Josh Gad in an episode of 1600 PennImage via NBC
By
Amanda M. Castro
Published 17 minutes ago
Amanda M. Castro is a Network TV writer at Collider and a journalist based in New York. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Amanda is a bilingual Latina who graduated from the University of New Haven with a degree in Communication, Film, and Media Studies. She covers the world of network television, focusing on sharp, thoughtful analysis of the shows and characters that keep audiences tuning in week after week. At Collider, Amanda dives into the evolving landscape of network TV — from long-running procedural favorites to ambitious new dramas — exploring why these stories matter and how they connect with viewers on a cultural level.
Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapFor all the talk today about presidents sparring with TV networks, there was once a White House-set show that managed to unite critics in rare agreement: NBC’s 1600 Penn, a sitcom many reviewers called one of the most misguided political comedies ever attempted. Long before Donald Trump criticized networks and floated license-revoking rhetoric on the campaign trail, this 2012–2013 series proved that the biggest threat to a broadcaster isn’t a politician’s complaint — it’s a primetime misfire.
1600 Penn was developed by Josh Gad, Jason Winer, and former speechwriter for Barack Obama, Jon Lovett, at a pivotal time for political television. While other series, such as Veep and House of Cards, would soon set a new standard in the political television arena, NBC decided instead to attempt a mid-season experiment with broad appeal, sentimentality, and over-the-top apolitical themes. Instead of receiving the praise most programs receive from television critics, the critics of this series expressed confusion as to its purpose.
What '1600 Penn' Was Trying To Be
Jenna Elfman, Bill Pullman, and Josh Gad in an episode of 1600 PennImage via Byron Cohen/©NBC/courtesy Everett Collection
The premise sounds solid on paper: a dysfunctional but loving First Family navigating life in the world’s most scrutinized house. Bill Pullman — returning to presidential territory after Independence Day — played President Dale Gilchrist, a stern former Marine and widower. Jenna Elfman stepped in as Emily Nash-Gilchrist, his second wife and former campaign strategist, trying to find her footing as stepmom and First Lady. Their children completed the ensemble, including Martha MacIsaac as Becca (whose unexpected pregnancy became an early plot engine) and Amara Miller and Benjamin Stockham as the younger siblings. And then there was Gad as Skip Gilchrist, the well-meaning but chaotic adult son whose antics powered much of the show’s humor. Hot off The Book of Mormon, Gad brought his classic charm and exuberance, and the producers relied on him as the comedic anchor.
The creative team's vision was highly ambitious in scope, pitching the show as primarily a family comedy, with politics secondary, and specifically avoiding any political issues currently being discussed, such as the current administration or big swings in satire. Lovett mentioned that while the writers were not taking cues from The West Wing in tone, they were attempting to avoid having recognizable political figures as characters. By featuring cameo appearances by real-life journalists (Savannah Guthrie, Chuck Todd) throughout the show, they added credibility to their fictional world.
Why Critics Immediately Turned On '1600 Penn'
Cast of NBC's 1600 PennImage via Byron Cohen/©NBC/courtesy Everett Collection
Despite a promising cast and an experienced producing team, the show never found the sharp, warm groove it was going for. Early reactions were chilly, and even the people involved seemed to sense the uphill battle. At a TCA press session, when producer Mike Royce acknowledged that some critics “weren’t quite sold,” Gad jokingly jumped in with: “Some of you are dicks.”
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Posts 2 By Hannah Saab Jun 26, 2025Reviewers found two main issues. The humor was inconsistent. Rotten Tomatoes captured the consensus well: The show was “broad but likable,” but its jokes didn’t land often enough or with the bite expected from a D.C. comedy. At a time when viewers were coming to expect sharper political satire, 1600 Penn felt timid. Additionally, the tone was oddly sanitized. By avoiding real political topics almost entirely, the show placed itself in a strange middle zone. It wasn’t a parody of Washington. It wasn’t a workplace comedy. It wasn’t a modern family sitcom with a political texture. Instead, it leaned into a kind of nostalgic wholesomeness — something that didn’t align with the era’s appetite for satire or the setting itself.
Should You Watch '1600 Penn' Today?
The cast of 1600 PennImage via Byron Cohen/©NBC/courtesy Everett Collection
Although NBC cancelled the series after airing only one season, it had escaped from our collective conscience. However, now that some time has passed, we can indeed look back and appreciate that 1600 Penn offers insight into a particular period in our society. This was a time before the current level of heightened political debate on television and in actual society; a time when everything was much quieter, more subdued, and far less complicated.
It also marked one of the rare instances where a major network tried to turn the White House into a “traditional family sitcom” space. That gamble might have worked in another decade, but in 2013 — with prestige political dramas rising and darker comedies taking over — the result felt out of sync.
However, there is some charm in the earnestness of what 1600 Penn was able to do. Instead of using cynicism to tell its story, it relied on an optimistic approach. Instead of satire, it relied on slapstick. Shows that follow this avenue tend to be risky and may not necessarily last long, but they do provide an opportunity to be unique.
Now, when people go back to 1600 Penn, it is often because of their interest in how such a strong cast, a well-established network, and creators with actual White House experience could produce a television series that earned the reputation as the worst White House sitcom ever. The answer isn’t that it was aggressively bad — it’s that it was aggressively safe. And in the landscape of political TV, safe is often the riskiest move of all.
1600 Penn
TV-PG
Comedy
Family
Release Date
2012 - 2013-00-00
Directors
Jason Winer, Michael Spiller, Ken Whittingham
Writers
Josh Gad, Jon Lovett, Jason Winer
Genres
Comedy, Family
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