Save Commander in Chief

Will ABC's "Commander in Chief" Be Cancelled? Fight Back.
Scene from Commander in Chief

The first woman to be president of the United States is about to get the boot.

It was almost too good to be true: Geena Davis as the first woman president of the United States! Donald Sutherland as the evil Speaker of the House!

Great cast. Decent time slot. Women all over the country planned their Tuesday nights around the show, rounding up their daughters to eat popcorn, critique and bask in wish-fulfillment glow.

Was it too good to last? Not if you take action NOW.

Although critically acclaimed for fast-paced writing and superb acting by a cast of real honest-to-goodness movie stars, "Commander in Chief" suddenly went on hiatus. And now, after only two return episodes in a new time slot on a different night (and incidentally, opposite blockbuster "ER"), it's being cancelled.

But it's not too late. Let the network hear from you.

* Call ABC Primetime Entertainment President Steve McPherson at 818-460-0000 today and let him know that you want ABC to give "Commander in Chief" a fair shake.
* If you prefer, you can go to the ABC website where you can input your name and address, select "Commander in Chief" from the drop-down menu of programming and leave a simple message of support for the show, such as: Please bring back "Commander in Chief."

The show has hardly been given time to develop an audience. Some of the best shows on television have taken - and been allowed by the networks - time to grow a dedicated group of viewers. Witness the long-running hit "NYPD Blue." "Commander in Chief's" sudden disappearance and rescheduling was a recipe for failure.

When I watched the first episode, I held my breath, hoping that Geena Davis would be strong and realistic, not sappy, and not a caricature of what ABC/Disney thinks of a female president. And week after week, I wasn't disappointed.

Best of all, my two daughters enjoy the show as much as I do, and I know it's preparing them for the day when the first woman president walks into the real White House. We know from experience that television can lead and empower cultural change for the good, and "Commander in Chief" is a great beginning.

Is it possible that the very real chance of both political parties nominating female candidates for president in 2008 is so threatening that networks are being pressured to stop building the notion that it could be reality?

In spite of the inside politics of the TV business, a committed audience still has power with the media. An outcry from women viewers brought back "Cagney and Lacey" years ago, and revived "Judging Amy" more recently. We can do it again.

Let your voice be heard loud and clear. Call today. We've done it before and we can do it again. The message is simple: Keep "Commander in Chief" on the air.

We can do it!

Kim
Kim Gandy
NOW President