"It seemed like we were setting up sort of a starting point for the series and a finish line for the series," Berlanti said. "What we always sort of said was — wouldn't it be cool if we could just show in the series the first letter of the sentence and the punctuation mark at the end, and that the series itself is sort of everything that happens in between?"

Part of what makes the first hour so involving is that you're not sure which of the brothers will become president. And you've got to wonder if something won't be lost once that question is answered.

"It's a distinct challenge in that I think you kind of clearly paint yourself into certain corners," Berlanti said. "And as we go forward with other episodes, and we begin to map out the mythology of the McCallister presidency in the future, and what it holds for all of us, it's definitely a challenge."

If anybody is up to it, however, it's Berlanti and his team. This is a well-cast show with a great deal of talent behind the cameras as well.

There's no guarantee it's going to work on a weekly basis, but you can say the same thing about any TV series. "Jack & Bobby" is considerably more ambitious than your average teen drama, but it would be a good teen drama even if we had no clue what the future holds for the characters.

"You get so caught up in the story of the moment and the time period that you'll become sort of, hopefully, engaged in it," Berlanti said. "We get to pick and choose when to re-mind the audience that, oh my gosh, that's that person's fate."

This is a show definitely worth keeping an eye on.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com