Madam Secretary

2014 • CBS
4.7
1.91K reviews
TV-14
Rating
Eligible
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Season 5 episodes (21)

1 E. Pluribus Unum
10/7/18
In the aftermath of a deadly attack on the White House, Elizabeth tries to keep a major nuclear disarmament deal from falling apart while a manhunt for the attackers brings D.C. to a halt. For advice, Elizabeth turns to former secretaries of state (guest starring as themselves) Madeleine Albright, Hillary Clinton and Colin Powell, on the fifth season premiere.
2 The Chaos Game
10/14/18
When Elizabeth discovers that the White House attackers had support from overseas, she tries to hunt down those responsible without starting a war. Also, Henry comes face to face with one of the attackers.
3 The Magic Rake
10/21/18
Elizabeth flies to Fashion Week in Milan to face off against the Chinese Foreign Minister over an anti-sweatshop treaty in the aftermath of a tragedy. Also, Daisy struggles with feelings of fear and pessimism over her baby’s future, under the threat of rising nationalism in the wake of the attack on the White House.
4 Requiem
10/28/18
When the remains of U.S. soldiers who served in World War II are uncovered in Southeast Asia, Elizabeth's hopes of bringing them home quickly fade when a stubborn leader stands in her way. Also, Henry and Stevie find themselves publicly targeted by a restaurant owner who is angry about Elizabeth's policies, and Alison volunteers for a local congressional campaign.
5 Ghosts
11/4/18
Henry finds himself at the center of an international incident, when he comes to the aid of an ex-girlfriend at a religious freedom conference in Thailand, after she is imprisoned for condemning the monarchy. Also, Elizabeth helps Jason navigate the pressure of preparing for college.
6 Eyjafjallajökull
11/11/18
When the eruption of an Icelandic volcano strands Elizabeth at an airport in Ireland with the Turkish foreign minister, she tries to broker a deal with him to save the lives of thousands of Syrian refugees. Also, Henry gives advice to Alison about an awkward topic.
7 Baby Steps
11/18/18
Vice President Teresa Hurst asks Elizabeth for help when a surrogate carrying her future grandchild is arrested in Laos for human trafficking. Also, Henry tries to protect Stevie from danger when he suspects that she's being followed by a Russian operative, and Blake deals with the demanding and costly instructions of a delegation of Japanese gardeners.
8 The Courage to Continue
11/25/18
When Haiti's democracy is threatened by a president who refuses to step down after losing the election, Elizabeth tries to solve the problem without resorting to military action. Also, Blake has one week to find a new job before Elizabeth fires him as her assistant.
9 Winter Garden
12/9/18
Elizabeth and Jay work to keep an historic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo from falling apart, after a mass grave is discovered in Serbia dating back to the Kosovo war. Also, Henry deals with a bizarre encounter with Secretary of Defense Gordon Becker.
10 Family Separation: Part 1
12/23/18
Elizabeth goes head to head with a U.S. governor over the state’s new policy of separating unauthorized immigrants from their children. Also, she and Henry plan to renew their wedding vows, in a special two-part episode.
11 Family Separation: Part 2
1/6/19
Elizabeth goes head to head with a U.S. governor over the state’s new policy of separating unauthorized immigrants from their children. Also, she and Henry plan to renew their wedding vows.
12 Strategic Ambiguity
1/13/19
Elizabeth must salvage a deal with a military contractor by supplying fighter jets to Taiwan, but she risks triggering a war with China in the process. Also, Daisy gets frustrated with Matt for failing to help take care of her dog like he promised.
13 Proxy War
1/27/19
When innocent Syrian children are killed by an American-made cluster bomb, Elizabeth races to figure out what went wrong before Russia can use it as an excuse to escalate its military presence in the region. Also, Russell faces a PR nightmare after he gets into a heated argument with a homeless protester.
14 Something Better
2/17/19
When a group of American missionaries become hostages during a violent uprising abroad, Dalton must confront demons from his past in order to help Elizabeth secure their safe return home. Also, Stevie takes over Russell's social media presence, and Henry helps his niece, Sarah (Emelyn Daly), mentally prepare for her military deployment.
15 Between the Seats
3/3/19
Elizabeth visits the Middle East to finalize a deal to bring U.S. troops home, but complications arise when a local woman's life is threatened by rumors of a romance with one of Elizabeth's staffers. Also, Henry provides relationship advice to Elizabeth's brother, Will (Eric Stoltz).
16 The New Normal
3/17/19
When a super typhoon threatens a small Pacific island, Elizabeth tries to relocate its population before the storm makes landfall. Also, Henry gives a speech to an evangelical group about climate change.
17 The Common Defense
3/24/19
While Elizabeth is away on a retreat thinking about her presidential campaign, her staff tries to secure an international agreement to protect citizens who have been displaced due to global warming. Also, the staff works to contain a measles outbreak that threatens the life of Daisy's daughter, Joanna.
18 Ready
3/31/19
A NATO ally carries out a state-sponsored assassination attempt against one of its own citizens, who is also a U.S. resident and old friend of Elizabeth's. Also, Alison starts dating the son of one of Elizabeth's political rivals.
19 Carrying the Gold
4/14/19
As Elizabeth prepares to officially declare her candidacy for president, she must deal with fallout from a news article alleging she had an affair with President Dalton during her CIA days. Also, Mike B. and Jay adjust to the growing pains in their expanded roles as campaign staffers, and Elizabeth calls for a UN criminal tribunal against Myanmar military leaders over their treatment of the Rohingya.
20 Better Angels
4/21/19
As Elizabeth prepares to leave the state department and announce her run for president, anti-globalist terrorists attack the United Nations delegation in Geneva who are there to sign the climate migration treaty.
101 Tim Daly Discusses the Role Family Plays on Madam Secretary
8/20/18
Tim Daly talks about how much he enjoys the unique family dynamic on Madam Secretary.

About this show

Tea Leoni stars as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. A college professor and a brilliant former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, Elizabeth returns to public life at the request of the President following the suspicious death of her predecessor. The President values her apolitical leanings, her deep knowledge of the Middle East, her flair for languages and her ability to not just think outside the box, but to not even acknowledge there is a box. McCord's team includes her Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver, speechwriter Matt Mahoney, press coordinator Daisy Grant and her charming assistant Blake Moran. When McCord debates third world problems, finesses foreign dignitaries at work and does battle with the President's combative Chief of Staff Russell Jackson, it's just a warm-up for when she goes home to her supportive husband, Henry, and their bright children, where "politics" and "compromise" take on new meaning.

***Season Pass available now. Episode 1 available 10/8***

Ratings and reviews

4.7
1.91K reviews
Lisa Dryman-Rice
January 8, 2018
I have binge-watched this series in the last month and a half. It is compelling, well-acted, well-written, well-directed and watching it is time well spent.. I am invested in these characters who are so delightfully and frighteningly human. Elizabeth is not Hillary; she is a fictional creation with many admirable traits and some frailties (which can also be said of HRC). The actors never step out of character, which is part of my reason for wanting to see out what will happen next. "Madam Secretary" has something to appeal to a wide range of viewers: it is not anti-military nor is overly gung ho. Women are seen as agents of change in positions of power. The experiences of millennials are put in perspective rather than being normalized. Gender equality and diversity are very much at home here. Thankfully, the cast is not lily white. The family is quite lovable--normal tensions are present but so are commitment and respect. The characters grow over the course of this show's run. Bravo!
56 people found this review helpful
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Anna
November 29, 2017
Madame Secretary models integrity, honesty, down to earth sincerity, out of the box thinking, and the best in building and maintaining international relations... dialogue and open mindedness, working toward solutions that bring out the best in all sides, before considering or utilizing force, threats or violence. She provides a great role model for girls today, and sets the standard for the "ideal" govt representative of the people. Excellent story writing and stellar performances.
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Stabby Gray
December 7, 2015
First, this is NOT about Hillary. The show has actually gone out of it's way to pick on and criticize each representative and power figure from recent years on an individual basis. Regardless of gender. Very select individuals reviewing this (an overwhelming majority are male) seem to be unable to think past blond women being able to vote, much less be diplomats. Leoni shames the men and the women of Washington DC with an unrealistic but beautiful portrayal of what we wish were true.
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