September - October 1995
ABC | 13 episodes (7 unaired) | Prime time soap opera
WHO'S IN IT? William Devane, Susan Sullivan
SYNOPSIS: The planned run for Maryland governor by leading business magnate John Monroe is hampered by revelations of an affair he had 20 years earlier - with a a woman who turns out to be a foreign spy - while serving at the American embassy in Brussels.The admission not only knocks him out of the gubernatorial race but also creates tension for the millionaire with his wife who, in typical political matriarch fashion, vows to endure the indignity for the family’s sake.
VERDICT: ★★☆☆☆
From the start, The Monroes faced stiff competition against Seinfeld and was not expected to fare well. In the end, it didn't - the show was dumped after five episodes, leaving seven unaired. Who pits a show against Seinfeld and expects to win? Variety said the show wasn't "particularly compelling" and EW said fans of Dynasty "may find this potboiler amusing".
In response to the news breaking of his affair, William Devane's character, John Monroe, proclaims: “This is the 90s! Who cares what I do in my spare time?”. Meanwhile, with helicopters buzzing around her head, Susan Sullivan’s character, Kathryn, nonchalantly says: “Hang on a moment, I just want to make a statement to the press…” turning to aggressively flip the bird to the TV crew hanging out of the helicopter’s door.
Elsewhere in the episode, the family urge their astronaut son James -“the golden child” - to go back into space to give the family a bit of positive press. They have another son, Gabriel, who isn't so keen on the perks of being part of the family, with the episode's opening scenes of him urging a traffic cop to give him a ticket. He's in a coma by the end of the episode.
CANCELLED TOO SOON? Interesting in parts, but on the whole - boring. Wouldn't watch more.
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