Graves Season 1
3 DVD 20 episodes
Nick Nolte, Sela Ward, Skylar Astin
Lionsgate
If Nick Nolte does not get at least a nod for the Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series there is something wrong with the world. In the Epix political and situation comedy Graves Nolte plays a former two-term Republican President who ruled during more or less the real-life Clinton years. He is now retired and spends his time giving speeches to favorable audiences. One day, he is forced to look back at his presidency and sees how much damage he did during those eight years. He decides to make up for all of that.
This Epix series co-stars Sela Ward as the former First Lady. She must keep an eye on her unpredictable husband and may have ambitions of her own. It also stars Skylar Astin as Isaiah Miller who grew up idolizing President Graves and is now his latest assistant. Secondary characters include a no-nonsense Samantha, a twenty-something waitress who works at the local diner and Graves’ recently separated and very distraught daughter Olivia.
Graves is a very funny, interesting, and original sitcom. The writing is really good and episodes manage to address current social issues such as cutbacks in research funding (episode 1) or the U.S. Immigration policy (episode 2) without any bullypulpiting nor dismissing the issue for a few cheap laughs. In fact there are no cheap laughs at all in the first two episodes I found somewhere on the internet. The humor comes from very plausible situations and characters.
Unfortunately this great sitcom was cancelled after two seasons. Conspiracy theorists will say it was because a woman was running for office and Trump was President.