'State of Affairs' NBC Review: Series Starring Katherine Heigl Debuts to Scathing Reviews
The premiere episode of NBC's "State of Affairs" last Nov. 17 marked the return of Katherine Heigl to television. However, since the premiere, reviews of the show have not been kind and various media outlets have noted that the series might not last long.
In "State of Affairs" Heigl plays the role of a CIA analyst named Charleston "Charlie" Whitney Tucker. She is responsible for the daily briefing of the president of the United States (Alfre Woodard).
Although the series is billed as a political drama, Time magazine in its review noted that it does not have the "courage to be about anything." It also notes that the show seeks to model itself after the hit series "Homeland" staring Claire Danes, but it falls miserably short of this goal as Heigl's character is not like Danes' character in any way.
While Heigl's character seems to have a number of quirks which Time notes is endearing to the audience, it only serves to portray her character in the best light and keep the viewers attention focused on her.
The rest of the first episode depicted how she interacted with her co-workers. She went to a bar looking for a one-night stand all because the love of her life was killed. Coincidentally he happens to be the president's son Aaron Payton, played by Mark Tallman.
Other reviews of the show have noted how Heigl's character is just another version of George Clooney's character in ER, and that her acting is good. However, since there are many such characters on television who appear to be going through a problematic period in their life, her character is not destined to stand out from the crowd.
As for the ratings of the show, "State of Affairs" debuted with a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic which is coveted by advertisers. Deadline notes that the show, which aired just after "The Voice", scored less than other shows like "Revolution" and "The Blacklist" when they debuted.
