Madam Secretary season 2

Madam Secretary
Season 2
DVD cover
No. of episodes	23
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	October 4, 2015 (2015-10-04) – May 8, 2016 (2016-05-08)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 1 Next → Season 3
List of episodes

The second season of Madam Secretary an American political drama television series originally aired in the United States on CBS from October 4, 2015, through May 8, 2016. The season was produced by CBS Television Studios, with Barbara Hall as showrunner and executive producer. Debuting on September 21, 2014, the series was renewed for a second season on January 12, 2015. Madam Secretary was renewed for a third season on March 25, 2016.

The series follows Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni), a former CIA analyst and professor who becomes United States Secretary of State at the behest of President Conrad Dalton (Keith Carradine) after her predecessor is killed in a plane crash. Elizabeth works alongside a dedicated staff, including Nadine Tolliver (Bebe Neuwirth).

Cast and characters

Main

• Téa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the U.S. Secretary of State
• Tim Daly as Henry McCord, Elizabeth's husband and an N.S.A. operative
• Keith Carradine as Conrad Dalton, President of the United States
• Erich Bergen as Blake Moran, Elizabeth's personal assistant
• Patina Miller as Daisy Grant, Elizabeth's press coordinator
• Geoffrey Arend as Matt Mahoney, Elizabeth's speechwriter
• Kathrine Herzer as Alison McCord, Elizabeth and Henry's younger daughter
• Evan Roe as Jason McCord, Elizabeth and Henry's son
• Wallis Currie-Wood as Stephanie "Stevie" McCord, Elizabeth and Henry's older daughter
• Željko Ivanek as Russell Jackson, White House Chief of Staff
• Bebe Neuwirth as Nadine Tolliver, Elizabeth's Chief of Staff

Recurring

• Sebastian Arcelus as Jay Whitman, Elizabeth's policy advisor
• Jill Hennessy as Jane Fellows, Henry's former DIA handler and Ishbal Jahed task force member
• Carlos Gómez as Jose Campos, an Ishbal Jahed task force member
• Francis Jue as Chinese Foreign Minister Chen
• Angela Gots as Russian President Maria Ostrov
• Mandy Gonzalez as Lucy Knox, President Dalton's aide

Guests

• Morgan Freeman as Frawley, the Chief Justice of the United States
• Julian Acosta as Craig Sterling ^[1]
• Madeleine Albright as herself, ^[2] the first woman U.S. Secretary of State
• Kate Burton as Maureen McCord-Ryan, ^[3] Henry's sister
• Jane Pauley as herself

Episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
23	1	"The Show Must Go On"	Morgan Freeman	Barbara Hall	October 4, 2015 (2015-10-04)	11.79 [4]
Air Force One communications are lost and through a series of events, Elizabeth is sworn in as acting president. The plane lands safely. She learns that Craig Sterling has been appointed National Security Adviser. Her staff performs in her place at the Pacific Rim Economic Forum. The president and his staff learn that the communications problem on Air Force One was a deliberate attack.
24	2	"The Doability Doctrine"	Eric Stoltz	David Grae	October 11, 2015 (2015-10-11)	11.15 [5]
Rumors circulate about the Russian president's well-being. A State Department employee in Kabul is taken prisoner by Afghan contractors who have been threatened by the Taliban. Elizabeth convinces the president to fly the contractors' families out of Afghanistan. A SEAL team, sent to rescue the American and the contractors, is only able to retrieve the American. The Russian minister asks Elizabeth and Henry to look after his daughter at Harvard, and says he is returning to Moscow because their president is dead. Henry convinces Dmitri to spy for the US. Stevie takes the LSAT. Harrison tells his parents that he had heroin in his pocket.
25	3	"The Rusalka"	Dennie Gordon	Matt Ward	October 18, 2015 (2015-10-18)	9.61 [6]
Elizabeth attends the funeral in Russia. Her attempt to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine is destroyed by the president's widow. Dmitri becomes paranoid after Henry subjects him to a test of his discretion. The president is informed that the hack of Air Force One actually gave the hackers complete control of every system on the plane, not just the communications.
26	4	"Waiting for Taleju"	Felix Alcalá	Joy Gregory	October 25, 2015 (2015-10-25)	10.81 [7]
A disgruntled ex-Secret Service agent tries to sell nude photos of Harrison and Stevie. Henry is interviewed on CPSAN2 about his book and annihilates a caller who uses the photos to attack Henry's morality. The photo controversy stops a disaster relief bill for Nepal. Sterling and Dalton are concerned that a Chinese weather station in the Arctic is a front for spying.
27	5	"The Long Shot"	Rob J. Greenlea	Moira Kirland	November 1, 2015 (2015-11-01)	9.47 [8]
Jay pitches a plan to combat Russian disinformation in eastern Europe. Dmitri tells Henry of a plan to take Olga Gorev to the Russian embassy, and Henry takes her to his home to protect her. Elizabeth learns the identity of the hacker who attacked Air Force One, but not who he is working for. Gorev is assassinated. Dmitri informs the Americans that when Maria is elected president of Russia, she will invade western Ukraine.
28	6	"Catch and Release"	Charlotte Brandstrom	Alex Cooley	November 8, 2015 (2015-11-08)	10.59 [9]
An American-born ISIS leader kills an American aid worker. The State Department evacuates American NGO workers, including Elizabeth's brother, a surgeon. Elizabeth's staff identify the ISIS leader as the son of a State Department employee. Elizabeth uses information that she gains from the employee and from her brother to identify a courier providing black-market medicine to the ISIS leader. The military follow the courier with a drone, and kill the ISIS leader and the courier with a missile.
29	7	"You Say You Want a Revolution"	Tate Donovan	Joan Rater & Tony Phelan	November 15, 2015 (2015-11-15)	10.61 [10]
With an opportunity to end the trade embargo with Cuba, Elizabeth and Russell convince the president to support their efforts. Sterling, who disagrees, goes behind their backs to scuttle the plan. When the deal hinges on a 1960s revolutionary who Cuba refuses to return, Elizabeth offers the woman a new trial and a chance to have her message heard across the country. She gives herself up, the embargo is lifted, and the U.S. reopens its embassy after 54 years.
30	8	"Lights Out"	Dennie Gordon	Alexander Maggio	November 22, 2015 (2015-11-22)	9.91 [11]
Elizabeth, Russell, and Mike B. enact a strategy that forces Sterling to resign. Dmitri, having returned to Russia, is transferred to the GRU. He sends back intelligence about Russia's plans to invade Ukraine. The president receives confirmation that Russia was behind the attack on Air Force One and okays a major retaliatory cyberstrike on Moscow. Dmitri tries to escape to Sweden.
31	9	"Russian Roulette"	Jonathan Brown	Barbara Hall	November 29, 2015 (2015-11-29)	9.96 [12]
The president of Russia retaliates for the power system hack by shutting down the oil pipelines to Europe. Henry is convinced that Russia was not behind the hack of Air Force One, but Russell refuses to listen to his concerns or to let him speak to the president. Elizabeth vets the intelligence that supported Russia as the culprit and begins to have doubts herself. After Henry secretly shares his information with Elizabeth, she determines that Ukraine hacked Air Force One and faked an attack on their own plane so that the U.S. would back Ukraine against a Russian invasion.
32	10	"The Greater Good"	Eric Stoltz	David Grae	December 13, 2015 (2015-12-13)	10.14 [13]
Rapidly increasing hostilities between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. lead to global concern. The parties eventually agree to meet in Switzerland. A peace agreement is nearly scuttled when Maria demands that the U.S. apologize publicly for the cyberattack. In a private conversation, Dalton tells Maria that if she does not sign the agreement, he will reveal to the world that she murdered her husband. Maria points out that she cannot back down without some form of gain to explain to her generals, and demands that Dalton reveal the name of the U.S. asset on her staff. Dmitri, in place to be extracted by the Americans, is instead taken into custody by the Russians. After the agreement is signed and the parties begin to depart, a man in camouflage uniform fires a missile into one of the waiting vehicles.
33	11	"Unity Node"	Jet Wilkinson	Matt Ward	January 10, 2016 (2016-01-10)	8.97 [14]
Marie Ostrev dies from the missile explosion. The attacker is identified as Zelinsky from Ukraine. Russia considers the attack a violation of the agreement. The Americans locate and extract Zelinsky, hoping that Ukraine will turn Zelinsky over to Russia so that the peace agreement can stay in place. Henry, Elizabeth, and Dalton are notified of Dmitri's death. Elizabeth learns that debris from a North Korea satellite launch has damaged the International Space Station and that three of the astronauts on board are trapped. She convinces China to provide modular Extravehicular Mobility Units to Russia to send to the space station.
34	12	"The Middle Way"	James Whitmore Jr.	Lyla Oliver	January 17, 2016 (2016-01-17)	11.87 [15]
While Elizabeth is in Myanmar for the signing of the Pacific Rim Trade Agreement, Henry deals with irate neighbors at home. Nadine accompanies Elizabeth to attempt to reunite with her estranged son. The U.S. ambassador to Myanmar, after being removed from his post, takes the Myanmar president hostage in protest of the treaty. Elizabeth is able to salvage the agreement. Blake is in despair at the doomsday predictions of "The World in 2030" report.
35	13	"Invasive Species"	Tony Phelan	Moira Kirland	January 31, 2016 (2016-01-31)	10.20 [16]
36	14	"Left of the Boom"	Rob Greenlea	Joy Gregory	February 14, 2016 (2016-02-14)	10.06 [17]
37	15	"Right of the Boom"	Jonathan Brown	Alexander Maggio	February 21, 2016 (2016-02-21)	10.73 [18]
38	16	"Hijriyyah"	Charlotte Brandstrom	Alex Cooley	March 6, 2016 (2016-03-06)	10.19 [19]
39	17	"Higher Learning"	Heather Cappiello	Kelly Jane Costello	March 20, 2016 (2016-03-20)	9.41 [20]
40	18	"On the Clock"	Zetna Fuentes	Barbara Hall and David Grae	March 27, 2016 (2016-03-27)	8.50 [21]
41	19	"Desperate Remedies"	Rob Greenlea	Matt Ward	April 10, 2016 (2016-04-10)	9.86 [22]
42	20	"Ghost Detainee"	Charlotte Brandstrom	Moira Kirland	April 17, 2016 (2016-04-17)	9.57 [23]
43	21	"Connection Lost"	Jonathan Brown	Joy Gregory	April 24, 2016 (2016-04-24)	9.57 [24]
44	22	"Render Safe"	Felix Alcala	David Grae	May 1, 2016 (2016-05-01)	9.90 [25]
45	23	"Vartius"	Eric Stoltz	Barbara Hall	May 8, 2016 (2016-05-08)	9.99 [26]

Production

Development

Madam Secretary was renewed for a second season on January 12, 2015. ^[27] Madam Secretary was renewed for a third season on March 25, 2016. ^[28]

Casting

Madeleine Albright guest role as herself a former Secretary of State, ^[2] Jill Hennessy joined cast in a recurring role as Jane Fellows, ^[29] Chris Petrovski was cast in a recurring role for the second season as Dmitri Petrov. ^[30]

Broadcast

Season two of Madam Secretary premiered on October 4, 2015. ^[31]

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of Madam Secretary season 2

No.	Title	Air date	Rating/share (18–49)	Viewers (millions)	DVR (18–49)	DVR viewers (millions)	Total (18–49)	Total viewers (millions)
1	"The Show Must Go On"	October 4, 2015	1.4/4	11.79 [4]	—	—	—	—
2	"The Doability Doctrine"	October 11, 2015	1.5/4	11.15 [5]	—	—	—	—
3	"The Rusalka"	October 18, 2015	1.2/3	9.61 [6]	—	—	—	—
4	"Waiting for Taleju"	October 25, 2015	1.3/4	10.81 [7]	—	—	—	—
5	"The Long Shot"	November 1, 2015	1.1/3	9.47 [8]	—	—	—	—
6	"Catch and Release"	November 8, 2015	1.3/4	10.59 [9]	—	—	—	—
7	"You Say You Want a Revolution"	November 15, 2015	1.4/4	10.61 [10]	—	—	—	—
8	"Lights Out"	November 22, 2015	1.1/3	9.91 [11]	—	—	—	—
9	"Russian Roulette"	November 29, 2015	1.3/3	9.96 [12]	0.3	2.41	1.6	12.37 [32]
10	"The Greater Good"	December 13, 2015	1.3/4	10.14 [13]	—	2.14	—	12.28 [33]
11	"Unity Node"	January 10, 2016	1.0/3	8.97 [14]	0.5	2.54	1.5	11.51 [34]
12	"The Middle Way"	January 17, 2016	2.0/6	11.87 [15]	0.6	2.70	2.6	14.56 [35]
13	"Invasive Species"	January 31, 2016	1.1/3	10.20 [16]	—	2.15	—	12.35 [36]
14	"Left of the Boom"	February 14, 2016	1.2/4	10.06 [17]	—	—	—	—
15	"Right of the Boom"	February 21, 2016	1.2/4	10.73 [18]	—	—	—	—
16	"Hijriyyah"	March 6, 2016	1.1/4	10.19 [19]	—	2.31	—	12.51 [37]
17	"Higher Learning"	March 20, 2016	1.1/3	9.41 [20]	—	2.17	—	11.58 [38]
18	"On the Clock"	March 27, 2016	1.0/3	8.50 [21]	—	2.37	—	10.87 [39]
19	"Desperate Remedies"	April 10, 2016	1.1/4	9.86 [22]	—	—	—	—
20	"Ghost Detainee"	April 17, 2016	0.9/3	9.57 [23]	—	—	—	—
21	"Connection Lost"	April 24, 2016	1.0/3	9.57 [24]	—	—	—	—
22	"Render Safe"	May 1, 2016	1.0/4	9.90 [25]	—	2.00	—	11.94 [40]
23	"Vartius"	May 8, 2016	1.0/4	9.99 [26]	—	—	—	—

Home media

The DVD release of season two is set to be released in Region 1 on September 13, 2016.

The Complete Second Season
Set details			Special features
23 episodes 995 minutes (Region 1) 6-disc set 1.78:1 aspect ratio Languages: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) Subtitles: English (Region 1)			Under Surveillance: The Making of Madam Secretary Madam Secretary at the Politico Playbook Panel Deleted Scenes Gag Reel
Release dates
United States	United Kingdom	Australia
September 13, 2016 [41]	September 26, 2016 [42]	October 26, 2016 [43]

References

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