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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, October 2, 2015 2 By Shona Dustan TV Media O ne of last year's best new dramas returns this week with more star power than ever. CBS is the master of proce- dural drama, so it was no sur- prise that its foray into the world of politics, "Madam Sec- retary," did well when it pre- miered last fall. The story fol- lows a fledgling secretary of state as she navigates the chal- lenges of her new position. The consistently engaging plot and an impressive cast have served CBS well, and the series was quickly picked up for another year. The sophomore season of "Madam Secretary" premieres Sunday, Oct. 4. Critics and fans alike knew the series had promise right out of the gate due to some major talent both in front of and behind the camera. Front and center is Téa Leoni ("Tow- er Heist," 2011), who stars as Elizabeth McCord, a professor of political science and former CIA analyst who is thrust into the role of U.S. secretary of state when her predecessor dies in a plane crash. The series follows McCord as she deals with endless internal drama while working tirelessly to thwart the efforts of those who wish to harm the American people. Leoni got her start on televi- sion with a role in the soapy "Santa Barbara," but quickly transitioned into a strong film career. Six years later, she re- turned to TV with a starring role in "The Naked Truth," which made her even more of a household name. Last year, almost two decades since her last television stint, she re- turned to her roots once more as Elizabeth McCord. A strong and intelligent for- mer CIA operative, McCord is pulled out of a relatively quiet life when the secretary of state is killed in a very suspicious plane crash. When she's asked by the president to step into the role of secretary of state, she finds she cannot refuse, and dives headlong into a life of political intrigue and dan- gerous terror plots. "I've al- ways really enjoyed [playing] a lively fish out of water and pretty much by about page 2 of the script, I knew that's what this was going to be," Leoni told "The Hollywood Reporter" last year. Leoni plays McCord with equal parts gravitas and vulnerability, embodying the character's complexities seam- lessly. And McCord is a beautifully complex character, any actor's dream. It's exciting to see her fight the good fight at work, then head home, where she's a comfortable, capable home- body, a loving mother to her three children and one half of a very supportive and functional marriage. Frequently, televi- sion's powerful female charac- ters lack a work-life balance, but McCord has a solid support system in her family — a re- freshing take on the career- driven modern woman. McCord's husband, Henry, is played by another television veteran, Tim Daly. Daly has spent much of his career on TV — he starred in the doctor dra- ma "Private Practice" for five of its six seasons, and even re- cently guest-starred as Mindy's (Mindy Kaling) love interest in "The Mindy Project." But it was his starring role in the be- loved comedy series "Wings" that catapulted him to fame. Daly's ability to play strong, wise and kind men is impecca- ble, which is perfect for playing Henry, who is a former marine, professor of theology and a doting father and husband. Henry and Elizabeth McCord have been married for 25 years as the series opens, a fact that's easy to believe, thanks to the great chemistry between Daly and Leoni. Robynwood Home 2 x 2 coverstory Tim Daly and Téa Leoni as seen in "Madam Secretary" A second term 'Madam Secretary' soars into its sophomore year on CBS By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Will there be another season of the miniseries "Sons of Liberty"? It was entertaining and histori- cal! A: The short answer is that nobody knows. As you say yourself, "Sons of Liberty" was produced as a miniseries, which means there was no commitment to more at the time, but that the option is open. It also means that, if the producers do decide to make another series of some sort, they're not committed to any kind of timeline the way a regular series would be. "I don't know if there'll be another part," actor Jason O'Mara told TheHDRoom.com, "but it would be interest- ing to see how it all plays out." Of course, he means specifically how the producers and writers of the History show would tell it, since of course we already have a rough idea of how the American War of Independence "plays out." And though the series takes some liberties (ha!) with the actual material, it sticks to the major historical points. O'Mara played George Washington. This was before he became the country's first president, of course, when he was a soldier: first in the colonial British army and later as a general with the American rebels. If there is another season, it won't be any time soon. The three-episode miniseries aired in January, there's been no word of anything new since, and many of the ac- tors have gone on to other commitments. O'Mara is one of them. He's slated to play yet another American president, this time Ulysses S. Grant, in another miniseries, "To Appomattox" (if it can ever get its funding together — the producers have turned to the crowd- funding service Kickstarter to get backing). Ben Barnes, who played Samuel Adams in "Sons of Lib- erty," is part of the ensemble cast of HBO's upcoming sci- fi/western series "Westworld." Jimmy Akingbola, who only appeared in one install- ment of "Sons of Liberty" as former slave Peter Salem, has landed one of the highest-profile roles of anyone on the cast. He's signed on to play comic book villain Baron Reiter, also known as Baron Blitzkrieg, in the hit CW dra- ma "Arrow." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. hollywoodQ&A Fly Creek General Store 1 x 6 Brandon's Feed & Seed 2 x 2 307219 Hours: Mon-Sat6am-9pm;Sun7am-7pm 607-547-7274 303677 ETHANOLFREE GAS CURRIEDCHICKEN SALADWRAP $ 5. 89 3-SCOOPSALAD $ 6. 75 BLT $ 6. 49 W/AVOCADO GENERALSTORE CLUB $ 6. 79 Celebrating 125 th Anniversary ~ 1890-2015 Daily Star The

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