Hail to the Chief is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from April 9, 1985 until May 21, 1985. It centered on the first woman President of the United States, portrayed by Academy Award-winning actress Patty Duke. The series was created by Susan Harris, and was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions. It featured one of the few recurring gay characters in a 1980s television series.
General Oliver Mansfield, the President's husband who is unable to make love to her, has an argument with his mistress. Randy confronts Oliver about it telling him if he hurts Julia, he will ruin him. Julia is told that an Air Force General named Brower has gone crazy and has taken control of a launch command center and will launch a pre-emptive stike against the (as it then was) Soviet Union if his demands are not met. Julia contacts Premier Zolotov to warn him and while he is touched by her concern he warns her that he will have to launch a second strike if Julia can't stop the crazy Major. Julia's advisors discuss possible solutions. After the nation is put on alert, Oliver confesses all his past affairs which makes Julia mad and she walks out on him.
Julia's advisors still discuss how to dissarm the crazy Major. Head of Defense, General Stryker tells Head of Security, Helmut Luger, that his daughter is pregnant and has claimed he is responsible, not knowing Julia's son Doug, is really the father. Rev. Billy Joe Bikerstaff, a powerfull,courupt tele- evangelist starts plotting to find a way to empeach the President. Julia's daughter Lucy is smitten with Raoul, the butler. Oliver's mistress Darlene threatened to ruin Oliver when he tried tried to end their relationship. In a attempt to make up for past mistakes, Oliver promises God he will save the world by going to the launch command center and stopping Brower.
Oliver confronts Brower and is gets shot in the process. While the news reports this Ivan Zolotov, the head of the KGB and who happens to be twin brother of the Premier, arrives to the Russian Embassy. There he sends for his top agent, Darlene, who has been having an affair with Oliver to get information. He instructs her to keep by his side, should he survive. Later Julia tells a comotosed Olivier that all is forgiven.
Oliver recovers from his coma and tells his family of how he went to heaven and was given a second chance. Lucy and Raoul sleep together. Raoul tells Lucy he loves her but can't commit to her untill his people in Contrapointa, South America are free. Darlene offers Oliver her own brand of TLC in the hospital. General Styker tells Luger that he has to marry his daughter Muffin or he will kill him. Julia tells her son Doug, a professioanl tennis player to stop making off color remarks on the tennis court. Rev Billy Joe finds two wealthy oil barons, Clovis and Lamar, who are willing to help him with his plan.
Oliver who is now home from the hospital still can't make love to Julia because he feels guilty about cheating on her again. Clovis and Lamar find some dirt on the President's personal accountant and force him to help them plot against Julia. Oliver breaks it off with Darlene but not before having ""one last time together"" and not knowing all the time that the KGB is secretly filming the whole time.
Clovis and Lamar give the President's accountant some money to secretly put (in the names of Julia's family) into Government contracts as personal investments to make it appear that she gave her family inside information. They then tell Rev. Bikerstaff to attack Julia on his talk show. Ivan Zolotov confronts Oliver letting him know that if he doesn't do what he says that the world will see the film of him and a Russian Agent.
Raoul leaves for South America and Lucy follows after him. Luger has dinner with Stryker's family and after seeing how crazy it is, decides to marry Muffin if for no other reason than to get her out of the house. Ivan gives Oliver a list of demands. Later Ivan admits to a colleage that if Oliver doesn't come through for them that his a better plan- a plan to put a Soviet Agent in the White House, at which point he introduces his newest secret agent...Rev Billy Joe!!!
