S02.E01: The Show Must Go On

[thewhiteowl]

The President’s plane is declared missing and Elizabeth is thrust into a situation of power she never imagined possible. Also, Henry butts heads with his new Defense Intelligence Agency handler, Jane Fellows, when he’s asked to recruit one of his Russian students for the NSA.

 

 

[missbonnie]

Oh holy Hannah that was some good TV right there! I have missed this show so, so much that I can even overlook the talent show addition.

[secnarf]

That was an incredible episode and I am reminded of exactly why I watch this show.

I even loved the talent show at the end. I thought it was hilarious.

[betsyboo]

As a complete Broadway nerd, to have 3 broadway stars who have made the move to TV finally get to sing - it was wonderful! Now if only SVU could enter Barba in a karaoke contest... And a Eli/Diane drunken mashup on TGW would be DIVINE.

 

I felt bad for Stevie (and normally I do not like Stevie). She just wanted her Dad's advice!

Edited October 5, 2015 by betsyboo

[tom87]

First thought was if  Madame Secretary  sings when she has two Tony winners (and another Bway performer) on her staff I question her leadership.

 

Also Stevie is still being Stevie.  Meh.   Otherwise an enjoyable episode.

Edited October 5, 2015 by tom87

[MerBearHou]

Welcome back, favorite show! Good stuff, lots of interesting storylines. I thought Mr. Madam Secretary's reaction as a dad -- after he stopped being Lou Reed when he heard about the heroin -- was so spot-on. Stevie cannot get out of her own way, particularly when it comes to men. Loved the 3 amazing singers. I've never heard Daisy/Patina sing before, but my goodness! I was already a musical fan of Bebe and Erich Bergen so that was a treat. Madam Secretary's brief time as president was well-done, including her trepidation and the magnitude of it. We'll see how the malware "act of war" plays out.

Edited October 5, 2015 by MerBearHou

[Kromm]

At least they finally addressed the fact that she's fourth in line for the Presidency, even if it was in the silliest way possible.

 

I'm sure the guy who isn't anywhere in the chain of succession, Russell, will be back to trying to boss her around by next episode.  Oh wait, he did it this episode anyway.

Edited October 5, 2015 by Kromm

[Guest]

This was the most Russell has ever gotten on my nerves. Back off bossing around the acting president.

The plot was just so contrived that I'm having trouble with it. But it was still a good show. I'm so glad it is back!

[Netfoot]

Nice to see Téa back again.  I enjoyed the show.  It was obvious as soon as the VP raalphed on a dignitary, that she would be president-for-a-day.  Equally obvious the President would return safe and sound.  Sorry to see that #3 in the chain of command can be a drooling imbecile and nobody know about it.

 

I hope the introduction of the new security advisor means Téa has someone to knock heads with.  Also, the non-appearance of Asshole with Dog is encouraging.  Nice to see her give Russell Jackson the smackdown.  Thing is, I thought as SecState she had the authority to do that any time she liked.

 

Stevie -- well, she seems to be the usual disaster waiting to happen.  Why did she even tell her OM about the heroin?  Even safe-houses have to have a karzi.  Why didn't she flush it?  She could still discuss it with her dad or whoever, but why walk around with it? The whole "help us blackmail one of your students" thing just rang untrue.  Why would he ever agree to that?

 

Not particularly fond of the singing and dancing, but they did a pretty good job, I guess.  And now it's been done, it need NEVER be done again.

[Kromm]

I hope the introduction of the new security advisor means Téa has someone to knock heads with.  Also, the non-appearance of Asshole with Dog is encouraging.  Nice to see her give Russell Jackson the smackdown.  Thing is, I thought as SecState she had the authority to do that any time she liked.

Russell is a petty tin pot little dictator who's authority isn't laid out by law. In a way it's like the Vice-President, only not even in the succession.  A Chief of Staff has very few formal duties or authority, so it's all assumed from what a President hands out and whatever power the office holder grabs and holds himself. The SecState is totally outside anyone's authority other than the President himself, so Russell even daring to talk down to her and giving her outright orders half the time is him basically acting (as I've joked in previous episodes) like he's a Mini-President. 

[shapeshifter]

I thought by the end of last season that Russell and Elizabeth had become allies, or at least frenemies. What happened over the hiatus to make him even more dickish that last season? Not liking it.

That was an incredible episode and I am reminded of exactly why I watch this show.

I even loved the talent show at the end. I thought it was hilarious.

Yes, but I thought Nadine's bare shoulders were inappropriate for such a multicultural schmooze fest of diplomacy. Ruined it for me.

Mr. Madam Secretary's reaction as a dad -- after he stopped being Lou Reed when he heard about the heroin -- was so spot-on. Stevie cannot get out of her own way, particularly when it comes to men.

Just like with the L&O SVU weekly PTV review "Finn speaks for us all," I thought maybe the writers had read some of fan complaints about Stevie and decided to give us a voice through Professor Captain Arm Candy.

[TeapotDiva]

It was so good to see Jill Hennessy again, and SO good to see a woman in her late 40's who looks like a woman in her 40's, and, oh yes, is very attractive.  I'm so sick of seeing women on TV (many of them in their 20's and 30's) whose faces are as stiff and shiny as a Barbie doll's!

[Scott]

I do enjoy this show.  And I was going to be happy with Bebe Neuwirth singing, but getting Bergen and Miller as well actually made the gargantuan amount of cheesiness seem enjoyable.

[anonymiss]

Also, the non-appearance of Asshole with Dog is encouraging. 

I take it you're not a fan of Ted from Mad Men? ;) I didn't think he was so bad last season, not any worse than her aides when they were on their own little soap opera.

Edited October 5, 2015 by anonymiss

[SunFun]

Love this show. Makes Sunday a must-view TV night for me. I ate up everything they fed me tonight.

 

Russell is a class-A jerk for feeling entitled to bully Elizabeth. He reeked of resentment and jealousy in this episode.  I think he represented some men's barely disguised resistance to losing male societal dominance. Not that he's self-aware enough to realize it. Elizabeth handled him with calm confidence.

 

The addle-minded Senator should NOT have been a surprise to anyone. Yet, there have certainly been plenty of them in real life who keep their jobs.

[CooperTV]

We need to ask mods to bring this thread on top, as this show is ongoing.

 

Great episode! I enjoyed the new conspiracy unraveling. I hope it'll pay off nicely. Elizabeth being POTUS for a day was nicely done, and the fact that Morgan Freeman was the Judge that took her oath was awesome! Russel was cagey and jerky but I think he's always loyal to his POTUS first, so it's understandable he got extra-paranoid with Elizabeth. Zeljko Ivanek is soo good in the role, I like him here a lot.

 

I'm not sure about Henry recruiting spies under pretenses of his "day" job. Weird storyline with unclear results.

 

Stevie is still acting like she's a 16-years-old. JFC, Stevie, can you move to South America or in a war zone to help refugees? Maybe it'd make you an actual adult, for a change. Or at least, a little bit smarter? Henry went ballistic on her (understandable, really) but that was a wrong approach. They should stop coddle and manage her, or she'd stuck like that, immature and idiotic.

 

The Pacific Rim Talent Show was a thing of beauty! I was laughing so hard!

[candall]

Oh, good!  I thought I was the only one who loved this show with a passion.

 

Russell was beyond beyond tonight.  Barking out instructions to the assistant to dial down the respect???  Having Elizabeth take her stand with the jailed reporter seemed exactly the right amount of power wield.

 

I'd buy an album of those three singing--mmmm, Bebe's alto purr--even if the songs were about fair trade agreements.  I'm just a bill, here on Capitol Hill. . .

[Bobcatkitten]

I felt like I missed something completely. Russell's interactions with the secretary were 180 degrees off from where we last left off. It came out of nowhere how rude he was. Loved her putting him in his place though. 

[Julie23]

Loved everything about this show tonight except Stevie. Still don't like her or want to have her take up minutes on this show that could be filled with Dr. Captain Arm Candy, Singing SOS minions, or Morgan freaking Freeman!

Edited October 5, 2015 by Julie23

[Guest]

I felt like I missed something completely. Russell's interactions with the secretary were 180 degrees off from where we last left off. It came out of nowhere how rude he was. Loved her putting him in his place though. 

 

Initially, I thought maybe he was snapping at her as a result of the stress he was feeling, but then it came off as worse than that the longer it went on.  

[kwnyc]

At least they finally addressed the fact that she's fourth in line for the Presidency, even if it was in the silliest way possible.

 

And it will be interesting if there is some repercussion of #3 being senile/altered. And thank goodness his aide was honest when asked if the Senator was capable of being acting president.

 

Surely the media & public would want to know why the #4 in succession had to be sworn in. AND...would the Speaker of the House have been on the same flight as the President? I know they are careful about not putting so many people in the same place at once).

 

I wonder if some of the hostility by Russell (and perhaps Conrad's treatment of Bess over the NSA advisor) is due to her "numbers." I wonder if that is going to be a plotline this season? 

Edited October 5, 2015 by kwnyc

[AriAu]

Russell is a petty tin pot little dictator who's authority isn't laid out by law. In a way it's like the Vice-President, only not even in the succession.  A Chief of Staff has very few formal duties or authority, so it's all assumed from what a President hands out and whatever power the office holder grabs and holds himself. The SecState is totally outside anyone's authority other than the President himself, so Russell even daring to talk down to her and giving her outright orders half the time is him basically acting (as I've joked in previous episodes) like he's a Mini-President.

 

The chief of staff's role, or lack thereof given the line of succession, in such an emergency was done M U C H better in The West Wing.....twice, except there, everyone, including the "acting president (even tho was the real president as Madam Secretary, quickly figured out), lworshiped and trusted the chief of staff completely.

In real life, the chief of staff has the best grip on everything that is going on and is rarely out of the loop n anything and has been fully briefed on all emergency protocals and likely has the highest security clearance. He may not be officially her boss, but in the real world, he does have authority over her due to the power the President wields-this may not be right, but it is how it goes in most White Houses. Problem here is that Russell is an adversary for our hero and therefore is sketched to be comically evil except when the story fits. We all hated him for allowing Madam Secretary's nemesis to be appointed, but he ws just doing the President's bidding and likely what was best...even in not best for Elizabeth McCord.

I did like her using the pardon power...wish she had ordered something bizarre from the kitchen like in The Contender when the president for fun decided to order a grilled cheese sandwich with muenster cheese.

Edited October 5, 2015 by AriAu

[thewhiteowl]

Unlike the latter part of last season this really held my attention. I enjoyed Madam President's complete discomfort in the role and I think Russell came of as defensively rude. He really, really didn't want to tell her about the new hire as NSA. He and the Prez came off as really shady about that. I think they are butt hurt with her approval ratings.

[Kromm]

And it will be interesting if there is some repercussion of #3 being senile/altered. And thank goodness his aide was honest when asked if the Senator was capable of being acting president.

There won't be. He was a throw away character we've never been introduced to before.  There's no reason to think we'll ever see him or hear about him again. His story will simply be resolved off-screen.

[Kromm]

In real life, the chief of staff has the best grip on everything that is going on and is rarely out of the loop n anything and has been fully briefed on all emergency protocals and likely has the highest security clearance. He may not be officially her boss, but in the real world, he does have authority over her due to the power the President wields-this may not be right, but it is how it goes in most White Houses.

I don't think it's that simple. The power structure of The White House is fluid--not just between administrations but even occasionally within the same one. The CoS MAY have a good part of the President's authority, but then again even the Vice President could in some administrations. 

 

In effect though the Secretary of State is the most senior Cabinet member, and that's pretty set in stone.  These days a head of Homeland or the NSA might have some serious power too, but it's worth noting that the head of Homeland, while in the succession, is 17th--behind even the head of Veterans Affairs. It's a weird kind of duality that there are these parallel executive branch employees that have their own power bases outside of the Cabinet, but that's the reality we live in.

[Guest]

In real life, the chief of staff has the best grip on everything that is going on and is rarely out of the loop n anything and has been fully briefed on all emergency protocals and likely has the highest security clearance. He may not be officially her boss, but in the real world, he does have authority over her due to the power the President wields-this may not be right, but it is how it goes in most White Houses. 

 

I think the issue is that the chief of staff has the most knowledge and probably ability to run things day to day.  However, the Secretary of State has the authority. I also highly doubt that the Chief of Staff has higher security clearance - maybe equal, but I don't think anyone outside of the President would have higher clearance. In the real world, I would expect the Secretary of State and Chief of Staff to work together very closely at a time like this.  But that wouldn't have made for as good of a show, I suppose.

[Kromm]

Well think about it this way.  The CoS is not Senate approved. He's technically an employee, not an appointment. 

 

As they tried to imply in the early episodes, the main responsibility is as a Gatekeeper. Deciding and controlling who SEES the President and managing the President's schedule.

 

He or she is also the head of all White House staff. So everyone from the cleaners, to the chefs, to the policymaking staff, depending.

 

H. R. Haldeman is probably the one who changed all of this.  Note that the bloated role the office-holders have sometimes had all came down to how a criminal did the job.

[Guest]

Well think about it this way.  The CoS is not Senate approved. He's technically an employee, not an appointment. 

 

 

 

I read this and thought "Good point. They even pointed that out last night." But then I remembered that I was mixing it up with an episode of West Wing that I watched this weekend.  Oops.

 

But yes.  Chief of Staff isn't approved by anyone, isn't voted in, confirmed, etc.  The people in the line of succession have faced a scrutiny that the Chief of Staff has not.  

[Netfoot]

He may not be officially her boss, but in the real world, he does have authority over her due to the power the President wields-this may not be right, but it is how it goes in most White Houses.

 

She needs to talk to the president.  The conversation should go like this:

 

"Mr. President, I may have to kiss your ass around here, but I do not have to kiss his.  Tell that little munchkin that I am the Secretary of State, and that from now on, when I walk into a room, he had better genuflect!"

[shapeshifter]

I was disappointed by the depiction of the mentally impaired senator, largely because of having seen my own father's recent decline. The senator seemed too sharp except for his knowledge of presidents. It would have been more believable if he had noticeably shuffled (gait is one of the first signs of dementia and is also effected by stroke), and it should have been more difficult to get his attention and to make it clear he was being asked what is the name of the sitting president.

Oh well. It worked for TV.

[whatsatool]

Agree about dementia. But maybe it was a stroke. Best part was three part Harmony. Where is our recap.

Edited October 5, 2015 by whatsatool

[Calamity Jane]

It was so good to see Jill Hennessy again, and SO good to see a woman in her late 40's who looks like a woman in her 40's, and, oh yes, is very attractive.  I'm so sick of seeing women on TV (many of them in their 20's and 30's) whose faces are as stiff and shiny as a Barbie doll's!

My thoughts precisely!! 

[Texasmom1970]

It was so good to see Jill Hennessy again, and SO good to see a woman in her late 40's who looks like a woman in her 40's, and, oh yes, is very attractive. I'm so sick of seeing women on TV (many of them in their 20's and 30's) whose faces are as stiff and shiny as a Barbie doll's!

I love her, watched "Crossing Jordan" to death, she is still so beautiful! I hope we get to see her on the show again in the future. Did anyone else think it was funny that Morgan Freeman was swearing Tea in as acting president. In the movie "Deep Impact" he plays the President and her a news anchor, too funny!

Edited October 6, 2015 by Texasmom1970

[eimSD]

One thing I loved in this episode was Elizabeth's reaction to the idea of performing in the talent show. Thought it humanized her, it's the first time she wasn't ultra confident and competent at something, as she has been in the most extremely difficult situations...

[Desiree]

I was so beyond excited that this show was back last night and over the moon to see Jill Hennessy. I really hope she's a recurring character, I'd even love to see Dr. Captain Arm Candy introduce her to Elizabeth. As ludicrous as that would be, I really want to see Tea and Jill play opposite each other. 

 

I love the way Elizabeth got her dig into Russell at the end of her presidential "term". Her, almost softly spoken, "the president can do whatever she wants to do" in relation to the pardon, but definitely meant as an FU to Russell with regards to his response to why he didn't try to get the president to consult her on the appointment. Using his owns words against him, it was fantastic! Russell needs to be put in his place, but Elizabeth shouldn't need the president to do that for her. She just needs to assert herself and little things like what she did last night are a nice start. 

[Kromm]

I love her, watched "Crossing Jordan" to death, she is still so beautiful! I hope we get to see her on the show again in the future.

My only fear with Jill Hennesey is that she's age appropriate for Professor Mr. Madame Secretary Superhero Spy Jet Fighter Pilot.  And there were slight flirtatious overtones to their scenes (not overt ones admittedly). So I hope they don't go there.

[Athena5217]

Surely the media & public would want to know why the #4 in succession had to be sworn in. AND...would the Speaker of the House have been on the same flight as the President? I know they are careful about not putting so many people in the same place at once).

 

Earlier this year Obama and Boehner flew on Air Force One together to attend a funeral in Charleston. So I don't know how often it happens, but it does happen. The rest of the episode was totally unbelievable though. Wait, I take that back. Except for the plane travel AND Stevie bring an idiot, the rest was far-fetched.

[j5cochran]

Earlier this year Obama and Boehner flew on Air Force One together to attend a funeral in Charleston. So I don't know how often it happens, but it does happen. The rest of the episode was totally unbelievable though. Wait, I take that back. Except for the plane travel AND Stevie bring an idiot, the rest was far-fetched.

 

When Senator Robert Byrd died in 2010, the memorial service in Charleston, West Virginia, was attended by President Obama, Vice President Biden, then Speaker of the House Pelosi, then Senate Majority Leader Reid, then Senate minority leader McConnell, as well as former President Clinton and the entire West Virginia Congressional delegation.  I don't know if they all traveled together on the same plane from Washington, but if so, a crash of that plane would have put Senator Inouye into the Oval Office, with Secretary Clinton right behind him.

[bros402]

I was disappointed by the depiction of the mentally impaired senator, largely because of having seen my own father's recent decline. The senator seemed too sharp except for his knowledge of presidents. It would have been more believable if he had noticeably shuffled (gait is one of the first signs of dementia and is also effected by stroke), and it should have been more difficult to get his attention and to make it clear he was being asked what is the name of the sitting president.

Oh well. It worked for TV.

 

I thought they stated the reason for his memory loss was a series of mini strokes - most likely ones that affected his memory.

 

When Senator Robert Byrd died in 2010, the memorial service in Charleston, West Virginia, was attended by President Obama, Vice President Biden, then Speaker of the House Pelosi, then Senate Majority Leader Reid, then Senate minority leader McConnell, as well as former President Clinton and the entire West Virginia Congressional delegation.  I don't know if they all traveled together on the same plane from Washington, but if so, a crash of that plane would have put Senator Inouye into the Oval Office, with Secretary Clinton right behind him.

 

From what is public knowledge, I am pretty sure that if the P and VP travel together, the speaker cannot travel with them. They can all be in a place at once, but there must be a designated survivor - who gets moved to a secure location, typically during events like the State of the Union. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designated_survivor

 

There's a listing of some of the designated survivors.

[kwnyc]

I think one of the long-running delights of the show is the wonkiness of having to know/being able to explain things like the line of succession, and have them be a major plot point.

[Xantar]

So wait. Is the Pacific Rim talent show a real thing? Did John Kerry have to sing in order to get the TPP passed?

[Notwisconsin]

Russell is a petty tin pot little dictator who's authority isn't laid out by law. In a way it's like the Vice-President, only not even in the succession.  A Chief of Staff has very few formal duties or authority, so it's all assumed from what a President hands out and whatever power the office holder grabs and holds himself. The SecState is totally outside anyone's authority other than the President himself, so Russell even daring to talk down to her and giving her outright orders half the time is him basically acting (as I've joked in previous episodes) like he's a Mini-President. 

 

Nixon was treated that way  by Sherman Adams when Eisenhower had a heart attack in 1955 and later a stroke in 1957. Humphrey was treated that way when LBJ had his gall bladder operation in 1967, and Bush Sr. when Reagan had a tumor removed.

 

Look up Donald Regan.

[mythoughtis]

I really wish they would jettison the whole spy stuff with the husband.  Just let him be a professor.  And drop this whole crap with the National Security Advisor.

Edited October 12, 2015 by mythoughtis