The Executive Branch Of Government

Granted, the various branches of government is not high on the all-time popular subjects list, still The Executive Branch of Government could have at least tried to be interesting. Instead, it takes the easy road: obviously scripted soundbites with teens combined with interview clips with state and federal officials that are alternately thought-provoking and conducive to a quick power nap. Loosely broken into segments covering some role of the executive branch--Commander-in-Chief, Party Leader, Chief of State, etc.--the program is sure to confuse its intended junior high and high school audiences because it jumps back and forth between the presidency and state governorship (roles which are admittedly similar in some respects, but very different in others), effectively defining neither. Meant to be a supplement to the same company's How a Bill Becomes a Law (VL-7/94), which was an excellent overview of the legislative branch of government, The Executive Branch of Government is a disappointing lackluster production. Not a necessary purchase. (R. Pitman)