State of affairs (new NBC show)

If Hollywood is a male dominated scene, then television is ALL about the ladies because more and more shows who’s central/main character is a woman continue to hit the silver screen.  From established series like ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (Ellen Pompeo) and Revenge (Madeleine  Stowe and Emily VanCamp), The CW’s The Vampire Diaries (Nina Dobrev), NBC’s Law & Order: SVU (Mariska Hargitay) and Fox’s Glee (Lea Michele) to newer shows like VH1’s Hit the floor (Taylour Paige), Lifetime’s Devious Maids (Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramirez, Roselyn Sanchez, Judy Reyes and Edy Ganem),  ABC’s Nashville (Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere) and The CW’s freshman series Jane the Virgin (Gina Rodriguez), ladies are popping up ALL over primetime tv.

The growing trend these days are the shows focusing on powerful women.  ABC has Kerry Washington (as fixer and crisis manager Olivia Pope) on Scandal and Viola Davis (as criminal law professor and attorney Annalise Keating) on How to get away with murder.  CBS has Julianna Margulies (as attorney Alicia Florrick) on The Good Wife and Tea Leoni (as Secretary of state Elizabeth Faulkner McCord) on Madam Secretary and Showtime has Claire Danes (as CIA case officer Carrie Mathison) on Homeland.

I say ALL this because a NEW power player is gearing up to join the field and later this month when State of affairs debuts, you’ll get to meet her. Charleston Tucker (Charlie as she tends to be called) is a CIA analyst and presidential advisor with a VERY important job, she’s responsible for giving President Payton (played by Alfre Woodard) her daily briefing on the most serious problems facing the country.  In addition to that, Charlie and President Payton have a personal connection, Charlie’s late fiancé Aaron was also Payton’s son.

Emmy Award winner Katherine Heigl (2007’s best supporting actress in a drama) makes her return to network television after a 4 year absence and
brings Charlie to life.  Heigl steps into her first leading role on television and showcases that she is not only capable but READY to take center stage.  As Charlie, Heigl is smart and sophisticated (she’s a no nonsense type of gal) yet flawed and damaged (still haunted by the death of her fiancé) but manages to be strong and defiant (wait until you what she does when she gets suspended).

The pilot was well written and executed and by the end of the episode MANY questions will be raised that will have you coming back WANTING to know what happens next.  Come Emmy time next year Heigl should very much hear her name amoung the nominees and dare I say it have a GOOD chance of winning.  State of affairs premieres Monday November 17th at 10pm on NBC.