Commander in Chief

Mackenzie Allen juggles motherhood and the weight of national leadership as she teeters toward a milestone never before reached. As vice president she manages two teenage daughters, a six year old at home, and a husband who moves between the White House and their life. The current president, in frail health, hints that he prefers a different kind of successor and asks her to step aside. The party that helped her win worries about optics and political fallout. Loyalties, ambition, and public trust collide as she weighs what leadership would cost the country and her family. The decision she faces could reshape power itself. Her resolve becomes a question not just of politics but of identity.

Created by Rod Lurie, Commander in Chief premiered on ABC in 2005. It is an original political drama with directing duties handled by multiple directors across the season.

Critics noted the series for its ambition and the central performance by Geena Davis, who anchors a show about power, family, and the costs of leadership. It blends swift political maneuvering with intimate scenes at home, offering a tense portrait of a woman in charge.

While it ran a single season, Commander in Chief sparked conversations about female leadership on television and the pressures leaders face from party machines and the public. Davis's portrayal helped pave subsequent discussions about women in top roles on screen.