Political Animals Not Very Tame

The first episode of TNT's Political Animals did not work for me.  First, Sigourney Weaver's performance as the Secretary of State Hammond came across as a loud reading of the script. Moreover, as we were warned, the entire episode truly was Dallas set in DC.  It all depends what you are looking for, but this was not what I was looking for on a Sunday night.  And why do they need the crude character of Hammond's mother played by Ellen Burstyn?  If this was intended to add comic relief it was a desperate approach that landed flat.

The only character that seems to be carrying his weight is James Wolk in the part of Hammond's son Douglas.  I remember him from Happy Endings where he had a small but solid role as a gay boyfriend.  

And speaking of gay roles, I feel bad for Sebastian Stan, who plays the part of the gay, troublesome son Thomas (T.J.).  Stan already played this role in NBC's Kings as Jack Benjamin, a similar gay prince moping about and stirring up trouble that tarnishes the royal family.  He probably has more to offer than this bad boy bit.  His most recent role has been that of Jefferson, or the Mad Hatter, on ABC's Once Upon a Time, which I have to admit is a little different from the two roles above.   

Political Animals doesn't suffer from a lack of capable actors and actresses, but rather a reason to be.  I think I will continue to get my dose of political drama from the real Clintons.