to come up with a new plan: Pay off the Warlords using money which they will funnel through... the  very same gun and drug running LGJr???

[mrsdalgliesh]

Oh show.  Sigh.  Still pretty, still passing the Bechdel test, but not much else.   I think they missed a prime opportunity this week -- to have Elizabeth (and husband) be unable to fix something.   For just a moment, I thought they might go there.  Show what a heartbreaking job this would be.  Make the case *for* people in Africa by showing what happens when we don't act.  Add some sliver of realism to the proceedings.

 

What was I thinking?  The state department on this show is being run by about 8 people.  Not a single under- or deputy secretary of any country or region.  Realism?  Yeah, right.

 

In the only good news, Erich Bergen has been taking eyebrow acting lessons from Alan Cumming.  Excellent reaction shot during the speech.

[shapeshifter]

As borderline cheesy (and maybe even in poor taste) as it was, I have to admit to watery eyes when Nadine toasted her mother's father who had not survived genocide.

[wonderwoman]

" The state department on this show is being run by about 8 people. Not a single under- or deputy secretary of any country or region."

And where, pray tell, is the secretary of defense, whom, one might expect, to be consulted before ground troops are committed? Another thing that drives me nuts: how Elizabeth seems to plunge ahead on pure emotion. No matter how dire the situation, even a modicum of research would have revealed the priest's issues. Of course, then the episode would have been over in 10 minutes -- or, things could have gotten really interesting.

Edited October 27, 2014 by wonderwoman

[Morbs]

The show just strains so hard to include Elizabeth's family in the action.  First Pakistan wants her husband to change a grade, then his Professor needs a favor to prevent genocide.  Why didn't they just make him a White House staffer?

[Beach Party]

The show couldn't last a full episode with Nadine under suspicion?  I was hoping for a multi-episode intricate storyline to reveal more complexities about Nadine.   Instead I learn that Nadine drinks often.

 

Chief of Staff Russell always loses against Elizabeth.  The President has ended up siding with Elizabeth over Russell time after time.  He's got to win some of the time to create more tension and be an antagonist.  Now he just seems like a pathetic little man.

[Kromm]

Least convincing "African locales" ever.  It looked like what it was.  A little piece of land in Burbank badly set dressed.

 

Also. Hello.  This nation has a military and a guy in charge of it (below the President and his "Assistant President" the Chief of Staff, I mean).  Are we ever going to meet this person?  Or just hear throw away lines that he's on the other end of a phone line?

 

At the very least we FINALLY got close (if not all the way there) to Elizabeth saying to Mr. Assistant President "you know, you're not actually my boss".  The stuff about "I'm the Secretary of State and you'll speak to me with respect" and her assertion that he could only pass on a message about her firing came close (even though by next episode I'm sure he'll be back to giving her direct orders).

Edited October 27, 2014 by Kromm

[Big Bad Wolf]

Blake is my favorite character on this show.

 

The speech writing couple's romantic dalliance storyline is something I could totally do without.

[myril]

Oh show.  Sigh.  Still pretty, still passing the Bechdel test, but not much else.   I think they missed a prime opportunity this week -- to have Elizabeth (and husband) be unable to fix something.   For just a moment, I thought they might go there.  Show what a heartbreaking job this would be.  Make the case *for* people in Africa by showing what happens when we don't act.  Add some sliver of realism to the proceedings.

 

What was I thinking?  The state department on this show is being run by about 8 people.  Not a single under- or deputy secretary of any country or region.  Realism?  Yeah, right.

 

Unrealistic, as most TV series meant to entertain are rather unrealistic (I know from doctors saying, they just can't watch any hospital or doctors show, too many things driving them nuts, being unrealistic, and can only guess, that a lot of law and crime shows are not much better, particular for forensic scientists). Politics, administration is a lot of time spend with meetings of the more uneventful kind, plenty of tiresome paperwork, reading tons of tiresome paperwork. Not really the material for any entertaining story telling, maybe interesting for a student of political science (well, I was one, lol), but not that much of a thrill for prime time evening TV entertainment. Bringing in plenty of faces for just a few minutes, a scene, a line, could be confusing. But it gives a wrong sense of things, seeing pretty much only closest staff to secretary and get not much of an idea of the rest of the department, undersecretaries and offices, aside that there is a bigger place, with people buzzing in the background at times.

 

As I see it though, this is not a show about the work of Secretary of State, this is a show about a woman in a power work position, juggling her work, her family and how staying true to herself in a work field that demands a lot of compromises, a woman who happens to be the Secretary of State in a fictional timeline. I take some of what they show as only snippets from all what happened, that which is important to the story they want to tell, the focus they have on the show.

 

Agreed this episode was a bit more of a stretch.

 

Agree, it could have done the show good to up stakes at this point already. It can take painstakingly long to set something in motion sometimes, if you get it into motion at all. The frustration it means, that you have the means, more or less, and still might not be able to do something. Policies. Even without the reveal of the drug connection, shady doings of the priest friend, it could have taken some more talks and diplomacy. Aside that even as right as intervening with force looks it still is challenging. Remember long debates we had in the 90s about intervention first in Bosnia, later in Kosovo. It hasn't gotten any easier when looking at most recent events in middle east - and saying that as someone who studied to see things not just from ethics but POV of practical politics and policies, and that was how we discussed things. Politics, policies can suck.

 

For me it was less a problem of realism, that they didn't show all getting involved who would be involved in such decision (national security council?) but that it happened in a few days (more or less it seemed over night), with little discussion at all. And then that, miracle of miracles, the troops were there and all seemingly good in the end. Wonder if they consider to bring it up again, showing that a lot more might come with it, questions, demands, obligations, organisation. We set things in motion and then leave the rest to deal with to who? How to secure and make situation better with lasting perspective? That  was all a bit too much good old U.S. cowboy show to me here. Yeah, I know, people with European background and education, always nagging, no wonder we never get things done ;) But that is what can be a challenge in such a job, you make decisions and have to deal with a lot of follow up, things you saw coming, other you didn't, and you might curse the day for it, and still know, what you did was morally right.

 

Nevertheless find the show entertaining so far. One of the better shows to watch.

 

 

The show couldn't last a full episode with Nadine under suspicion?  I was hoping for a multi-episode intricate storyline to reveal more complexities about Nadine.   Instead I learn that Nadine drinks often.

 

Was wondering, under suspicion for what? Not being all on Elizabeth's side? Divided about this investigation. She had to do it, don't mind that, Elizabeth is in a position, where knowing where loyalties lie, and if there are eventually other problematic things better to know about, is important. But I think dragging it out for couple of episodes, that Nadine might have some skeletons in her closet, might thwart Elizabeth's work because of some hidden agenda of hers, would have been somehow worn out cliche. Though there don't seem to be any dangerous skeletons for the time being, still wouldn't underestimate Nadine nor think, all is now good and happy between these two strong, complex and powerful women, but for the moment they might have a good level of trust based on mutual respect and willingness to make it work. Nevertheless expect some conflicts between them.

 

Loved the speech meeting at the beginning.

Elizabeth: "Thank you. And now I am going to barf... because this speech is so terrible."

and later

Nadine: "... that each word needs to be polished. And considerate. And correct."

Elizabeth: "Just an FYI. Words like that make my eye twitch."

Yes, I can laugh about that despite being someone being cautious with words most of the time, and believing it is right to be, but still one should actually say something with substance and not prattle nice words for the sake of the words.

 

It was clear she would deviate from the speech later, but nice reactions shots of her staff during that speech.

Edited October 27, 2014 by katusch

[AncientSand]

Oh show.  Sigh.  Still pretty, still passing the Bechdel test, but not much else.   I think they missed a prime opportunity this week -- to have Elizabeth (and husband) be unable to fix something.   For just a moment, I thought they might go there.  Show what a heartbreaking job this would be.  Make the case *for* people in Africa by showing what happens when we don't act.  Add some sliver of realism to the proceedings.

 

Dang, I really enjoyed this episode until you posted this.  This sounds like a lot better tv.

[dubbel zout]

Least convincing "African locales" ever.  It looked like what it was.  A little piece of land in Burbank badly set dressed.

 

I found all of that so embarrassing to watch.

 

I usually ditch this show halfway through to watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine; does every episode end on such a self-righteous note? I agree that it would be nice to see Elizabeth be unable to fix the crisis du jour. The world is a very messy place. I don't think viewers will mind if the show delves into that just a bit.

Edited October 27, 2014 by dubbel zout

[teebax]

I know it's early in the season, but I'm already tired of her "winning" all the time. It'd be nice to see how she handles a failure. And I agree that her emotional knee-jerk actions should have way more consequence than they seem to. But I love Tea Leoni and Bebe, so I'm sticking around for now.

[Beach Party]

 

Was wondering, under suspicion for what? Not being all on Elizabeth's side?

Elizabeth suspected Nadine on treason; passing information on that 20 minute phone call.

[myril]

Elizabeth suspected Nadine on treason; passing information on that 20 minute phone call.

 

At the beginning it was more "fishing", as Beth told Blake herself, generally looking for whatever dubious or critical for her work could be there, whatever possible dirt, no specific suspicion. She asked Blake to look into Nadine after the incident with the Chief Negotiator Allan Bollings, who had lied to her and didn't make the offer he was told to make, following his own (and allegedly former Secretary's) ideas. The 20 minutes phone call to some of the main supporters of Nadine's former boss was what came up in when Blake was digging into her activities.  As Beth is now going to investigate her predecessor, March. I am more surprised she didn't already start that earlier, but maybe only little time has passed since she took the job and she was busy. Sorry, was maybe more of a rhetorical question, I didn't expect them to find much.

Edited October 27, 2014 by katusch

[crgirl412]

I think the premise of this show could become an excellent show in the hands of FX a la "The Americans" type of writers, directors producers, etc.  I feel like it's too fast and disjointed.  The Good Wife has good pacing but I'm not sure MS will.

[Netfoot]

This show might benefit from a few incidents that take longer than one episode to resolve.  There can be a resolution each episode (happy or sad, success or failure) but it might be a resolution to something that cropped up in the previous episode, or perhaps two, three, or more episodes back.

 

Every issue is not going to have an immediately implementable, quick-acting solution.  Also, it is unreasonable to suggest that problems neatly wait their turn, with no issue surfacing until the previous issue is completely resolved.  The office of the Secretary of State surely must frequently have to multi-task between different, unrelated situations.

 

I like Téa Leoni and I'm enjoying the show as light entertainment, rather than serious drama.  But it wouldn't hurt to diverge from the simplistic One Problem/One Solution formula.  And I don't think it would be any more difficult to write or shoot.  If they've got several scripts waiting, each with it's own crisis to resolve, they'd just have to shoot and edit the scenes together into episodes with different crises running concurrently, and as the resolution to one crisis was achieved, introduce new crises as they go.

[superguard9]

Sure, this week was yet another ridiculous plot where someone is using Henry to get a favor from the Secretary of State, but I won't complain about anything that puts more Tim Daly on my screen

[ShellSeeker]

Oh show.  Sigh.  Still pretty, still passing the Bechdel test, but not much else.   I think they missed a prime opportunity this week -- to have Elizabeth (and husband) be unable to fix something.   For just a moment, I thought they might go there.  Show what a heartbreaking job this would be.  Make the case *for* people in Africa by showing what happens when we don't act.  Add some sliver of realism to the proceedings.

 

Yeah, I kind of felt the same way. We're only a few episodes in though. To me it had the feel of wanting to lay the foundation of Elizabeth as the unconventional, rebellious, goes-with-her-gut SoS, unlike her predecessor. I think that's already been established -- to the point of being tiresome and redundant -- but that's how the whole episode played to me.

 

Overall I think this show is OK. And like superguard9 said, anything that puts more Tim Daly is on my TV can only be a good thing.

[Netfoot]

To me it had the feel of wanting to lay the foundation of Elizabeth as the unconventional, rebellious, goes-with-her-gut SoS, unlike her predecessor.

 

The trouble is, she's starting to come across as some sort if political loose cannon, rolling around on the deck of the Whitehouse.  She chooses her own heart/gut over wider political expediency every time.  You don't stay in a position of high office very long, behaving like that.

[iMonrey]

 

I like Téa Leoni and I'm enjoying the show as light entertainment, rather than serious drama.  But it wouldn't hurt to diverge from the simplistic One Problem/One Solution formula.  And I don't think it would be any more difficult to write or shoot.

 

Agreed. The actors are entirely watchable, but the problem with a premise like this is that it almost has to take place in an alternate reality where different things are going on in the world. And that makes it just a little too ambitious. I realize they probably figure they need really big crises every week, but that's not why I'm still watching. I'm more interested in the characters and the nuts and bolts of their jobs, so it wouldn't hurt to have Elizabeth stumble over something a bit more mundane from time to time, like a simple mistranslation to a foreign dignitary, or using some botched statistics in an important speech. She doesn't have to save the world every week. 

 

Same goes for her family. Let them do a story about Henry, or even one of the kids, that doesn't have anything to do with her job.

 

This isn't Wonder Woman, after all.

[Tim McD]

There is no chemistry between Matt & Daisy.  The least believable fiction in this show, is that they have a thing going on.

 

 

When two TV characters talk about having sex with each other, my brain can't help but immediately visualize it. In this case it makes for a bizarre visual.

 

Bad-ass Marine fighter pilot, hotshot popular college professor, and you got all straight A's in school: screw you Tim Daly.

 

Sure would love to have a scene where POTUS acts like something resembling a human earth creature.

[FozzyBear]

Stevie: Do you remember when I called you because I was scared to go on a field trip in the 3rd grade?

Me: no, but I remeber when you were scared to be a grown up and dropped out of college to "work on your novel" 2 weeks ago so shut up and transfer to a community college far, far away you spoiled, entitled little shit.

[TomGirl]

"No guns for foil" was the best line of the night!

[needschocolate]

Late to the party here ----

 

So Beth's "investigator" spends and afternoon or two looking at some records, spots a suspicious 20 minute phone call, which turns out to be okay, and is told by a tipsy Nadine that she is good at her job, and the whole investigation is over?  For people that will keep looking for a solution no matter how many times the President and the powerful Chief of Staff turn them down, they sure give up easily.  

 

I think the "romance" between the two staffers is supposed to provide some levity so the viewers won't get too depressed with the crisis of the week, but the ones upset by the crisis are the kids.  The rest of us are just upset at the supposed romance.