Monday 28 May 2012

S01E08: Enemies


Yet another geek out begins an episode, with Bartlet waxing lyrical about various national parks. Don't worry though folks, this will actually have significance later on. As it is, I always think this shows a somewhat sadistic side to Jed. Maybe I feel that way because of my affinity for Josh, but there's something perverse about forcing someone to listen to trivia when they're back at work in four hours. He also makes Hoynes feel about two inches tall at the cabinet meeting, and with a cheap shot at that. It doesn't seem very Presidential, just mean. Once again though, it at least serves the plot, as it gives Danny a chance to flirt with CJ, as well as reminding us of the tenuous relationship between PotUS and the Veep.

The thing I remember most about this episode is the subplot involving Leo forcing Sam to write a birthday message to stop him going on a date with his daughter. Jed gets in on the act and adds Sam to the growing list of people he's dumped on.

I suppose if this episode has any moral lesson to teach us it's that when you're powerful there are no shortage of people who want to take you down a peg or two. If it's not one person it's someone else, just because "it's their turn" as Toby puts it. Unfortuately if that is the message that's being sent it's a little undermined by the many examples of the potential for the misuse of power demonstrated during the course of the episode.

In an otherwise so-so episode it's always good to have a strong finish. It reminds the viewer why they love the show so much, and it leaves them hankering for the next one. The moment between Josh and Jed at the end when we get the statement about "talking about enemies more than we used to" provides just that. The musical score adds weight to the moment too, with the almost melancholy mood the woodwind section evokes.

Random observations:

My favourite part of the episode is the little conversation between Leo and Jed on the settee.

Josh's epiphany when he hears Donna say the files are antiquated is really reminiscent of your average episode of House.

Episode grade: C

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

If I had to be picky about The West Wing as a series, I'd first mention overt sentimentality that is prevalent on occasion (for instance, in this very episode when Mallory tells Sam he's exactly like her father (and not in a complimentary way) and Sam reponds that it's the nicest thing she's ever said to him - cue dewy eyes from all present), but a close second would be the plot strands that are finished really clumsily. Mandy is a prime example, Sam's exit is pretty poorly handled too, as is Ainsley's. The reason I mention it here is that from this episode it seems clear that Sam and Mallory had fairly good chemistry. What happened? For that matter, where did Danny swan off to, because the chemistry between him and CJ was even better. Don't get me wrong, I love the show, but on rewatches I tend to think about the path not taken.

"The implication that I leaked priviledged information is as stupid as it is insulting..." There seems to be a delicious irony to the fact that Hoynes was just talking to his huddle about missions to Mars before making that statement.

The "You shouldn't have made me beg" comment seems very powerful on a first watch, but when we get the full story Hoynes' position seems a lot more understandable. You've been the favourite for the nomination during the whole process and then get pipped at the eleventh hour. Immediately after losing you're told by your opponent "Oh, by the way, there's this thing you need to know about me that if you'd known a week ago, you'd have the nomination right now. I have MS. Keep that to yourself, will you?" If I'd have been Hoynes he'd have had to do a darn sight more than beg.

Sunday 20 May 2012

S01E07: The State Dinner


If the last episode was a whole lot of fuss over nothing then this one is a whole lot of fuss over a whole lot. Union negotiations, extremists, hurricanes, protests and a state dinner all vie for attention in a gripping 44 minutes.

The whole episode is really about decisions, and the huge consequences both physical and emotional when we have to make big ones. Most of us are making decisions which are pretty inconsequential most of the time. We bite into our ham sandwich and wish we'd made cheese sandwiches instead. We realise that the colour we picked for our living room doesn't actually look as good in our house as it did in the brochure. It's rare that we make really big, life-altering decisions. These guys do it all... the... time.

Leo and Jed have to make a decision about what to do with a carrier group. It seems straightforward, so straightforward that Leo effectively makes it on behalf of the President, but it ends up most likely costing the lives of most if not all of the 12,000 men in it. You can tell from the final shot in the episode that Jed isn't looking to apportion blame, the weight of this decision sits squarely on his shoulders, at least in his eyes. He might not be able to tell a hurricane to change course, but it leads him to flex his muscles over the union dispute, settling that in short order.

Toby and Sam have to make a decision about how hard they go on Indonesia in the toast they're writing. Sam wants to keep it light, but Toby's principles force him to pull rank and go harder. The consequence - Toby's friend isn't getting released from prison in Indonesia any time soon. Richard Schiff's acting is fantastic in the scene as it begins to dawn on him just what "doing the right thing" has cost him. We almost see him die a little inside. Sam has his own low point of the night when it turns out Sledge Hammer has bought Laurie as his date. His decision to further his association with her has consequences too.

Mandy and Josh have to make a decision about how they deal with the faceoff between the extremists and Federal Agents. Mandy is far more idealistic than Josh about the whole situation, and she revels in the fact that the President takes her advice, not Josh's, but that's short lived when she discovers the consequences of that decision - the probable death of the negotiator she urged Bartlet to send in. Josh's "Well you're in the game now" reveals that he's been on the wrong end of these choices a great many times. For Mandy, it's absolutely crushing.

With all the weighty stuff in this episode it's nice to have moments of levity, and they come courtesy of the interpreting snafu and Danny's flirting with CJ.

Above all things this episode is just really well written. It has a lot to squeeze into its running time yet nothing feels rushed and all the subplots, and hence characters, get their moment to shine, and shine they do. There are episodes that are great and as a result the running time just flies by - before you know it they're over, but there are other episodes that are great, but are so densely plotted and so flawlessly executed that they feel more like a film. This is one of those. By this time The West Wing was already my favourite TV show on the air, but if I think back it was probably this episode which made me realise what potential the show really had. It could be the best show I'd ever seen. Turns out, it was, and still is.

Random observations:

I feel a bit sorry for the Indonesian president during the photo-ops. They make him out to be a real stuffed shirt, but I bet if he was talking to Bartlet in Indonesian (any one of the 583 varieties) Jed would be a little terse too.

There aren't many moments in this show where Toby gets comprehensively schooled, but the most extreme example of it can be found in this episode where he gets put in his place in no uncertain manner by Rahmadi Sumahijo Bambang (no, I can't spell it correctly either but IMDb is my friend).

Sam's "I'll give you $10,000 not to go home with that guy tonight" kills me. In an episode full of great lines it's hard to single one out, but I couldn't not mention that one.

I guess Sorkin is a big Yo-Yo Ma fan. Tiny spoiler: We actually get to see him play next season, not just hear his music.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, turns out FLotUS is a Pink Lady.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?

Monday 14 May 2012

S01E06: Mr. Willis of Ohio


"There is one fruit..." Yes, it's another opening that doesn't consist of any actual writing, more an exposition of various random trivia. As I mentioned previously though, I love that kind of stuff, and to this day I still know all 14 punctuation marks and regularly ask people which three words begin with DW.

The way I see it, the main thrust of this episode (involving the eponymous Mr. Willis) asks the question of what would happen if you abolished all lobby groups and soft money contributions and simply had two sides state their case to an impartial observer and let the chips fall where they may. Of course, Mr. Willis being a Social Studies teacher is somewhat convenient, but it allows for an interesting constitutional discussion. As someone from the UK, "everything I know about US politics I learned from watching The West Wing", and the 3/5s portion of the constitution was a bit of an eye-opener.

In the B plot we get some character development in the form of a field trip to a local bar, where Zoe gets harrassed by Milo from 24 and a few of his buddies. The purpose of it is to show what a good guy Charlie is, but it does a better job of showing how incapable Sorkin is of writing realistic dialogue for college kids. It's absolutely cringe-worthy. It does allow for some nice one-liners afterwards though, mostly while Josh, Sam and Charlie wait for the president.

Overall this feels like a bit of a nothing episode, where the whole manages to be less than the sum of its parts. There's some nice small talk (the dispute between Donna and Josh is well done, with a humourous coda) and a little bit of character development, but it's hard to really care about much of what goes on. The appropriations bill is about as dry as it gets and no amount of factoids make up for that. It's not a "bad" episode, during the entire run I'd say there are only two episodes that I'd describe in that way, it's just not very good.

Random observations:

If a Congress(wo)man dies in office does their significant other really serve out their term? That seems a tad unbelievable to me.

"It's OK by me, so long as it's not the same people who decide what's on television." Ain't that the truth.

Mr. Willis' parting words to Toby (the "wisdom of Solomon" speech) sound remarkably like something Jed would say.

For a Democratic president Bartlet has some decidedly conservative views on things, as exemplified by his conversation with Leo ("You're the man - fix it"). I know he backtracks later, but from the heart's abundance the mouth speaks.

Episode grade: D

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

CJ's total ignorance concerning the census made me question her later promotion to CoS. Bartlet said it needed to be someone smarter than you, and sorry, but CJ was never the smartest person in the room (except maybe in The Long Goodbye - and yes, I know I'm evil for even thinking that, but there you have it).

Probably the most famous scene in this episode is Bartlet's diatribe at Zoe concerning her potential kidnapping. It's famous due to its almost pinpoint accuracy in its description of the events in Commencement and Twenty Five. I often wonder if Sorkin ended his time on the show in that way to go out with a bang or simply to paint his successors into a hideous corner. I like to think it's a little of both.

Sunday 6 May 2012

S01E05: The Crackpots and These Women


Yes, it's our first "Big block of cheese" episode. I have a soft spot for these, as very often I find myself being taught stuff and entertained at the same time - always good.

Our first crackpot is Ted from Scrubs. While not taking him seriously Sam's still left with a nagging doubt about the alledged UFO over the Pacific.

During the early stages of the episode there is clearly friction between Toby and Jed. While it manifests itself in small ways initially (the basketball game, the press conference prep), it really comes to the surface during the Oval Office meeting where they discuss the LA trip. "Nobody ever looks like Joe McCarthy, that's how they get in the door in the first place" is a line that never fails to give me chills, and yet again we see that Toby finds it incredibly hard to just shrug things off when he's really impassioned about them.

Ron Swanson (!!!) then makes a less than compelling case for a wolf highway to CJ. Is it wrong that when the troupe reveals Pluie's fate I just crack up at their earnestness? After all, what's $900 million between friends?

As if Toby wasn't fragile enough at this point in the episode, Mandy then drops the bombshell that he wasn't PotUS first choice for Communications Director. There's a silver lining to that cloud though, as it proves to be the catalyst for genuine reconciliation between him and the President.

If you don't love Josh by the end of this episode then you're dead inside. The whole plotline of his nuclear strike card is wonderfully done. As gradually we see the penny drop with him that neither Sam, nor Toby, nor CJ get one, then see his visit to his psychiatrist, we begin to realise what a soft centre the President's bulldog really has. The scene where Ave Maria is playing and he has the conversation with CJ reduces me to tears every... single... time. His speech about smallpox is unbelievably well written and acted, and the whole scene is capped off beautifully with his tension-breaking "Well you better hurry 'cause I'm the only one with one of these cards." Then he gives the card back. He really is very sweet sometimes.

Right toward the end we get what I feel is the only duff note in the episode, which is Jed and Leo's appraisal of the women in the room. It's one of those cloyingly sentimental scenes that Sorkin occasionally throws in when he forgets that he's writing the best series ever. However, as far as the rest of the episode it's like Mary Poppins - practically perfect in every way.

Random observations:

Oh the irony that possibly the most idealistic person in the room gets described as one of the "more jaded" staff members.

I think they said Larry Posner when they meant Michael Bay.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

This episode is only enhanced when watched knowing Josh's full backstory, and which Donna nails when she's talking to Amy in Commencement. Talking of which, I'd never picked up before on Sam's line that his relationship with his secretary was like Donna and Josh's. Oh no it isn't.