CBS drama Madam Secretary gives insight into balancing D.C. politics and home life for Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord. With a plot full of events, some humor, and a talented cast, Madam Secretary is not to miss.

Actress Téa Leoni plays Elizabeth McCord, the former CIA analyst turned Secretary of State, and actor Tim Daly plays her husband Henry, who is a professor at Georgetown University. In the pilot, McCord starts off being a professor at University of Virginia and living on a horse ranch with her husband and children. McCord’s position makes her seem far from being Secretary of State.

Through an abrupt change in events, McCord becomes the new Secretary of State. With this event, she uproots her family from their large horse farm to a Washington D.C. townhouse. In the episode, McCord is faced with the task of bringing home two American citizens who are being held as hostages in the Middle East. McCord faces the challenges of reentering politics, adjusting to new surroundings, questioning if taking the job was right, and the already established staff. Throughout the episode, McCord constantly thinks outside the box, allowing for many possibilities in the forty five minute episode.

In the show it seems they want to make the viewer feel like they are in the same space as the characters. With this style of filming, it can feel like you’re sitting across from McCord at a negotiation or with her family at dinner. This allows for forming a connection to the characters and is a way to create more interest in the plot.

Throughout the episode, it’s interesting to see McCord reenter D.C. politics. Seeing how she maneuvers the already established staff of the former Secretary of State allows the audience to realize how determined she is. This determination is displayed in her first task of bringing home American prisoners from the Middle East. Her determination and strong work ethic makes the show believable. Even though there have only been three female Secretary of State’s, Leoni’s deliverance of McCord makes her seem like she could be the fourth.

With the constantly changing plot, Madam Secretary is not to miss. Seasons one through three can be watched on Netflix, and the current season airs every Sunday at 10/9c on CBS.