Drudgereport: Rod Lurie Replaced at "Commander in Chief"



(image via washingtonpost via Mario Anzuoni -- Reuters)

According to DrudgiePoo's headline: "LAWEEKLY entertainment columnist Nikki Finke: ABC/TOUCHSTONE's COMMANDER IN CHIEF series creator Rod Lurie replaced as showrunner by Steve Bochco today because of what sources say was Lurie's wanting to show a 'rough sex' scene between the President's daughter and a Secret Service agent in the back of a limo... Developing... "

Hey, now. Blog love, first of all, to Defamer, who anticipated some hooplah. "Commander-in-Chief," a veritable hit for ABC, is undergoing the aforementioned behind-the-scenes changes; "Commander-in-Chief," which drew in 16.2 million viewers for its premiere is losing Rod Lurie, a West Point graduate who, perhaps, had a little too much masculine "Yang-energy" for the more Yingish Hollywood. Rod Lurie, you'll remember, directed "The Last Castle," and is at present working on a boxing drama called "Resurrecting The Champ." According to Christopher Lisotta of TVWeek:

"'Chief' scored a 4.8 rating in adults 18 to 49 Tuesday, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was a 12 percent increase in the demo over its debut the previous week."

No word yet on the developing "rough sex scene" that has Drudgie-poo's panties in a twist. Do all Geena Davis projects end up this complicated? Is there a Geena Davis jinx? We remember -- though we try to forget -- the filmed-in-Malta fiasco that was "Cutthroat Island (Did anyone in Tinseltown actually expect a film with Geena Davis and Matthew Modine as leads to make back $100 million)." Cutthroat Island gave Corsair pirates everywhere a bad name (Averted Gaze). And who can forget, of course, that quixotic Olympic archery bid.There are lots of explanations floating around the web. From Lisa de Moraes, the TV Columnist for the Washington Post:

"According to some sources with knowledge of the situation who did not want to be identified because their jobs are more important, Lurie and the network had 'creative' differences about future episodes.

"But another knowledgeable, and equally shy, source paints a picture of a guy being stretched too thin trying to handle writing, producing and directing on the series, while juggling those helpful 'notes' from 25-year-old studio and network suits that creators of hit series find themselves suddenly enjoying. This, in turn, caused production logjams, producing that network concern."

And, from AJ Frtutkin of Mediaweek:

"Touchstone TV president Mark Pedowitz (said), 'We thank Rod Lurie for creating Commander In Chief and shepherding its successful launch and we appreciate Steven Bochco coming on board to provide his leadership as we continue through the season.'"