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Human Resources Crisis on "Commander In Chief"

By Alex Russel
alex.russel@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

It was a human resources crisis and a rare event in show business. TV network ABC had to remove the creator of brand new show "Commander-In-Chief" from the reins of the drama just as the it was shaping up to be a huge hit. What was the hurry?

The controversy began last week when the online gossip page, the Drudge Report, reported that creator, Rod Lurie, was being removed for creative differences, namely that Lurie wanted the president's daughter in the show to have an affair with a secret Service agent. ABC executives were against the racy plot point.

Hollywood Human Resources Crisis

Rumors deepened and news spread that Steven Bochco, the legendary creator and producer of shows like LA Law and Hill Street Blues was taking over for Lurie. It would be the first time Bochco was ever going to run a show he didn't originally create. Puzzled by the urgency of the situation, commentators started thinking there was maybe something more to the rumors.

Because, according to the Los Angeles Times, behind-the-scenes changes are common on low-rated shows. But "Commander," which stars Geena Davis as President Mackenzie Allen, is a hit. It is the most-watched new show this fall, averaging 16.7 million viewers since its September 27 premiere.

TV Career Cut Short

But, also according to the Times, the age of the viewers is too old for advertisers. Bringing Bochco aboard, the man who brought nudity to primetime with NYPD Blue, would then make more sense.

A few days later, the New York Times confirmed the Bochco replacement, but reported the human resourcse reshuffle was due to Rod Lurie's chronic inability to deliver shows on time.

Commander In Chief Episodes Delivered Late

According to the New York paper, the show had fallen so far behind on delivering new episodes that ABC feared it might be forced to pre-empt the show or run repeats in the ratings sweep month of November, where advertisers keep an especially close attention to viewer levels.

Geena Davis Has New Boss

It just so happened, the Times wrote, that Bochco had recently signed a production deal with ABC and was available to step into the human resources emergency.

Happily, a human resources career rarely gets as dramatic (and as well reported) as this latest hiccup at ABC. Human resources jobs are a central part of any corporation from the hiring to the firing, but also in overseeing that an employee's tenure at a company is a good one.

Sources

Los Angeles Times
New York Times

About the Author

Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Since graduating from Syracuse University he has worked at many different media companies in fields as diverse as film, TV, advertising, and journalism. He holds a dual bachelor's degree in English and History.

Posted on: October 17, 2005