Jack & Bobby (2004–2005) User Reviews (29)

Without any doubt the best TV-series in years

[Travis_Bickle01 · 8/10 · 26 February 2005]

Jack & Bobby tells the story of 2 boys, raised by a single mother. It's a story of growing up, trying to find your way, searching for your identity,... It's hard to describe what this TV-series is about because there's so much in it. It's not a classical TV-series about the typical American family. It's a clever masterpiece which deals with serious life issues of teenage boys who are trying to find their way in this life, who are trying to find out who they want to be and what they want to stand for.

I have seen many series and movies about people, trying to find their way in life, about people who haven't figured it out yet...but this is the first series who succeed in capturing it all in such a unique, intelligent and sensitive way without getting melodramatic. An episode lasts about 40 minutes but I have the impression it lasts less and every time the episode has finished, i can't wait to see the next! I'm afraid I'm getting addicted to it. No seriously, this is just outstanding, wonderful, brilliant,... Just see it!

There is also some great acting in this. Christine Lahti (who plays Grace, the mother) is brilliant. I think she should have won the Golden Globe. The rest of the cast is also without any exception terrific.

Here I will tell something more about the different characters. Jack & Bobby is the story of two brothers and their mother Grace. Jack is the oldest of the brothers. He is 16 (but looks and is in real life much older) and he is a nice, good looking and popular young guy. Although he is only 16, he is very responsible and grown-up. For him, it's very important to be accepted and to fit in. His girlfriend Missy is a blond, rather shallow young girl who cares a lot about her looks but doesn't seem to have much inside her head.

Besides his relationship with Missy, Jack also has a beautiful friendship with Courtney. Courtney not only lives in his neighbourhood but she's also the deans daughter. She's a fragile young girl who has been through a lot. For her, Jack is more than just a friend, he is her best friend.

Then there is Bobby, the youngest brother. He is 13 and he differs a lot from his brother Jack. He doesn't care much about fitting in. For him, growing up isn't as easy as it is to Jack. But there is a good understanding between the two brothers. Like his brother, Bobby also has a good relationship with Courtney. They understand each other very good and they are both good listeners.

Last but not least there is Grace. She is about 40 and she is the mother of both boys. She's a single mother but she's very self-confident and intelligent. Raising her two boys on her own isn't always easy and she does make mistakes, but she is a good person.

It's only just the start of this TV-series. I've seen 8 episodes and I can't wait to see the rest! I'll give it ***** out of *****

I thought I was the only one...

[RaikoLives · 9/10 · 29 January 2007]

I just watched the last episode of this great show and I just needed to know something. Am I the only person who liked it? Luckily... It would seem that I'm not.

Jack and Bobby... The story of two brothers... One who becomes President of the United States of America... And one who should have.

Now, it's great to see that there are those out there who dislike it, debate is always good, but I am so glad it wasn't just me that truly believes this show to be a classic.

Jack and Bobby struck me as though it was going to try to be allegorical to the Kennedey's, hell, they're in the titles, but it simply used that one feature to help viewers connect, and then we were treated to a show that truly lets you know that American TV isn't as dead as Big Brother and Idol would make you think.

Two seasons passed by in the time it would take a normal show to have one, and this is great. Long have I decried the 24-26 episode length seasons that the US seems to prefer. Most shows end up with 10 good episodes and 15 or so of just filler. But Jack and Bobby only had a few portions where it felt as though it was just tacked in. And when they passed you were back to great acting, great surprise actors including J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Oz and now Jack and Bobby... Is this man perfect or what?) and many more familiar faces.

This should be required viewing for everyone. Americans, Australians, French people and Chinese folk as well. Truly original stuff is hard to come by these days, but Jack and Bobby is the closest thing to it I've seen in many a year.

I can't give halves on the "vote" but if I could, it would get 9.5 out of 10. Seriously. Don't pass up the chance if you get it. You won't be disappointed.

Keep the audience guessing!

[Sylviastel · 7/10 · 13 September 2004]

I liked Jack & Bobby. I am not a big fan of the dramatic genre or the melodramatic series like this one but I liked this show. I like Christine Lahti who is always dynamic in whatever role. She should have mantle filled with statues for her acting appearances. I was very impressed with the chances of letting us know what was going to happen into the future about these two young men. Of course, it always best to leave the audience guessing about the outcome of which one anyway. But I liked this show because of the strong characters in Jack, Bobby, & Grace. I don't think it's necessary to have the people in the future reflect until the very end of the series. If this was a mini-series or movie, I could see it but not now. Keep the audience guessing until the very end.

Brilliant and strangely deep

[deathofacat · 9 February 2005]

Jack & Bobby is a strange drama in that it is original without seeming so. Two brothers grow up under the gaze of their brilliant, breakable, over-controlling, liberal-professor mom, and one of them becomes president. Weird concept, unlikely to work. But the real shock of J&B is: it does. The actors are one of the main reasons. Lahti is out of this world as a woman who desperately needs to be loved, but won't let it come to her. Lerman and Long, both fairly new, bring their characters to life wonderfully. Slattey is pleasantly wry as a father who has lost his wife and must now raise his children. Pare and Hodge add as well, and Cooper gives a surprisingly deep performance that proves strangely real.

The plots are good too. Yeah, it's bothering that week after week, we have to see poor Grace "learn" her lesson, and be humbled, but it's TV: no one would watch if an intelligent person wasn't forced to be put down contantly. Another good moment features her affair with a TA, which comes off, not as a fling, but rather as a ripping, surprising romance. The boys too add their own mix. Teenager Jack is pretty stereotypical, but he's still real, and while overly good Bobby is a bit too good, he still comes off as sweet and impressionable.

My only hope is that the WB learns to appreciate what a gem they have. This one's a keeper, guys.

The best show on TV. Only one season is a travesty

[MikeAbrams · 10/10 · 25 December 2020]

I often think back to this show. How amazing it was frames. How amazing the characters were. How amazing the stories were. A lot of good shows aren't renewed. But the fact that this one wasn't is just a horrible loss.

It's not available to stream anywhere. With al' the streaming services now someone should reboot it. Or just continue it. It's been 15 years but it's time for a good show like this to have a home again.

Not gripping. Repulsive.

[sandcrab722 · 1/10 · 14 March 2022]

The characters are boring. The action non-existent. The story uninteresting. They jump around in time. More interesting interactions happen between your neighbor's kid and a squirrel on a Tuesday in June than you'll see in this extremely dull work of extraordinary tedium.

Brilliant and intelligent drama that is just too intelligent for most people.

[tvnuts · 30 October 2004]

Jack and Bobby is by the far the best new show of the year,and one of the best shows on television.It is an intelligent and enjoyable drama with great actors.What more do you want?Oh wait,from what I've been reading from some people here is that it is boring and predictable.You know what I see?I see an intelligent drama that is just too intelligent for the vast majority of people.They would rather watch the crap that is reality television or gritty crime shows such as CSI which is the most predictable show on television.I'm not saying CSI is bad,I watch it and its okay,but it is just a crime/forensic drama that doesn't involve much thinking at all,I have always guessed the killers right off,and have always been right.

As for reality TV,it is ruining great dramas such as Jack and Bobby,Angel 3rd Watch which is better than ER but doesn't get near as many viewers.Jack and Bobby is beyond reality TV,it involves people to think and to get sucked in,reality TV is for the people who find it hard to think.Great acting from all the cast,most notably Christine Lahti and the young Logan Lerman and great writing from Greg Berlanti(Everwood),Thomas Schlamme(The West Wing),Vanessa Taylor(Everwood and Alias) and directors such as David Nutter (Without a Trace,Roswell,The X-Files), provide a top quality show that is just too intelligent for many people.

I hated this show...

[ultra_man_legends · 1/10 · 10 February 2007]

I had tried watching this despite my distaste of the previews about the show(I thought the plot was stupid...). I'd always watch piece by piece then after that I'd change the channel, but I managed to watch one episode fully, the episode where they meet their father in jail... it was JUST OK, but for a show meaning for one of the boys to become the President of the States... clips of senates speaking about Bobby's past... no. This show was the most overrated hype I've ever seen. The plot was very off of what was REALLY happening in the show, and had nothing to do wit anything about becoming President.

This show, to me, was just a show to flatter or butter up American society, in other words; American Patriots. JUST to have something to do wit the Government, having some dramatic intro of the show, showing this show's about being an American, while Jake has all the pre-marital sex he "unintentionally" gets.

This show has been said to have a deep meaning, intelligence that's too big to be understood, but all I saw was just another sitcom trying to impress the United States of America. This show didn't add anything new to TV or seem in anyway 'smart', but the fact that one of the boys were to be President later on in life... which the show was basing around girlfriend/boyfriend relationships and abortions. I'm glad they pulled this show, because nothing about it was 'special'... just an attempt to pull a lot of viewers to watch the thing, which worked for a minute, but it didn't last.

Thank you WB for pulling this show, it wasn't doing anything or showing anything but how desperate writers are to make something worth watching.

The seeds have been sown for greatness...

[scorchingsirius · 20 September 2004]

I was really drawn by the premise of this show, as well as by its loose allusions to the Kennedys, and funny, even though the acting leaves a bit to be desired and the dialogue sometimes approaches the Dawson's Creek zone. We've seen these situations before on the WB -- check out, for instance, one of Courtney's first lines when Jack tries to pick her up in the opener -- "you don't know anything about me" -- obviously implying she has some deeply-buried skeletons in the closet that will be uncovered in a later episode; very much like Andie McPhee's introduction to Pacey in Dawson's ... recycled material. However, unlike Dawson's Creek, which I watched religiously for three-plus years out pure amusement (you knew you couldn't take a show seriously in which every other line was some long-winded diatribe), there's something deeper, something more fascinating about "Jack and Bobby" that makes me keep coming back.

I believe that lies in the actual characters -- in some weird way, you really care about them. Maybe part of that has to do with the relationships -- they just seem so real. Jack has a strange love-hate relationship with his brother that actually reminds me very much of the relationship between my own brothers. Jack wants to push Bobby away because he's sick of being trailed by his annoying little brother, but at the same time subconsciously longs for his company, though denyingly embarrassed to say so. Grace is fighting to find the balance between smothering her sons and letting them do what they want. Some of the previous reviewers have criticised the show for not being explicit enough -- that Jack continuously refers to Bobby being "weird" but Bobby's actions don't support the accusation -- but they should look twice. How many of the outcasts in high school were truly those one-dimensional freaks you see portrayed too frequently in bad sitcoms? More often, the line between fitting in and being "different" is all too subtle -- I find it most interesting that Bobby is such a naive do-gooder at this point, he can't even internally comprehend what makes him so "different"... and because he can't see it, you can bet that it'll take time for the casual viewer to see it, too.

Another reason may be the flash-forwards -- you know this is not just some cheesy drama focusing on teens because they won't stay eternally young; everything they do in the here and now influences the people they will someday become, and the pieces are slowly and subtly being exposed, one by one. My greatest fear for the show is that, because we're learning about the future as we're learning about the present, the writers don't eventually get too boxed in, reveal too much about the future, and have to go back and "change" characters or take certain liberties in plot and time frame. If the writers can avoid such a pitfall week after week, there's little doubt in my mind that "Jack and Bobby" the show will be destined for greatness.

Seriously worth a watch. I can't wait for episode three.

Brain-washing

[nosferatu1748 · 1/10 · 16 July 2006]

I finally understand why US goes around bombing and slaughtering people or even standing for the massacres of others (as it will happen in the coming days)and nobody says a word. The whole world is burnt, HIV is killing Africa, US forces are occupying countries (eg Iraq) or destroying others (Serbia) and all Americans are interested in is the American president. Do you really believe that show helps people be interested in politics or go for voting? It just hides the real problems. That thing is pure propaganda, equal to those in Germany 65 years ago. Honestly I thought Everwood was dangerous for promoting a conventional life and its watchers could die out of boredom - obviously there is always worse coming...

Jack & Boby hailed by fans and critics alike as best new show!

[TheRealmPlayer · 1 January 2005]

Of all places to discover a dramatic gem, the WB! The show started out strong, with good casting and writing, a promising premise, and a few surprises. After just 11 episodes, (the balance of them to begin Jan. 26,2005), the show has developed an extremely loyal fan base, and even garnered a Golden Globe Nom., for Christine Lahti. TV Tome has placed it in their best new shows category. And reviews from Entertainment Weekly, to local newspapers have spread the joy, that this is a show not to miss.

My own experience agrees with the critics and fans. I have laughed, shed tears, and had my mouth open catching flys. To think that the suits at the WB had enough sense to make this series, almost makes me think they have enough sense to renew it for another season. If you want quality television, you need look no further than this fine new series!

WB's biggest screw up...

[m-47826 · 4/10 · 1 February 2023]

They could've stroke gold with that show. The main plot, could've easily made it last at least a decade. Unfortunately, the network appeared to have so little faith in it, they just gave away all the important answers right away. By episode two, we already knew Bobby was it, when it was the perfect opportunity for them to keep the suspense, for at least a couple of seasons. Then the recounting of his life, made the journey look anything but exciting, when they should've done exactly what Smallville did. Which Jack & Bobby seemed heavily inspired on, by revealing crucial elements bit by bit. The fact that the show was anti-republicans, when the president it was focused on was, didn't help its case either. Not only did the mother was a democrat, but she was of the worst kind. She was preachy, manipulative and borderline crazy. Pretty lousy overall. Needless to say, the different aspects of her character could fit in a post it, only for writers it looked as if she was a victim of misjudgments, in a « sea of republicans ». And that, was extremely off putting. The actors however did a great job selling it. Which is a pity WB wasn't able to at least showcase this. I finished watching episodes posted online, and it was clear you had the whole series figured out too soon, so I get the limited number of episodes. And why so few people fought for it after it was cancelled...

excellent, just leave out the love angles!

[makatang_elepante · 25 September 2005]

the first episode of jack and bobby moved me in such a way that i swore to myself i would watch every episode until production ended. so i was there for the second, and the third, and the fourth, and then...oh no, wait a second. no...NO...this can't be happening...it's turning into dawson's creek! when the relationships started flooding in - jack with courtney, then jack with missy, then jack with courtney, then missy with courtney, then bobby with dex, then the mom with the school president, then the mom with the TA...i was becoming so wary to the point of paranoia. every time one of the three leads gets close to a guy or a girl my brain goes...oh no, not a love triangle, not a wrong relationship....oh no! i mean, THIS IS A GREAT SHOW HERE,one with SO MUCH POTENTIAL...the actors are great beyond all expectations from TVland acting...but the writers had to stick with the Love angles?? goodness, there's SO MUCH MORE TO EXPLORE! COME ON! get on it already...how did bobby build such an extraordinary character? will jack and bobby's love/hatred for each other only root from girls?? there has GOT TO BE OTHER angles than these circles of relationships. the mom doesn't even have to have that angle! she could probably have that near the last season or something, but there's just so much boy and girl hoopla here that i can't seem to find the excellence, the passion, the greatness that was in the first episode. EXPLORE FRIENDSHIPS, REAL RELATIONSHIPS, for jack and bobby's sake. I OPEN THIS TO ALL THE PRODUCERS, THE WRITERS...go back to what you started in the first episode! there's so much more to this!

It has greatness within it's grasp.

[tahirjon6 · 12 September 2004]

I watched the first episode of Jack & Bobby which airs tonight on a promotional DVD that was provided by Entertainment Weekly.

The show is innovative, it is a futuristic documentary that centers around the president of the United States between 2040-2048 and looks back to when he was a normal (or not so normal) kid in our present day. The show is pretty darn innovative, mixing some great creativity of our future, with some even more great realization of our current lives. It shows how one child, not too different from you and me can grow up to be president.

The cast is nice, great chemistry between all of the actors, and no significantly weak links among any of the cast, although the boy who plays Bobby's conformist friend could have stood some more acting lessons. The story for the pilot was great, it involved Bobby's mother and brother fighting over how he should be raised, and it deals with drugs in a smart gritty way, not how 7'th Heaven would deal with it. But again, most of all is how the show seems to blend Futuristic Political Documentary With Present-Day gritty drama, so seamlessly.

8/10 - I have high hopes for this one!

Future Legacy

[jon.h.ochiai · 10 September 2004]

I viewed the WB's "Jack & Bobby" on a preview DVD of the first episode which is airing this Sunday. Got it from an insert in "Entertainment Weekly". I had seen the TV trailer on the WB, and thought the series conceit was a modern retelling of Jack and Bobby Kennedy. "One brother will become President of the United States." On the surface it is, and this series has the possibility of being breakthrough television. "Jack & Bobby" centers around the conversation of the origins of greatness in all people.

The first episode is expertly crafted, effective in it's retrospective narrative, i.e. from the future looking back. I don't know who wrote the episode, but he or she is visionary, having a noble cause.

The cast is powerful. Christine Lahti plays Grace McCallister, free-spirited college professor and single mom to her sons, Jack and Bobby. Matt Long plays Jack, the older brother. Jack is a high school sophomore, track star, smart cool loner, and popular with the girls. Logan Lerman plays Bobby. Bobby is the sensitive geeky asthmatic brother, who really doesn't much care about what other people think. He also has a strength of character that even he is yet unaware.

The first episode is a battle of wills between Grace and Jack over Bobby's future, and the possibility of the man he will become. Long and Lerman have a special chemistry which is the power of "Jack & Bobby". Jack and Bobby have an unconditional and unspoken love for each other, and see the other as great. In the narrative the future First Lady recalls that Jack and Bobby are like "two sides of the same coin". Rather each fills in the other's "missing". Jack inspires the strength and character in Bobby, that he himself has not yet distinguished. Bobby brings out the heart and compassion in Jack which he often chooses to dismiss or disguise. Ultimately, "Jack & Bobby" is a story about greatness, and those who inspire greatness. It is not a coincidence that "Jack & Bobby" focuses on the relationship between three strong, smart, and special people. "Jack & Bobby" has the possibility of greatness.

Charming drama

[RaDragon888 · 1 September 2004]

I had the pleasure of previewing this program on a promotional DVD. I have to say that it is an interesting and somewhat charming drama that peeks at the life of a future president of the United States – during his boyhood years! The family chemistry is excellent; Jack, as the brooding, somewhat self-assured big brother to Bobby, the geeky and asthmatic kid, coupled with their liberal-over-protective-college-professor-single-mother, wonderfully played by Christine Lahti. The emotions seem genuine (which means good acting!) and the story line (at least for the pilot) was engaging. The dialogues are smart and real. The "flash-forwards" are tastefully done, and although definitely related, doesn't distract us too much to the "present day" storyline. I would love to see how this story develops.

A great show about Greatness

[dark_phoenix_fire_13 · 10 October 2004]

On the Sunday it premiered on the WB I think I heard the ad for it about 4 times on the radio in my half hour of total driving and decided that the plot sounded unique and was worth wasting an hour of time not doing homework. After watching the first episode, I found myself amazed at the unique style in which the pilot was done with no truly telling the truth of which brother becomes president and in how the idea switches back and forth throughout the show. But what makes the show so good is it's big underlying question, What is the next great president/world leader like today, as a kid growing up? (Is it that geek that played D&D or the cool jock who still did all that community service?) This ever present idea that one of these two very unique and powerful brothers will soon be this mythical leader "The Great Believer" is inspiring and truthful.

Now after having watched the fifth episode, I find myself wanting to see the next right away. Each episode deals with a sort of theme or tying events between the two brothers. But the true power of the show is the chemistry of all the main characters and how they are portrayed. Matt Long is brilliant as Jack, the strong cool brother who still learns from Bobby (like when he helps his friend out by taking his job). Logan Lerman is superb as Bobby, the doesn't give a hoot what everyone else thinks kid who looks up to his brother and shows the ever amazing ideas that inspire to be more (like trying to start the space club with no support until Courtney becomes his ally). Christine Lahti is out of this world as Grace the mom, nothing needs to be said about how good a job she does. The rest of the cast is amazing in the support of this family. Their on screen chemistry takes the show by storm as every scene is good and the already well written plot is only amplified by the well done acting. Already given a second season, I hope to see this show go for a while. Please WB don't give up on this, it's just too good...

give me a break!

[joelcairo1941 · 17 October 2004]

There's nothing refreshing or new about Jack & Bobby. Despite all the hype about the allusions to another Jack & Bobby, it turns out that this is just another excuse for the WB network to put on a "drama" with fresh-faced suburban white kids who seem to be only preoccupied with sex and appearing cool. As for the threadbare cliché of the American presidency as the hallmark of greatness, well, we only have to look to recent history to see that such a claim is laughable. It's high time for middle-class America to take a long, hard look at itself to see that it doesn't even come close to being the breeding ground for greatness that it imagines itself to be. Rather, it perpetuates mediocrity and conformity at every turn. I'm only sorry to see the always-wonderful Christine Lahti being wasted in such tripe. Jack & Bobby -- give me a break!

Good stuff...

[JBBennett · 15 December 2004]

I thoroughly enjoy Grace. She's a force. Yes, she imposes her will but she a multi-dimensional woman - with a brain...and she's lonely. Let's hope that the writers don't cut Tom Wexler out of the picture too soon. Grace needs a stimulating love. Tom gets her and is her intellectual equal. Unlike Peter, Tom is positively enchanted by Grace. Clay feet and all. Complex relationship, yes. Relevant for today. You bet ya! Here's a woman who defied the odds and earned not one, but two Doctorate degrees. All the while single-handedly raising two boys. Amazing! The sad reality is that there are increasing numbers of women who are facing similar challenges, but they lose their focus and oftentimes settle for second best. Not our Grace.

She is highly principled and has high regard for herself and her sons. Giving up and giving in is not an option. This woman is modeling for her sons what it looks like to have the courage of your convictions. Something we all should aspire to and the type of character we should all expect from our American Presidents. Good job, Grace!

Jack & Bobby is Truly Decent

[SpeedRacer19 · 18 February 2005]

When I first saw the previews for Jack & Bobby, I did not think the show would be very good. Apparently, I was wrong. When I saw an episode an October, I was impressed by the decent acting and solid plot. Grace McCallister's character is a hard-working mother who is usually principled. Grace's values are questionable when she dates the much younger Tom Wexler. She spends less time with Bobby while she is dating Wexler, so Bobby becomes more and more distant. He begins following Jack's footsteps by limiting dialog with his mother. Bobby, still has a better connection than Jack to his mother because he is empathetic. He is slowly breaking away, but clearly he respects his mother and loves her. Jack is a quiet, semi-dark character, but he is not a bad character. Jack and Bobby are polar opposites meaning their characteristics oppose each other. Bobby is intellectual while Jack has speed and explosiveness which help while he is on the track team. It was unfortunate that Melissa (Missy) Belknap terminated her relationship with Jack. While Jack is injured he seems to be going in a downward spiral. He feels useless since he is is now injured and can no longer run. Although he meets Katie, his relationship with her turns disastrous when she discovers he cheated on her. Even worse for Jack, he loses his friend Missy in a car accident. In a way, Missy already died symbolically before her physical death. She wanted to forget about the past and her worries so she began drinking. Her former attitude which was more confident and carefree is gone. She becomes unhappy and I saw a sense of desperation in her while she told Jack she loved him at the prom. Meanwhile too many bad things have happened to Jack. Hopefully, his character rebounds and recovers. I thought it was interesting when Jack told Missy that she was trying to forget everything that happened. At least, Jack values reality. He is right when he states that things change and things aren't supposed to go back to the way they were after change. Jack is referring to how Missy's life has changed after her abortion. Fortunately, Jack still has two good friends in Marcus and Courtney. I'm glad that this show is being aired because it is one of the most interesting programs I have seen in a while.

Trite, predictable, boring.

[Snorwegian · 17 September 2004]

I had high hopes for this show, particularly because Thomas Schlamme (The West Wing) produced it, but the pilot turned out to be just plain awful. Every moment of it was predictable; it was obvious from the beginning which brother would be President. When Bobby stole his mother's pot it was clear what would happen, but the directors dragged it out anyway. The script was trite and the characters are one dimensional. Jack is angry all the time, even though his reasons for being so aren't really justified. Bobby is seen as a freak for no real reason, and their mother speaks in long winded, labored clichés.

Perhaps the WB promoted this show too heavily. It fell way short of my expectations. Thomas Schlamme can do much better than this.

Well I like It.

[Kathlina · 25 September 2004]

I like this show a lot. Its a cute show about two brothers, and one of them grows up to be the President.

Unfortunately, it is a WB show, and the WB is all about sex appeal. The older of the brothers is very cute, so the teenage girl audience is taken care of. But there is no sexy chick for the guys to be watching the show for. Personally, I appreciate the fact that the girl that Jack (the cute older brother) is interested in is not drop dead gorgeous. Therefore, young teenage girls can realize that you don't have to be absolutely stunning for someone to like you.

Anyway, Christine Lahti and Logan Lermann both are amazing in their roles. Matthew Long is pretty good too, and I am sure that we will see improvement in his acting as he works on his craft. Other than that, there is an original storyline and well conceived dialouge.

I hope that this show lasts longer, but since it doesn't have the WB's usual criteria (re: hot teens) we'll have to wait and see.

Clever but not great

[ljbad · 10 October 2004]

The ads they've been showing for this keep repeating one critic's quote - "The WB has perfected the family drama." And that's really all this is - a pretty good family drama. The political aspects end up serving very little more than Lorelai Gilmore's pop-culture references on "Gilmore Girls" - i.e. they define a particular character quite nicely, but don't really define the show at all. More important -- surprise, surprise -- are Jack's relationships with girls and Bobby's trouble with bullies. I'm not political, myself, but the image that was used to promote the series -- the two brothers lying head to head on the American flag -- as well as the title and the presence of Thomas Schlamme ("Sports Night"), suggested to me something very new and different. Beyond the "future documentary" conceit, though (which, to be fair, represents a greater innovation than most shows), there's just nothing new here at all. That's not to say it isn't worth watching. Just know what you're in for.

Not sure if I watch anymore

[jeffkics · 8 November 2004]

I have to say that I was becoming a fan of the show, up until last show, and the apparent forcing of a political party on her son, and the whole underlying theme that god forbid we have 4 more years of this. Yes we all grow up listening to our parents and what their political party is and why it is better than the other, but my mother never said, my son is a democrat.

She let me choose. Anyway I didn't find it entertaining, when they put the 'under 21' wristband on Bobby, and it just so happened to be Red, and the mom promptly takes the scissors and says "my son isn't a republican" and proceeds to cut the band off. Sorry but just my opinion, and we'll see if I watch this Hollywood democratic show again. Maybe in an upcoming show Bobby will have to do a report on Fahrenheit 911.

Amazing - purely Amazing!!!

[voyager_ncc_74656 · 1 September 2004]

I was able to take a sneak peak through AOL TV, and was completely flabbergasted at the content of this movie.

This is by far one of the best shows coming this fall season. Not only did you get to watch each of the characters, but you got to know them and their future.

I did not know Bobby was going to be President. I would have thought Jack would have been. But in any event it is great story-telling and cannot wait to watch every episode this fall.

Using Jack & Bobby was what caught my attention as well. As soon as I read the title I thought of the Kennedy Brothers and the Presidency. Watching the White House Staffers in the future talking about the election and the presidency of one of the brothers brought me chills.

The WB has done it again!!!