Sarah Palin: the sitcom

Just when you were tiring of the non-stop repetitive US election coverage, that crazy old coot JM picks an attractive, young, running mate who also happens to be an anti-choice, gun-loving, fanatical wingnut. VPILF?

Photolink

Smells like a sitcom…

The Governatoress (working title)

Elevator pitch: “Major Dad meets WestWing, meets Northern Exposure”

Tough, mooseburger-loving former beauty queen struggles to keep her unruly family functioning as she copes with the demands of being Alaskan Governor.

Season 1: She tackles corruption and tries to open an Alaska Pipeline. Spins folksy wisdom with a heavy dollop of sass to family and foes alike.
High point: Episode in which she tries to get her brother-in-law (a state trooper) fired. Highest rated of the season. Series is picked up for second season.
Low point: The ‘pregnancy’ subplot. Universally derided as completely unbelievable. The Governatoress star refuses ‘baby bump’ costuming changes that would simulate a growing human fetus, likewise refusing to wear maternity clothes.
Lowest point: The hour-long finale in which her water breaks in Texas on morning of a big speech. Yet, our plucky heroine still gives a keynote address, flies to Anchorage (via Seattle), before driving 45 minutes to Wasilla to give birth under the care of family doctor (series regular Gerald McRaney). It is widely panned by viewers and critics as the ‘jumping-the-shark’ moment. Undaunted, plans for season 2 go ahead.

Season 2: Bowing to studio pressure to “really go out on a limb” episode one sees the Governatoress selected to be VP Candidate for a crotchety and forgetful old war veteran. In a blatant ratings stunt, her unwed teenage daughter is found out to be pregnant (episode two). The spike in ratings fails to sustain a wide viewership, and the hackneyed ‘fish-out-of-water’ storylines quickly grow tiresome.
High point: Daughter’s babydaddy shows up to campaign with the Governatoress. His rough-around-the-edges, knuckleheaded antics turn off older viewers, but attract the coveted ‘fratboy’ demographic.
Low point: (anticipated) The episode in which she is roundly embarassed in the VP debate with her Democratic counterpart, played by Donald Sutherland (October 2nd). Viewers object to their capable star being portrayed as a bumbling neophyte.
Lowest point: Episode eight: The Abortion Clinic. Awful. Just awful.

Season Three: Shelved.

By Liesbeth Smit|2017-09-14T08:44:10+00:00September 3 2008|

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Sarah Palin: the sitcom

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