{"id":10233,"date":"2015-09-13T22:41:31","date_gmt":"2015-09-14T05:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=10233"},"modified":"2015-09-13T22:42:23","modified_gmt":"2015-09-14T05:42:23","slug":"review-madamsecretary-s1-dvd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2015\/09\/review-madamsecretary-s1-dvd\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Madam Secretary: Season 1 DVD"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u201cMadam Secretary\u201d<\/strong> is an entertaining if not flawed series. Where it lacks in writing and plot, it more than makes up with a respectable ensemble cast including the still charming T\u00e9a Leoni leading the pack. I can only hope some of the issues get shored up in the second season but as a freshman series, it\u2019s adequate.<\/p>\n

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“Madam Secretary”: Season 1<\/span>
\n(2014-15)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Genre(s): <\/strong>Drama
\nParamount | NR \u2013 961 min. \u2013 $64.99 | September 1, 2015<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n <\/b>MOVIE INFO:
\n<\/u>Directed by: <\/strong>Various
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Barbara Hall (created by)
\nCast: <\/strong>T\u00e9a Leoni, Tim Daly, Zeljko Ivanek, Patina Miller, Geoffrey Arend, Sebastian Arcelus, Erich Bergen, Bebe Neuworth, Keith Carradine<\/p>\n

DISC INFO:
\n<\/u>Features: <\/strong>Episode Commentaries, Featurettes, Deleted Scenes, Photo Gallery
\nDigital Copy: <\/strong>Yes
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>6<\/p>\n

Audio: <\/strong>English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
\nVideo: <\/strong>Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\n** Click Here to Purchase “Madam Secretary”: Season 1 on DVD from Amazon.com<\/a><\/strong> **<\/p>\n

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THE MOVIE<\/strong> \u2013 3.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cMadam Secretary\u201d<\/strong> is the latest political drama that, somewhat like \u201cCommander in Chief\u201d before it, features a respectable ensemble but gets bogged down with family issues that and writing that isn\u2019t exactly the sharpest to go along with plots that are either dull or downright contrived. That sort of thing might work for fluffy series like \u201cScorpion\u201d but for something that wants to be taken seriously, like CBS\u2019 own \u201cThe Good Wife\u201d, there\u2019s plenty of work that needs to be done to make it a sustainable series.<\/p>\n

The story follows a former CIA analyst Elizabeth McCord (T\u00c9A LEONI) who has spent some time as in academia and living on a farm with her loving and supportive husband, Henry (TIM DALY) and has two daughters and a precocious, conspiracy-obsessed, son. When the Secretary of State\u2019s plane goes down, killing Secretary Vincent Marsh, she\u2019s visited by the President of the United States, Conrad Dalton (KEITH CARRADINE), to fill the void as he had once worked for the CIA and was McCord\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Fast forward a few months and McCord is at work where we meet a plethora of colorful supporting characters: personal assistant Blake Moran (ERICH BERGEN), the only person she brought with her; Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver (BEBE NEUWORTH) who doesn\u2019t hold a high opinion of McCord; press coordinator Daisy Grant (PATINA MILLER); speechwriter Matt Mahooney (GEOFFREY AREND); policy advisor Jay Whitman (SEBASTIAN ARCELUS); and the President\u2019s Chief of Staff Russell Jackson (ZELJKO IVANEK) who really<\/em> does not hold McCord in high regard made worse when, right in the Pilot episode, goes around his back to sell a plan to the President in order save two stupid kids caught and jailed in Syria.<\/p>\n

As a series, and a freshman one at that, \u201cMadam Secretary\u201d<\/strong> isn\u2019t great but has some positive things from an acting standpoint headlined by T\u00e9a Leoni who plays a likeable character though perhaps too<\/em> likeable and not nearly flawed enough outside of not playing ball with the Washington D.C. elites, which in itself is a good quality. Sure, her personal life isn\u2019t perfect and adds some character depth but I\u2019d like to see some genuine flaws otherwise it\u2019s a show that\u2019s rather dull.<\/p>\n

The supporting cast is respectable from Tim Daly (\u201cWings\u201d) as the professor and stable husband, the venerable Bebe Neuworth (\u201cCheers\u201d, \u201cFrasier\u201d) as a quasi antagonist while Zeljko Ivanek (\u201cDamages\u201d) as a full on adversary while Keith Carradine, serving as guest actor as the President, provides the necessary weight for that role. So on the surface, the filmmakers, which includes Morgan Freeman who serves as one of the executive producers, have laid out a respectable line-up and concept but the writing on a fair number of the episodes have much to be desired and I can only hope things are shored up, even on the character front, in its second season.<\/p>\n

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SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 3.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The 6-disc set comes housed in a standard DVD keep case. Inside is a redemption code for the Standard Definition Digital Copy<\/u><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Disc 1:
\nCommentary<\/u><\/strong> on the Pilot episode with Writer\/Creator Barbara Hall and Executive Producer Lori McCreary<\/p>\n

Disc 2:
\nDeleted Scene (0:45)<\/u><\/strong> on \u2018The Call\u2019<\/p>\n

Disc 3:
\nDeleted Scene (1:01)<\/u><\/strong> on \u2018So It Goes\u2019<\/p>\n

Disc 4:
\nDeleted Scene (3:10)<\/u><\/strong> on \u2018Chains of Command\u2019<\/p>\n

Disc 5:
\nDeleted Scenes (1:47)<\/u><\/strong> on \u2018The Time is At Hand\u2019<\/p>\n

Disc 6:
\nCommentary<\/u><\/strong> on \u2018There But for the Grace of God\u2019 with Stars T\u00e9a Leoni and Tim Daly<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Affair\u201d: Season 1, Episode 1<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 For some cross-promotion for Paramount, you can check out the pilot episode for \u201cThe Affair\u201d.<\/p>\n

Extraordinary Credentials: The Making of \u201cMadam Secretary\u201d Season One (29:31)<\/u><\/strong> is an overview of the inaugural season featuring on-set interviews with the cast and crew including T\u00e9a Leoni and Executive Producer Morgan Freeman as they discuss the premise and characters.<\/p>\n

\u201cMadam Secretary\u201d at the Politico Playbook Luncheon (42:45)<\/u><\/strong> is a panel discussion with a Q&A\u2019s by members of the cast and crew (T\u00e9a Leoni, Tim Daly, Lori McCreary, Morgan Freeman).<\/p>\n

Rounding things out is a Photo Gallery<\/u><\/strong> and Launch Promos<\/u><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO \u2013 4.5\/5 | AUDIO \u2013 3.75\/5
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\u201cMadam Secretary\u201d<\/strong> is selected on DVD presented in its original 1.78 anamorphic widescreen transfer showing off the great production values for the series with darker tones and rich set designs.<\/p>\n

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is effective with good dialogue levels and some OK depth whenever the score crops up. It\u2019s a satisfactory track that presumably matches up with its original airing.<\/p>\n

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OVERALL \u2013 3.25\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Overall, \u201cMadam Secretary\u201d<\/strong> is an entertaining if not flawed series. Where it lacks in writing and plot, it more than makes up with a respectable ensemble cast including the still charming T\u00e9a Leoni leading the pack. I can only hope some of the issues get shored up in the second season but as a freshman series, it\u2019s adequate. This set released by Paramount offers good video\/audio transfers and a fine selection of bonus material.<\/p>\n

Published: <\/strong>09\/13\/2015<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cMadam Secretary\u201d is an entertaining if not flawed series. Where it lacks in writing and plot, it more than makes up with a respectable ensemble cast including the still charming T\u00e9a Leoni leading the pack. I can only hope some of the issues get shored up in the second season but as a freshman series, … Continue reading “Review: Madam Secretary: Season 1 DVD”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,970],"tags":[3994,1269,3992,1148,449,3993],"class_list":["post-10233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dvd-reviews","category-quick-hit-reviews","tag-bebe-neuworth","tag-keith-carradine","tag-madam-secretary","tag-tea-leoni","tag-tim-daly","tag-zeljko-ivanek"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10233"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10236,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10233\/revisions\/10236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}