Anatomy of a Disaster

When the program finally returned April 13, it was in a new time slot with its third show runner, Commander writer and Lurie protégée Dee Johnson. It was reported that Bochco had bowed out in early March to work on pilots, but sources tell EW that another factor may have been McPherson and Davis' displeasure with Bochco's new direction. (Bochco and McPherson declined to comment, and Davis denies any rift with her then-show runner.)

EW has also learned that after Johnson took over, she tossed or reshot major chunks of three of Bochco's scripts — including story lines about the president's son impregnating a girl and a genocide in an unnamed African country — in an effort to bring the show back to its roots. But it was too late. The audience had dwindled to almost nothing. On April 27, only 6.5 million viewers tuned in for what may be Commander in Chief's final episode. Those who did watch were treated to previews of an episode that might never air. In the teaser, President Allen is seen being carried off on a stretcher. There is pandemonium and no one knows exactly what went wrong.

COMMANDER-IN-GRIEF

How the number of viewers fell between September 2005 and April 2006.

16.4 MILLION
Sept. 27, 2005
Geena Davis takes on the White House as President Allen. The country votes, and the new series is a winner.

12.6 MILLION
NOV. 15, 2005
Steven Bochco's first episode airs. He nixes a main story line about the First Hubby (Kyle Secor).

13.7 MILLION
NOV. 29, 2005
Chief scores an uptick after hiring Mark-Paul Gosselaar (as a strategist) and Polly Bergen (as the First Mom).

11.4 MILLION
JAN. 10, 2006
First of a two-parter about a sunken sub in North Korean waters can't plug the hole in this drowning drama.

8.2 MILLION
APRIL 13, 2006
Bochco replacement Dee Johnson's first episode airs. By now, the series has lost half its audience.

6.5 MILLION
APRIL 27, 2006
Even Adam Arkin as the attorney general doesn't help. President Allen's second-term prospects look extremely grim.