POLITICAL ANIMALS Ends a Bumpy First Season on a High (and Dramatic) Note – Hopefully They Will Get a Chance to Have a Second

Posted: August 26, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Television | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Episode: 16 Hours

T.J. is in the hospital. Elaine has Doug to call Susan Berg. She is going to have Susan help them fix this. Will be interesting to see how much integrity she is willing to trade for the bigger story.  Elaine is claiming it was an allergy reaction. At least she is giving Susan exclusive access the sub story as a trade – so much for state secrets.

Ann and Grandma Margaret are cleaning out Elaine’s house so T.J. can stay there. They uncover T.J.’s stash. They flush the hard stuff but smoke to weaker stuff. Ann enjoys the munchies. Margaret stops her from throwing it up.  She also tells Ann to tell Doug how she feels and to stand up for herself against Elaine.

In the meantime, the Chinese threaten to blow up the sub if the Americans try to rescue it. WOW. Full scale nuclear blow up off of the San Diego coast that would suck. Talk about raising the stakes.  The President at Elaine’s urging decides to go public and call their bluff.  He even asks Elaine to help write the speech.  Go, Garcetti.  It is too bad that Elaine didn’t run with him. They would have made a good team (just like Obama and Clinton would have, BIG sigh).  You have to love that Elaine is being selfless in helping him. Even she admits success would make him unbeatable.

We are getting Susan’s flashbacks this week. How she gained status at the paper by going after Elaine and over her boss’s head. We also learn she has a crap relationship with her mother (hence the bond with Elaine).  On the plane Douglas and Susan bond. When weather delays their trip they break out the alcohol.  This is going to lead to trouble.  Susan admitted at the top of the episode that her sister had a big crush on Doug, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Susan is also drawn to him like she is the family.  Well I called that one.  They just hooked up.  Yikes, that complicates things.  This time sex actually creates an interesting plot development.

This is the episode that should have been named Bud’s redemption. His beside confessions to T.J. about what he did wrong as a father were touching.  But the icing on the cake, was his take down of the Veep – literally punching him out that was magnificent to watch, if not totally unrealistic after all the Secret Service would have stopped it. It will be interesting to see if Garcetti does something about Fred’s insinuation that he was part of blackmailing of Reeves.

Oh, forgot to mention with all the relationship developments that the sub was rescued without a nuclear explosion. The crew disobeyed the order.

The show is increasingly getting better.  If USA gives it a chance to come back, I think Berlanti could make it work.  Bud just needs to continue to become more real.   Things that still have to go – high waist skirts and Wolk’s overdramatic delivery of 90% of his lines – he is better than that.

Episode: Resignation Day

While Bud brings T.J. home and Doug does the walk of shame, Elaine writes her resignation letter.  It is a heartfelt message making it clear that they differ in many ways.  She shares it with Doug and key staff. Doug gives it to Susan during a very awkward exchange about their one night stand. They agree they are even now.  Sadly, I find myself rooting just a little bit for Susan and Doug as a couple.  Susan shows Georgina the letter and schools her on how to really write a story not grab a headline.

Amazing how many good shows really boil down to stories about ethics and the moral thing to do.  Even though I have been hard on this show and THE NEWSROOM, they, like BOSS, MAD MEN, JUSTIFIED, etc. they are about overcoming the darkness and doing the right thing.  As the world gets bleaker, T.V. gets better.

Garcetti tells Elaine what Bud did and he refuses her resignation. He makes a counter offer that she run with him during the next election as his Vice President.  He even signs a note making the offer. Elaine is really going to consider it. The promos and the shot of Garcetti kissing his wife and young son goodbye just made me very worried about Garcetti safety.  When Elaine tells Bud he tells her to go for it (more or less).  But Susan has the letter! That is going to make some trouble.  Damn, Georgia showed it to Alex. He demands they run it.  Doug has to own up to it. Needless to say Elaine is furious.

The whole family greets T.J. when he gets home.  He and Doug reminisce about trips to their grandfather’s farm when they were young and life was simple. T.J. struggles with being stuck at home, but Margaret takes a risk and tells him to feel free to go when he gets antsy.  He stays when he sees how scared she is for him.

Elaine meets with Susan. They both admit to mistakes in how they have handled the situation. Elaine tells her about Garcetti.  Susan realizes she is going to accept his offer. Elaine explains that she is doing it for T.J. and Doug. It isn’t the time to take on Garcetti. Susan agrees to not tell anyone.  Now she has to kill the resignation story without spilling the situation with Garcetti.

Susan tells Alex that she slept with Doug and that is why he gave her the letter.  Alex is willing to stand up for her and to save her career by not printing it.  Georgia argues with Alex about it, she says she will go above his head.  She does.  She even claims sexual harassment.  Alex doesn’t give up Susan and gets suspended for it.

Crap. Air Force One crashed off of the coast of France.  There is no sign of survivors. This brings everything to a standstill at the paper. Needless to say it’s all hands on deck to cover the story.  Of course Fred Collier is ready to be sworn in before they even confirm Garcetti is dead.  Smarmy Barry alerts Elaine. She outwits Fred and convinces him to just assume temporary control.

Susan visits Elaine to tell her the story is dead. They bond.  Elaine invites Susan to go to France with her in the morning.  I think Susan should work for Elaine.

Ann and Doug decided to elope (before the crash). When the family hears the news, T.J. realizes they must be at Grandpa Hammond’s farm. The entire Hammond clan and their security detail crash the wedding.  The season ends with Bud asking Elaine if she is going to run against Fred, because someone has to.  I did love Bud calling Collier “President Howdy Doody.”

I hope Berlanti gets a chance to show us that battle.

POLITICAL ANIMALS: The Beginning of the End

Posted: August 10, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Television | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Episode: The Woman Problem

We start in a flashback to Elaine’s failed campaign. Bud is being interviewed about Elaine’s “problem” with women voters. We are supposed to believe that the former president saying the word “vagina” on TV was the beginning of the end of Elaine’s campaign failure.  In the present day, Elaine is honoring her law school mentor and current Supreme Court Justice Diane Nash (played by the legendary Vanessa Redgrave).  Afterwards, Diane gives Elaine a little interrogation about what she is “running for” that she is working so diligently to rehabilitate Bud’s image. We also learn that Diane is a lesbian and her longtime partner is dying.  Elaine’s ambitions sure have gone beyond rumor stage, of course it would help if she was a little less obvious about her position as the Mom telling little boys what to do.

Over at the paper we see Susan at the top of her game evading questions about whether Elaine is running, the whole town is buzzing about it! Alex shoots down Georgia’s idea for a real story and suggests she do a piece on T.J.’s club instead.

During dinner at casa Barrish, T.J. who we are supposed to believe is sober, goes on and on about the club. Elaine interrupts to tell Margaret and T.J. about her plans to run for President against Garcetti. Doug has agreed to be her campaign manager. Considering her is against her running, not a wise choice by Elaine! Margaret rails on her about why do their lives have to be ruined by her ambition but T.J. gets the line of the night, “I think Mama would be the best President we have

 ever had in this family.” Doug has apparently agreed to be her campaign manager.  Elaine goes on and on about keeping everything top-secret when Bud shows up. He wants to get their old polling wizard out of retirement to analyze Elaine’s chances. This turns into a fishing trip that Doug and T.J. are roped into. When Doug gets home to Anne, he shares his worries with her that Elaine will lose.

Garcetti has cooked up an interesting plan to take care of Elaine. He meets with Judge Nash and lets her know that if she steps down now, he will put Elaine up for her seat on the Supreme Court.  That is a smart move. But I have a feeling Elaine wouldn’t be satisfied with that unless it was after an eight-year term as president.

Alex comes into Susan’s office with the top secret news of Garcetti’s plan.  Susan promptly runs to tell Elaine the news. Next for some reason, she tells Alex about Elaine’s plan. . Is he really suggesting they get together for a date? Why on earth is she considering it? Are we really supposed to buy that Elaine and Susan both become undone by philandering jerks who treat their feelings like a doormat to wipe their feet on?   In the meantime, Elaine meets with Nash and t
The boys arrive at Jubel’s house where we learn that Jubel thinks Bud slept with his wife.  Jubel walks out with a gun and point it at the former president and the secret service agent doesn’t say anything and let’s Bud talk him down?  At the least the agent had his gun out, but come on.  In two seconds, Jubel agrees to run the numbers and to let Bud and the boys fish on his property.ells her of her plans (who doesn’t know by now). She asks Nash not to step down.

So, it turns out this week’s flashbacks are courtesy of Doug, not Elaine. Doug is supposed to wrangle Bud for his next interview, but gets high on X with T.J. and Anne instead which causes him to propose to Anne and sleep through his prep meeting with Bud. Of course Bud’s interview is a disaster.  Back in Jubel’s house, Doug tells Bud that it wasn’t his fault Elaine lost, it was Bud’s.

Susan and Alex have a quickie. Come on Susan, you are better than that.  Then, they discuss the fact that he is still sleeping with Georgia?  I think we are actually supposed to believe that Susan using Alex to fill her “needs” and being able to walk away unencumbered with emotion is empowering? If Susan is so lonely why not call her airplane hook-up from the last episode. Am I crazy and reading too much into this?

Jubel ran the numbers and thinks Elaine could win as long as Bud stays out of the campaign.  Bud is upset that people have such distaste for him and steps outside. This gives Jubel the opportunity to tell Doug and T.J. that Bud threw himself under the bus during the campaign so that he would be blamed for the failure and Elaine could run again.  The light bulb goes off over Dougie’s head, and he realizes Bud is a great guy (and political genius) who loves Elaine! Doug and Bud make up and start strategizing about what will need to be done launch Elaine’s run against Garcetti.

Doug tells Susan not to run the story. She tells him that she now owns him and he has to give her the inside exclusive on everything.  Elaine brings Susan coffee at her office and thanks her for her help. She won’t see her for a bit though; Garcetti is sending her to the middle of nowhere to keep her at bay.

This episode was better thank last week’s.  But it still isn’t clicking. In addition to my on-going complaints about Susan and Elaine’s interactions with the men in their life, there are few major things are still bothering me about Doug and Bud.

The idea that Doug is a mess because one night he took a break (and ecstasy), and it monumentally screwed up everything got straightened out too easily.  I guess with only six episodes, they couldn’t really dig in too deep on his character; however, with Elaine grooming him for the next generation of the family’s political dynasty, it may have been more interesting if Doug hadn’t been flip-flopping in his feelings.  Imagine if the character pulsed with naked ambition or throbbed with apathy – what if Doug had gone to Garcetti instead of Susan and tried to secure himself a position in the President’s administration or if Doug didn’t want to be in politics at all and was apathetic about it all.

I appreciate that they are trying to rehabilitate the character of Bud and give him some grounding in real emotions but Bud was so over the top in the first two episodes that I don’t know if 4 episodes is enough time to do it.

Episode: Lost Boys

Of course, we start in a flashback. It is last Christmas; therefore, we will be finding out about T.J.’s suicide attempt.  Naught T.J. seems to be having an affair with the right-wing family man, who is leading the charge against a very important (to Elaine and Garcetti) piece of child welfare legislation.  We learn this week’s flashbacks will be courtesy of T.J. when it is revealed in present day he is sharing his story with a sponsor.

Doug has returned from touring the outlying regions of the world with Elaine, and Susan is grilling him for info. Bud hired a P.R. person to work on his image.  Needless to say, he is sleeping with her.  This landed him on TV, crying about how Elaine is the most amazing person ever.

At the White House, Elaine learns a Chinese nuclear sub has been grounded off of the coast of California. The President isn’t going to do anything about it or the fact that the entire crew is going to die.  Veep Fred tells her they are fully aware of her intention to run against them.  Elaine denies this. She goes and meets with the Chinese Ambassador, and he doesn’t want to admit to spying so he isn’t going to do anything about it either.  Bud suggests she use this as a reason to resign.

T.J. occupied by his new sober coach/sponsor is rattling on and on about the club opening.  In flashback we learn that Garcetti and the Veep are going to use T.J.’s affair with the republican to blackmail the guy into backing off on the legislation. Elaine warns T.J. In the present day, T.J. runs into said republican and invites him to the club opening.

Georgia is interviewing Anne.  Apparently Anne is so stupid that when Georgia tells her she confirmed Elaine is running that she actually confirms it? Doug tells Susan that Georgia is going to spill the beans about what everyone knows anyway.  Susan confronts Georgia.  Georgia wants to cut a deal, split the by-line and she won’t break the story.  Susan doesn’t want to do it, but Doug convinces her to.

It is the night of the opening and everyone is at the Barrish house.  Bud bursts T.J. bubble by telling him he isn’t going because he doesn’t believe that T.J. will stay sober. Elaine sides with Bud when she realizes that the republican will be there at that is why T.J. is so excited. T.J. runs off with his sober coach telling the family not to bother showing up at the club.  We then get to see the break-up scene between the republican and T.J. that led to T.J.’s suicide attempt.

Elaine tells Garcetti she is resigning in two weeks AFTER they save the crew of the Chinese sub. She points out that he doesn’t want to be the president who let a hundred men die. Garcetti agrees.

Bud fires the P.R. person and breaks off their relationship.  He swears he is changing his ways and heads over to the club to support T.J.  At the club, T.J. gets high. He even convinces the sober coach to get high with him. By the time Bud gets there he finds T.J. unconscious on the floor.

This episode slipped back into over-dramatic soap mode.   It would be nice to see at least one other decent person in the Garcetti administration, Elaine can’t be the only voice of reason in all of D.C. Sigourney Weaver is doing everything she can, but the character is just flat. It is a little sad because with a few changes this could have been a really great show.  I give up.  I will watch the last two episodes because it will be interesting to see what Greg Berlanti chooses to wrap up and because I don’t think there will be any more after that.

POLITICAL ANIMALS: Musings on Its Second Outing

Posted: August 4, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Television | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Episode: Second Time Around

We start with a flashback and me beginning to worry that every episode will be a mix of flashbacks and real time – this isn’t LOST after all.  Bud is President, and this is when we find out about the big affair that I assume Susan broke the story on so we will see how Susan and Elaine became antagonists which could be fun since we now know that Susan actually admires Elaine.  She can even relate to Elaine because of her cheating scumbag boyfriend/boss who by the way I have problems believing Susan would be with any way.

I can’t seem to get past how awfully Bud is being portrayed.  I really can’t believe that Elaine would ever have been with him – anymore than I buy Susan with the scumbag.  Instead of an inter Bud cheated with a staff member that Elaine fired. Wow this could be interesting was the straw that really broke Elaine’s back the fact that her ethics were questioned?  Did she really know about the affair and fire Sarah Latham (the women in question) because of it? Bud of course denies that he slept with “that woman.” But Elaine is doubtful enough to throw an expensive vase at him!  Smash! Nothing happens. Come on now, the Secret Service would have burst in if that really happened.

Cut to present day and Elaine is looking at the vase.  Are we supposed to believe that the White House bought an imitation just to hide that the First Lady tried to injure the President? Or was it just a knock-off in the first place? For some reason I am obsessing about this vase.  Probably because it seems that Elaine went from her rendezvous with Bud, her zoo meeting with Susan straight to the White House in the middle of the night to tell Garcetti to send her husband to Iran. I guess we are supposed to realize how calculating Elaine is being about her desire to run against Garcetti (as she stated at the end of the last episode).  Unfortunately this makes Elaine look like she isn’t on high moral ground about the situation like we were led to believe in the pilot.  She obviously has ulterior motives if she went to Susan before the White House, and it wasn’t about just diverting attention for T.J.’s suicide attempt.  This could get interesting. The Veep is pissed that he isn’t being sent to Iran (seriously who would really want this job, if it goes wrong – political suicide).  Needless to say the Veep and Elaine will obviously bump heads in the future.  A little sad, because how much fun would it have been if Elaine and the Veep actually teamed up to defeat Garcetti.  That would be a dark but fun tale indeed.

Doug whines to his mother.  I am getting more than worried. I love James Wolk. He should have a good storyline and right now he does not. Basically he is relegated to dealing with his wayward brother and his engagement party.

I have to take a moment to hit pause and complain again about the costumes on the show.  Elaine does not look lie Secretary of State.  Those high-waist skirts are awful as are the colors they are putting her in.  She looks more like a suburban housewife with bad taste. Come on, most of the time Hillary got the suits right.  Well, except for the weird Asian inspired black mess she wore to this year’s State of the Union address.

Hitting play.  TJ is getting high and messing around with a guy whose boyfriend shows up.  Original, TJ jumps out of the window half-dressed.  Yes, the son of a former president for some reason no longer has secret service protection and apparently doesn’t’ have a car because he has to call Doug to come get him.  I guess we are supposed to appreciate that TJ is a bloody mess, but won’t risk the safety of others by driving while high on coke.

Susan is getting ready for her ride-along on the Iran mission leaving her assistant to tell her editor that she is onto a story and that she moved her stuff out of the apartment.  On the plane, Elaine brief Bud about the mission.  He mentions he broke up with the actress girlfriend and his surprise that Susan is part of the press corps.

Into another flashback, we learn Elaine buys Bud’s story that he didn’t sleep with Sarah Latham. They are saying her name often enough that I bet we meet her soon.

TJ and his grandmother are bonding over picking a song to sing at the revised engagement party. On the plane, we meet Gary who is a journalist with the hots for Susan. Bud and Susan have a little chat and play words with friends!?! The Veep of course spills Bud’s mission to the press. Elaine is so mad that she tells Doug about her plans to run against Garcetti – and she isn’t waiting for him to go for a second term.  She is going after him as an incumbent in the primary.  Well, that is ballsy as hell.

TJ steals a check from his grandmother – like she won’t notice $50,000 missing from her account when he invests in the club with it? Bud is going on and on about how important he is and throwing out all sorts of innuendos to Susan.  They are going to meet the Iranian leaders in Turkey, which gives us the chance to have a repulsive scene about the Turkish Ambassador agreeing to this only when Elaine agrees to go on a date with him.  WHAT? Why do all of the foreign diplomats what to sleep with Elaine. Seriously this is silly, gross and insulting. Doug admits to Elaine he doesn’t want her to run. He thinks the family can’t handle it.  But really he is angrier that she hooked up with Bud and is going to get hurt. Cut back to the past, where we learn that of course Bud slept with the women.

Bud negotiates with the Iranians, and has Susan pretend she is a special envoy from the President’s office.  Good thing she was wearing a long skirt and had a head scarf.  After cutting the deal, we are back on the plane and we are supposed to believe that Bud and the female journalist go off to have sex, which leads Susan to have a quickie with Gary in the bathroom.   I don’t really mind Susan and Gary hooking up, but I hope we aren’t supposed to believe it is because she saw Bud going off with the girl and that turned her on.

Oh, I forgot to mention that TJ stops by Doug’s and whines that the people didn’t really his money, just his name. So, Doug says he will give him the money? What? How does this make sense? Doug makes him promise to stay clean which we know he won’t.  Margaret tells him how is Grandfather was a useless addict as well and died a lonely miserable death.

We are at the engagement party. There is another bad flashback that makes Elaine look ridiculous saying she owes it to the country to stay with him? That can’t be what they meant it to come off as.  In the present day, Bud realizes that Elaine sent him to start rehabilitating his image because she wants to run again and wants to minimize him being a liability.  She says she is running but he won’t be involved.  Susan in the meantime polishes off her tribute piece to Elaine by thanking her.  Later, she and Doug meet, and Doug asks her to basically undermine his mother’s desire to run for President.  Hmm…

I gotta say, I am a little disappointed. As I wrote when discussing the pilot, I LOVE GREG BERLANTI.  I don’t mind this being more DIRTY SEXY MONEY than WEST WING.  But the heart of EVERWOOD and JACK AND BOBBY, the dynamics of BROTHERS AND SISTERS and the whimsy of ELI STONE are missing. But the second episode of the show makes me feel like I watched the pilot through rose-colored glasses and saw what I wanted it to be.  I won’t give up, but I am not happy.  The opening of this episode offered some interesting ways to go, maybe they still can pursue those…

 

 

POLITICAL ANIMALS: Random Musing on a Show with Strong Female Characters Unlike THE NEWSROOM

Posted: July 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Television | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Okay, of all the summer shows, this is the one I was most excited about. I love Greg Berlanti shows.  The idea of him riffing on my favorite political family the Clintons – love it. I hope my high hopes won’t be dashed.

Episode: Pilot

We open during the presidential primaries.  In a Hillary-esqe moment we meet Elaine Hammond. She is a former Governor rather than Senator and has two sons rather than a daughter. We learn one son is gay and the other is active in his mom’s campaign. We also meet Bud/Bill, former President. Elaine is giving her concession speech to Senator Garcetti.  Should mention we also meet Elaine’s mom who is a pistol! After the speech, we clearly see the family dynamic. A frustrated Elaine smokes (?) and is a real ball-buster. We get a WEST WING kind-of speech with a heavy dose of cynicism – basically about how campaigning is all a lie. Bud makes the entire thing about him. Gotta say, Bud is coming off as a bit of a buffoon version of Bill. Not happy about that. Elaine leaves with “Oh, and Bud…I want a divorce.”  Guess this is the fantasy version of what a lot of people thought Hillary should have done.

Jump to two years later, Elaine is being interviewed by journalist Susan Berg  who won a Pulitzer for exposing Bud’s adultery – so there is no love lost between the subject and her. In flashbacks and through interview questions we learn:

  • Elaine helped Garcetti get elected by campaigning for him Including a borderline humiliating moment where the two danced together – which seems so cheesy and real that I had to think for a moment if Hillary and Barack did a similar bit, but I am pretty sure they didn’t.
  • Elaine more or less quotes Hillary while explaining why she became Secretary of State (after possibly turning down Veep position). And she is one tough broad. We get a great scene where after having her ass grabbed, Elaine rips the Russian Ambassador a new you know what in both English and Russian.
  • Elaine is the most popular politician in U.S.
  • Bud has become a laughing-stock and is dating a hot actress (a Sofia Vergara type who is on a GREY’S ANATOMY type show). So hot that her boobs are insured.  Oh, and we also learn Bud will be played ridiculously.  Sorry I don’t believe he was President or that he was married to Elaine.  Oh, gratuitous sex scene number 1.
  • Elaine and Bud haven’t seen each other in two years.
  • Berg has blackmailed Elaine for the interview – and the chance to spend the whole week with Elaine – with dirt on TJ, gay son who apparently has drug issues – want to bet the dirt is that he tried to commit suicide or over-dosed or had a horrible car wreck that left someone disfigured.

Berg goes after Elaine with full force. These two women are women to be reckoned with. But there is no question that Elaine is the more powerful, more skilled and clear winner.  I may not like their methods but they could teach the women of THE NEWSROOM a thing or two.

Post interview we see that good son, Doug, obviously still works with mom.  Whatever happened to TJ is significant enough that they are worried what he would do  if anyone found out (now I am going to bet on suicide because they are worried he will do it again).  We also learn that TJ wants to open a night club or something – in other words he needs money.   Bud and Elaine will see each other for the first time since the divorce tonight. Elaine has a great line about being a bitch – and being proud of it. We also learn Susan has an axe to grind because after she wrote about Bud’s infidelities, Elaine banned her from the White House. OUCH. A woman scorned…

Elaine is called to the White House.  With a “I wonder what they screwed up this time?” She is off.  Loving Sigourney shredding everyone and everything in her path, but still coming off as a human being.

Susan is whining about Elaine to staffer at the paper. Jokes about her clothing. Her boyfriend/editor is flirting with the hot blogger, Georgia who writes about clothes and parties. Bitterness from Susan. Cattiness from Georgia. Great line about Georgia being “the journalistic equivalent of a weather girl.”  Even better line about Eve Harrington.  A little annoyed that Susan is dating the boss.  I want her to be better than that.

There is a problem in Iran – three journalists have been captured, “interrogated,” and have “confessed” to spying. Their trial is in 48 hours. YIKES. They aren’t really spies, but Elaine smells something fishy in the situation. We meet the Veep. It seems he and Elaine are both out of the loop.  Great, the President is a scum bag or at least his chief of staff (who ran Elaine’s campaign) is. I think just the chief of staff is. The President seems more like a disappointment to Elaine.  I guess Elaine will have to clean up the mess. Jerk/chief of staff has been so kind as to prepare Elaine’s press comments for her – Doug goes ballistic. Elaine cuts him off. Seems more like the kids are fighting and mom and dad have to broker peace than a meeting of the most powerful people in the world. Sadly it doesn’t seem that unbelievable. At President’s request, Elaine says agrees to keep the press calm.

Cut to meeting in Elaine’s office. Doug is acting like a baby. Elaine literally smacks some sense into him and tells him to prioritize.  The situation in Iran doesn’t make sense which is bothersome to Elaine.  After the Presser, we land at the Hammond house. TJ and Grandma Margaret are getting started with drinks. TJ wants 50K to invest in a night club and stereotypically has mad styling skills, so he helps his mom get dressed for the dinner (and the first time she will be seeing Bud since the divorce – we get it). Elaine lets TJ know that Berg knows what happened in December. In a moment of “weakness” or “sympathy” she agrees to give him the money if Bud agrees to give the other half.

Dinner is awkward, all the Hammonds and Barrishs; Doug fiancée Anne and her family; and the Japanese ambassador (Anne is Japanese-American, get it? Ouch that hit over the head about this being about politics  not Doug and Anne, hurt a little. Adding insult to injury Ann’s parents are American born and don’t speak Japanese.  Margaret gets some really great digs into Susan. Love her. So far, three female characters who are strong fighters.  Love it.  We get the clear picture that Elaine is running the show on the engagement party not Anne. Basically Elaine is running over Anne who happens to be bulimic.  We learn this – vividly -when she makes a quick trip to the bathroom during dinner.  Wonder if we will finally have an eating disorder really dealt with on a show. A little family conference post-dinner has Bub turning down TJ pretty brutally before TJ can really even ask for the money. Even Doug thinks his dad should have given a chance to at least explain is plan. Cut to TJ snorting coke in the bathroom.  Wow, that bathroom is seeing a lot of action. Later that night, he has a male escort come over for some fun.  Ann is complaining that Elaine has hijacked the engagement party, while having sex with Doug.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Perfect Doug (can’t wait to find out what is wrong with him) has almost calmed her down when mom calls with an assignment.  Meanwhile, Elaine is alone at home, and Susan is with her boyfriend bitching about Elaine. She tells her boyfriend, TJ tried to commit suicide – saw that coming.  My next premonition, boyfriend prints the story anyway, I don’t think her saying she was telling him as her boyfriend not her boss is going to mean that much to him.

By the way let me just take a little break here to say I loved James Wolk in LONESTAR. I was heartbroken that the show only aired two episode before being cancelled, so I expect big things from him here, not just playing the good son.

Elaine and Susan are on a plane to NYC. Elaine puts Susan in her place, thus earning a little respect from Susan.  In fact it is almost as if Susan wants Elaine to like her. I guess that the show isn’t about their rivalry after all.

Elaine blackmails the Russian Ambassador into getting her in the room with the Iranian Ambassador and gets him to  give her the dirt on what is going on with his leadership. There sure is a lot of backroom deals (and sex) in this administration.  Seems the President hasn’t been that honest, he already knew everything Elaine found out.  She realizes this as soon as she tells him what she learned. Elaine is like a mom scolding her son who broke curfew – in a good way. Elaine basically tells him to do his damn job.  He isn’t living up to his campaign promises, and she calls him on it.  Another fantasy plot line?

The news is out about TJ, the blogger printed it. So much for the boyfriend being a good guy.  Susan better kick his ass for this.  TJ can’t be found. Susan tries to plead her case with Elaine, but Elaine puts her and all reality TV loving, privacy-destroying asses in their place.  Then she throws Susan out of her office before calling Bud and telling him she needs to see him.

TJ is with his dealer when his bother reaches him. He pretends it is no big deal. Elaine meets Bud at a crappy motel and, oh, no they fall into bed! What are you thinking Elaine?  If he has Bill’s charisma I would understand, but this former president is a bumbling, arrogant, blow-hard who no woman would be attracted to.

Susan is waiting to confront Georgia in her office  when little Georgia sort of apologizes, Susan goes after her lack of integrity as a journalist.  But Georgia isn’t going to lie down, she attacks pointing out the boyfriend knew.  Turns out not only did he tell her but he is sleeping with Georgia. Susan walks out. I bet she throws him to the curb unlike Maggie and Don from THE NEWSROOM, I don’t see this couple getting back together.   Boyfriend is whining that she doesn’t pay enough attention to him.  Happy when she basically tells him to go F himself.

Post hook-up, Elaine tells Bud she wants the President to send him to Iran. Great minds apparently think alike because Bud wanted this so that he could get back in the game. Elaine is pissed that he played her and rushes out.

She and Susan meet at the zoo, by the elephants.  Susan apologizes for inadvertently leaking the story. The ladies connect. I like the idea of them working together rather than being at odds. Elaine gives Susan the scoop on Bud going to Iran, she is telling the President to send him or she will quit. Susan wants to go on the trip to Iran, Elaine says “we’ll be in touch” but I bet she lets Susan go. I think she likes Susan. The episode ends with another wishful scenario that many of us have for Hilary. Elaine tells her secret service agent that she is going to run again and this time she will win.

So overall thoughts – I think I love the show.  Not surprising, I love all of Greg Berlanti’s shows.  But I don’t want to get my hopes up too high! Sigourney Weaver is campaigning for an Emmy.  Her character Elaine is smarter than everyone on the show except maybe her mother Margaret. Susan although not worthy as an opponent may make a good protégé.  TJ and Bud are a little to stereotypical and ridiculous, respectively, but that could be fixed!  The show is a lot more DIRTY SEXY MONEY than I thought it would be, but I am already a little sad that it is only going to be six episodes long.   I just hope it doesn’t go too soapy and lose its bite and sharpens its political edge.