The first episode, "The Love Child," was an hour long broadcast (the first of two), 21 half hours total. Our introduction to Senator William Franklin Powers (John Forsythe) finds him in bed with the beautiful blonde Jordan (Eve Gordon), only to be interrupted by a call from his wife Margaret (he's worried about his reelection, despite the fact he's unopposed). The ambitious Margaret (Holland Taylor) delights in tormenting her long-suffering maid Charlotte (Elizabteh Berridge), slapping her face and stomping on her hand, constantly imploring her husband (whom she calls 'Bill') to consider running for President. Planning a dinner party for the press, daughter Caitlyn (Valerie Mahaffey) shows up with husband Theodore (David Hyde Pierce) and son Pierce (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), awaiting the arrival of the Senator, currently addressing a Congressional assembly on making cheese the "national snack food, first place in our sandwiches, our salads, and in our lives!" Caitlyn is just as intimidating as her mother, ruling her home with an iron fist; Theodore is chronically depressed and prone to suicide (his wife tries to hide the bandages on both his wrists, before yanking the knife out of his hands); he tries in vain to protect son Pierce from his mother's wrath (being the future hope of the family, he objects to being a 'photo-op' for her). Jordan runs the Senator's office, with negligible assistance from press secretary Bradley (Peter MacNicol), who encourages the speech on cheese, one day before a devastating article depicting its high cholesterol content. Into this dysfunctional family setting (remember SOAP) arrives a woman introducing herself as Sophie Lipkin (Robin Bartlett), Bill Powers' Jewish daughter from a Korean war fling with a nurse, prior to his wedding to Margaret. No one is pleased to meet her, particularly a jealous Caitlyn, but her father receives her with more warmth than anyone else. The question is how to handle this sudden news, just as Bill announces he's running for reelection, unexpectedly opposed by former football hero (now quadriplegic) Joe Bowman (Craig Bierko), who never considered running until getting a call for his endorsement (another strikeout for press secretary Bradley). A Norman Lear presentation that does recall SOAP, especially the sharp writing and superb ensemble cast.
