Madam Secretary: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 176 Ratings

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5.9

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5.9	Your Score
5.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 176 Ratings

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Madam Secretary

Now Playing: Madam Secretary

Season Details & Credits

CBS | Season Premiere Date: September 21, 2014

Starring: Bebe Neuwirth, Željko Ivanek, Keith Carradine

Summary: Former CIA analyst Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) is appointed as Secretary of State after the death of her predecessor. She is assisted by Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver (Bebe Neuwirth), speechwriter Matt Mahoney (Geoffrey Arend), press coordinator Daisy Grant (Patina Miller) and her assistant, Blake Moran (Erich Bergen). Her husband, HenryFormer CIA analyst Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) is appointed as Secretary of State after the death of her predecessor. She is assisted by Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver (Bebe Neuwirth), speechwriter Matt Mahoney (Geoffrey Arend), press coordinator Daisy Grant (Patina Miller) and her assistant, Blake Moran (Erich Bergen). Her husband, Henry (Tim Daly), helps out at home with their two children.… Expand

Creator: Barbara Hall

Genre(s): Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E22. There But For the Grace of God
Air Date: May 3, 2015
tbd
S1:E21. The Kill List
Air Date: April 26, 2015
tbd
S1:E20. The Necessary Art
Air Date: April 12, 2015

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Hank Stuever

Sep 19, 2014

A particularly taut and well-structured pilot episode lays out McCord’s essential struggles, while Leoni delivers a calm, cool and wry performance. Read full review

Mary McNamara

Sep 22, 2014

Costars like Daly, Ivanek and Neuwirth promise great things, but Madam Secretary belongs, obviously, to Leoni, who conjures a gratifying mix of brains and heart, humor and flintiness without, and this is important, any sign of mental illness. Read full review

Cody Ray Shafer

Sep 24, 2014

A smart and enthralling D.C. drama that resurrects its predecessor's outlook, but still takes on a life of its own. Read full review

Dorothy Rabinowitz

Sep 19, 2014

Likable work.... though it's very soon clear that this high-minded enterprise could use a good jolt of acid, and at least a modicum of granite authority in the character of the new secretary of state. Read full review

Tom Gliatto

Sep 22, 2014

The premiere episode of Madam Secretary, for the time being, suggests that the show is very much the little sister [to The Good Wife].... But Madam Secretary, in which Téa Leoni plays the newly appointed secretary of state, deserves to hang around long enough to formulate and declare itself. Read full review

Matt Zoller Seitz

Sep 19, 2014

In the not great but likable and intelligent Madam Secretary, Téa Leoni’s talent gets a deserving showcase. Read full review

Willa Paskin

Sep 16, 2014

Madam Secretary is just really, really dull, as if someone tried to make a counterweight to Scandal with only the boring parts--plus one shamelessly ripped-off conspiracy theory. Read full review

SEE ALL 31 REVIEWS

User Score

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5.9

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User Reviews

susierdm

Sep 30, 2014

This show is a keeper! The cast is great -- love Tea Leoni! The dialogue is quick; does not drag along! Loved West Wing, so I hope CBS keeps this!

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

caroline777

Apr 14, 2015

Fantastic show that goes from strength to strength. Great characters I wish Leoni was the real Secretary of State! The world might be a safer place! :)

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SRVFan

Dec 30, 2015

This show has definitely earned itself a place in my Sunday night routine, and for a good reason. I rarely watch television, mainly because of the prevalence of filler shows, the preference of quantity over quality, and the complete lack of 'acceptable' shows to watch, however this show isThis show has definitely earned itself a place in my Sunday night routine, and for a good reason. I rarely watch television, mainly because of the prevalence of filler shows, the preference of quantity over quality, and the complete lack of 'acceptable' shows to watch, however this show is always an entertaining treat to me before the week renews itself. Now I mention this lack of 'acceptable' shows with a strong emphasis on the tendency of these shows to have one or two good characters, the rest played by greatly sub-par actors with frequent almost embarrassing moments. This show not only puts forward a great cast that has proved themselves to be worthy of their positions on this show, but the writing also is much better than I had expected when I began watching. Now I look at the comments written before me and I am baffled. I won't go into details but I suggest we take this show at face value and we admire the great cast and writing they have, ignoring our own bias and the bias the show puts forward, because with the overwhelming gap between liberal and conservative views us members of the audience cant seem to distinguish clashing opinions to one's own from this 'propaganda' that people keep mentioning. This is a great show with a problem. That problem doesn't stem from its own show. It is a result of the modern gap between clashing views and the alienation of contrary beliefs that is becoming more and more frequent. It does have some questionable moments which I didn't really think was good but 95% of the time I was always deeply satisfied by the events that occurred each week. This is the only show I would recommend at this time.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

AD2022

Jan 4, 2015

My husband and I WERE avid followers of this show- until the latest episode vilified Texas, portrayed conservative politicians as backwoods rabble rousers with neither sense nor manners, and rather obviously glorified the present administration. We had hoped that it would continue to be aMy husband and I WERE avid followers of this show- until the latest episode vilified Texas, portrayed conservative politicians as backwoods rabble rousers with neither sense nor manners, and rather obviously glorified the present administration. We had hoped that it would continue to be a political drama without an obvious agenda, but not anymore. A crudely written, tactless political manifesto that I am highly unlikely to watch again. Very disappointed- could've been a great show.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

WestLil0

Sep 29, 2014

I like tea leoni but I wonder about cbs creating a show about the Secretary of State just prior to an election I would like to think that entertainment shows are just that and not trying to subtly implement a political agenda.

9 of 11 users found this helpful92

BogKid

Nov 9, 2014

I first reviewed this show a few weeks ago saying, "I liked the pilot, but now that I've seen more of the show I think it is slipping into mediocrity pretty quickly. This ain't no "West Wing". If the government ever appoints this character as Secretary of State, I am finally moving toI first reviewed this show a few weeks ago saying, "I liked the pilot, but now that I've seen more of the show I think it is slipping into mediocrity pretty quickly. This ain't no "West Wing". If the government ever appoints this character as Secretary of State, I am finally moving to Canada. Their government ain't all that much either but at least it manages to do less harm."

Have seen a couple of more episodes and I am changing my rating from a 6 to a 1. It's a pretty awful show. Completely unbelievable and, frankly, a bit of an insult to both Ms. Clinton and Ms. Albright. I see Tea Leoni as completely miscast here. Liberal, fair, soft, an all-around "good person" qualifies her for a job in diplomacy in Toyland, not in the real world. As I see it, she plays the character too softly and the writers are constantly taking her in ridiculous directions. ump that family! I can hear Ms. Albright laughing from Georgetown to here.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Doodeydoos

Dec 5, 2014

Tea Loeni is awful on this show! Half asleep and a voice that sounds like she needs an oxygen tank. Stories are so hokey, and acting bottom of the barrel. And the Chief of Staff looks like he's half dead. He must weigh 78 pounds.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 81 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

66

Series Overview
Season 7

tbd
- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 2014
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: October 6, 2019
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: October 7, 2018
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: October 8, 2017
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: October 2, 2016
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 4, 2015
Season 1

66
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E22. There But For the Grace of God
  Air Date: May 3, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E21. The Kill List
  Air Date: April 26, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E20. The Necessary Art
  Air Date: April 12, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E19. Spartan Figures
  Air Date: April 5, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E18. The Time Is at Hand
  Air Date: March 29, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E17. Face the Nation
  Air Date: March 22, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E16. Tamerlane
  Air Date: March 15, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E15. The Ninth Circle
  Air Date: March 8, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E14. The Whisper of the Ax
  Air Date: March 1, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E13. Chains of Command
  Air Date: January 11, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E12. Standoff
  Air Date: January 4, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E11. Game On
  Air Date: November 30, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E10. Collateral Damage
  Air Date: November 23, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E9. So It Goes
  Air Date: November 16, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E8. Need to Know
  Air Date: November 9, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E7. Passage
  Air Date: November 2, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E6. The Call
  Air Date: October 26, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E5. Blame Canada
  Air Date: October 19, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E4. Just Another Normal Day
  Air Date: October 12, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E3. The Operative
  Air Date: October 5, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E2. Another Benghazi
  Air Date: September 28, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: September 21, 2014