Season Two Review

Well if season one was strong, season two was absolutely fantastic. As with my season one review I've listed below all the episodes in order from favourite to least favourite, following the rating convention I've used throughout the reviews. Averaging out all the ratings the season as a whole falls squarely between an A- and B+ (up from season one's B). Remembering that I'm marking by West Wing standards, not average TV, I think any other season will struggle to meet up to the lofty heights of season two (after all, according to my ratings there was only one poor episode the entire season). Anyhoo, without further ado, here's my role call of best to worst of season two:

Noel (A+)
Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail (A+)
The Stackhouse Filibuster (A+)
In This White House (A+)
17 People (A+)
The Fall's Gonna Kill You (A)
Bad Moon Rising (A)
In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Parts I & II (A)
Galileo (A-)
The Leadership Breakfast (A-)
18th and Potomac (A-)
And It's Surely to Their Credit (B+)
Bartlet's Third State of the Union (B+)
Two Cathedrals (B+)
Shibboleth (B+)
The Lame Duck Congress (B)
The Midterms (B)
The Drop-In (B)
The Portland Trip (B-)
The War at Home (B-)
Ellie (D-)


Of course, it's all highly subjective (in particular I imagine most fans would place Two Cathedrals significantly higher) but I call them how I see them. Roll on season three (which FYI will begin with Isaac and Ishmael, not Manchester)!

S02E22: Two Cathedrals

Once again there's been a big gap between reviews - sorry about that. I think that given the insanely high regard this episode is held in no one would have wanted a rush job on this one.

I remember watching this finale for the very first time and the thing that I found most interesting was the absolutely wonderful flashbacks that we get to Jed's school days. Initially I think they're designed to show just how distracted PotUS is given the monumental issues he's facing. What's really great about them is the insight it gives us into Jed's character (as well as setting up the cathedral scene towards the end of the episode). I don't know who's playing the young Mrs Landingham but she does a brilliant job at capturing the mannerisms and speech patterns of Katherine Joosten.

As intriguing as the flashbacks are there's one scene that dominates this episode, and that's Jed railing against God in the cathedral. Almost to a man, everyone seems to love this scene - and for many people it elevates it to one of the best episodes of The West Wing ever made. So it may surprise people when I say that I absolutely hate it (and I don't mean that in an "I hate sprouts" kind of way). I hate that someone who has been adamant in the first two seasons about his faith loses it when someone close to him dies. I hate that he thinks speaking in Latin makes what he's saying any less reprehensible. I hate that he feels good things he's done mean he shouldn't suffer like other people. For me it didn't seem statesmanlike at all - it made him seem small. No, for me the outstanding scene is the flashback where Jed confronts his father and we realise just what a shoddy excuse of a father he had.

My other problem with this episode is that for weeks we've been building up to the public reveal of the MS, then we don't even actually get to see any of it. Yes, you wouldn't want to have a whole 40 minutes devoted to it, but is a scene or two too much to ask? My gut feeling is that Sorkin didn't want to show a contrite Bartlet on screen, especially after the Cathedral scene. In fact, the entire episode seems to be portraying Bartlet in a much kinder light than he should be given the circumstances. The theme should have been humility and it ended up being defiance.

All that having been said, you still can't deny that there are some great bits of writing and the performances are excellent. It's for that reason that the episode avoids the ignominy of a C grade or lower, but in a season jam-packed with great episodes this one just doesn't compare well to them in my opinion.

Random observations:

The monotone voice that Bartlet speaks in for the majority of the episode is something I've often observed in people who've been recently bereaved.

I love how Jed's car actually sounds worse after he's tinkered with it.

The use of Brothers in Arms at the conclusion of the episode is one of the best uses of music in the entire show.

I like the comment about Jed putting his hands in his pockets meaning he's decided to do something. It means that we don't need him to audibly answer the reporter's question because we already know what it's going to be.

Episode grade: B+

So what did you all think?

S02E21: 18th and Potomac

Talk about hitting the ground running. Fast forward a few days since the events of The Fall's Gonna Kill You and we now have some numbers from Joey's poll. They make bleak reading. The entire pre-credits sequence, as well as most of what follows, is leading us toward the inevitable fact that it's simply impossible for Barlet to even consider running for a second term. As the gang of four are huddled in the basement trying to figure out exactly how they control the release of Bartlet's MS bombshell we feel their despair. They know that what they're discussing is the final chapter in a Bartlet presidency.

The Haiti situation would be front and centre in the average episode, but here it's relegated to filler. Whenever they switched to that I found myself willing them to get back to the really juicy stuff in the basement, and if that's how I'm feeling about Haiti then you can imagine my dismay when Mrs Landingham is talking about paying sticker price for her new car. Oh how your impression of a scene can change on a second viewing...

If there was ever an episode which demonstrated Jed's ability to compartmentalise it's this one. When he's dealing with the Haiti situation you can see his entire focus is on just that, when he could be forgiven for being somewhat distracted.

Once again, Oliver Platt handles his role wonderfully. He doesn't have much to do here, but after the condescending way Abby deals with Sam it's great to see her put in her place (yet again) by Babish. I'm really sad that they didn't find a way to expand his role in later seasons.

I have quite mixed feelings about the way they deal with Mrs Landingham's death. On the one hand I hate the fact that the last time we see her she's having such a mundane conversation and we don't really get a proper chance to say goodbye (for want of a more elegant phrase). On the other hand it's wonderful in its groundedness. All too often people die suddenly and as a result the closure is so much harder to attain. Of course, from a dramatic standpoint it's a master-stroke from Sorkin as he throws yet another huge burden onto Jed's back just as he's about to give the most important broadcast of his political life.

And still, the question is left hanging... will he run again? Tune in next week for the answer (sort of).

Random observations:

Does anyone else feel dumb that they didn't see the Mrs Landingham crash coming from a mile away? Right from the off she's talking about fetching a new car and the title of the episode is an intersection. How did I not see that coming?

Donna's reaction to the news: This is how a real friend is meant to react to stuff like this. At least Toby recognises that during his conversation with Josh later.

Could Abby be more obnoxious during her interview with Sam?

Episode grade: A-

So what did you all think?

S02E20: The Fall's Gonna Kill You

When the title of an episode is a quote from one of you all-time favourite movies you know it's going to be good.

The scene is set really well with the pre-credits sequence. It hadn't really occurred to me that CJ would be lying about the health of PotUS all the time. Add to that all the times she now realises she'd been unknowingly lying about it and it's a great scene for helping to emphasise just how big a hole they're in (especially considering that we know from the last episode that they're appointing a special prosecutor and all of these questions are going to come up and be on the public record). It's also evident from the fact that in probably one of the busiest offices in the world pretty much everything is getting pushed to the side in order to deal with the possible fallout of this.

Sam, as yet unaware of the President's condition, is busy speech-writing and as a result is addressing the bulk of the material not dealing with the small matter of defrauding the American public. The one other unconnected matter is the legal case against big tobacco. Josh is handling this, but even then there's an opportunity to bring in the President's woes, with Josh's distraction over the "they perpetrated a fraud against the American public" comment. Hang on, almost forgot the Chinese satellite falling out of the sky which pre-occupies Donna for the majority of the episode, but this is played mainly for comic effect.

The conversation between Jed and Abigail in the Oval Office is great. They're like college kids who're about to get expelled for a prank they've pulled and the desperation in Jed's voice contrasts sharply with his position as the leader of the free world.

As with the last episode, Oliver Platt is great here. It's rare you see CJ slapped down so comprehensively. It's even rarer to see the same thing happen with the First Lady. This is the only time I can recall it happening to both in the same episode, and with the ease with which Platt manages it. OK, he's holding all the cards, but even so it's still an impressive performance.

CJ's conversation with Abby in her office reveals that she'd held back from telling the whole truth to Babish, which is yet another nail in the coffin of the administration's difficulties here.

Random observations:

The top 1% of wage earners may well be paying 22% of the total tax, but how much of the total money are they making? I'll bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets that it's way more than 22%. The rich aren't paying their fair share.

Would Josh really be having the conversation with Joey in a place as public as an airport departure lounge?

The idea that Abby thinks her signing the form without filling in the medical history isn't a big deal is laughable.

Gail's bowl has a chair in it. I'm struggling to see a connection to the episode, and the best I can manage is that in the event of legal proceedings Babish would be first chairing. It's thin, I know, but feel free to suggest anything more plausible.

"I'm coming out, I'm doing it voluntarily, if anyone finds out it's gonna look like a poll told me to." So says Bartlet, but the thing is, I don't believe him. He's coming out because Toby took a week to figure it out and if he can do it then any reporter worth their salt could do the same. He's coming out because after talking to the White House Counsel he was told in no uncertain terms that he had to. The sheer arrogance of Bartlet in these episodes staggers me.

Episode grade: A

So what did you all think?

S02E19: Bad Moon Rising

First it was Mandy that disappeared without a trace and now we find out that Lionel Tribby is no longer White House Counsel. As much as I like John Laroquette and think he was great, Oliver Platt really does nail it as Babish. While he's not in too many episodes his role is crucial, and thanks to his movie actor gravitas he drops into show without ever appearing out of his depth.

Babish's reaction to Jed's revelation makes Toby's response look even worse. If there's one guy who would be going crazy over the constitutional issues raised by what the President's done it would be a lawyer, and Babish is White House Counsel! Yet what's his response? He sits down calmly and starts to assess the situation. Take note Toby.

The sub-plot about the oil spill would ordinarily be quite generic but it's a nice touch referencing Sam's past, and an exchange that almost adds another five minutes to the episode, as you could easily insert those flashback scenes into this episode. Talking of callbacks, Charlie doing the "old friend from home" line is great, and the scene between him and Leo is a season high point for Dule Hill.

The "If you lie to protect me..." speech from Jed to Charlie is awesome on a first watch, and continues to be good on each rewatch until you ralise what rampant hypocrisy he's displaying. Don't worry though, because Babish's rant in the Oval Office a couple of minutes later is even more awesome. It also sets out the path the show is going to take for at least the next few episodes. Fasten your seatbeats; we're in for a pretty wild ride up until season's end.

Random observations:

"What is it about people from Chicago that they're so proud they're from Chicago?" Jed asks. Why I don't know Mr. President, what is it about people from New Hampshire that makes them so proud they're from New Hampshire?

Initially Gail's bowl has a periscope in it, presumably referencing the leak that CJ and Toby are concerned with finding. Later in the episode a folded dollar is there, in reference to the Mexico bailout.

Thank goodness for Donna. She asks the questions to Josh so I don't have to. The Josh/Donna banter about the loan issue is a light-hearted gem in the episode.

The whole conversation about how smart Charlie is goes over my head because I have no idea how the US educational system works. I do understand that whatever he's done is pretty impressive. If anyone wants to explain it to me in the comments then feel free.

The staffer who brings the note for Leo into Babish's office is Cam from Modern Family.

Episode grade: A

So what did you all think?

S02E18: 17 People

Is this the most memorable opening few minutes of a West Wing episode? Maybe it's not as jaw-dropping as something like What Kind of Day Has it Been but it's beautiful in its understatement. I love how the sequence shows just how obsessive Toby is. I suppose that to an extent we already knew he was, but the sense of foreboding that builds as we get the cuts to him sitting in his office putting the jigsaw pieces together is wonderful.

So great, so encompassing is the main plot line that I completely forgot about the White House Dinner speech being worked on (though as soon as it was introduced I immediately remembered Toby walking in on their deliberations at the end of the episode, having to play dumb because none of them know yet).

When Bartlet first tells Toby and he walks out of the Oval Office I wonder what exactly is going through his head at that point. It can't be concern over Jed, as is made patently clear when PotUS chastises him for his disinterest. I like to think it's mainly distress over why he has to be the Communications Director at a time when that may prove to be a particularly tricky role to fill successfully.

Honestly, I don't think either the President or Toby come out of this looking good. Toby's reaction is dreadful. Jed may well be his boss but there's a bond of friendship that's been implied between them in spite of their being at odds at times. While he says nothing that is wrong, he doesn't even show the tiniest bit of feeling toward a friend who's ill. Meanwhile Jed uses that as an opportunity to try and take the moral high ground, which is a pretty gutsy move considering he's been deceiving the American public (and the vast majority of his staff) for the past eight years.

The conversation between Toby and Leo about impeachment always reminds me that this is really just a sideways look at the Clinton administration and Bartlet's MS was Clinton's ML. The claim Leo makes about him doing nothing illegal makes the comparison almost impossible not to make.

In spite of Toby not exactly covering himself in glory with his reaction I still think Schiff's acting is brilliant. The bewildering range of emotions that you see him go through is pitch perfect, and for a prime example of that just look at his face when he walks in on the speech discussions. As he sits down he almost cracks a smile and then gives a master-class that is up there with the Pacino diner scene in The Godfather.

The way the episode switches almost effortlessly between the heavyweight discussion in the Oval Office with the dorm room environment just a corridor away is truly impressive. I'd forgotten just how good it was. As an aside, last week Netflix released all 13 episodes of season one of House of Cards, and it's been picking up some pretty heavy praise. One poster on a forum I frequent went so far as to say it was up there with season two West Wing. Now I've watched all 13 episodes, and I've enjoyed them. Spacey and Wright are great and the story is intriguing. Season 2 West Wing level? Not even close.

Random observations:

After four nights Toby goes to Leo about Hoynes being dropped from the ticket and by night six he knows Hoynes thinks PotUS isn't running for a second term. Where's Danny when you need him - he'd have sussed it out in about ten minutes.

"Do you know what they did? They forgot to bring the funny." How many people said that about Studio 60? Too soon?

Is it just me or were they really angling for a relationship between Ainsley and Sam at this point? And if there's sexual tension between the two of them don't even get me started on the "I wouldn't stop for red lights" comment.

On the initial viewing, when Leo tells Toby he's the 16th person to know did anyone else immediately wonder who else was going to find out by the end of the episode?

CJ isn't in this episode at all.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?

S02E17: The Stackhouse Filibuster

...or to give it my alternate title, A Tale of Three Letters (see how I shoehorned in a Dickens reference as a nod to Stackhouse there?).

While the backbone of the episode is the eponymous filibuster, there's still plenty of other things going on. Cat goddesses, Winifred Hooper, French haute cuisine and the unusual behaviour of John Hoynes all figure too, if only for a few minutes at a time.

The thing I really like about using the plot device of characters writing letters is that it allows you to throw in a huge amount of exposition without feeling like you're being hit over the head with it, and said exposition can be run over footage of stuff actually happening as opposed to filming a load of people sat round a table talking. As a result the running time absolutely flies by, and the various sub-plots weave in and out of each other almost seamlessly. The plotting is so dense it almost feels like a TV movie as opposed to a 45 minute show.

If there's a compliment that I give the show more than any other it's that it's endlessly rewatchable, and this episode is a prime example of that. There isn't a single plot point that takes me by surprise; I know CJ's going to put the cat together with crazy glue, I know why John Hoynes is giving big oil a beating, I know they're going to bring in Senators to ensure the filibuster is successful and I even know the name of the intern who's going to suggest Sam come to her for a job before she says it. None of that matters. When the writing is as assured as it is here and when the performances are as skilled it's simply a joy to watch. There was no way this episode could reach the dizzying heights of the previous one, but it gives it a remarkably good try.

Random observations:

If there's any sequence that may have given the indication Martin Sheen was leaving the show it was the series of clips in the "Previously on The West Wing" segment for this episode.

The main Sorkin regurgitation in this episode is the style of telling a story using the "letter to family member" plot device. He'd previously used it in the Sports Night episode Dear Louise. A lesser one is Sorkin's obsession with dangling modifiers which he mentions all the time, and in this episode manifests itself in a comment from Josh while he's farming out jobs in his office.

Why is it that every time we see Hoynes talking to the press as a West Wing staffer goes to see him he always signs off with a really awful joke?

If Sam's favourite non-fiction writer is Toby and his favourite fiction writer is Dickens then either he just isn't reading enough or he has dreadful taste (though it appears Winifred Hooper sets the bar even lower).

The comment from CJ about confiding in someone with a criminal mind equal to her own followed by a jump cut to a walk and talk between her and Donna is brilliant.

Does anyone else have any idea why Stackhouse would have a Norwegian flag in his office? I'd have quite liked it to have been a Dutch one as a foreshadowing of the filibuster.

I can suspend disbelief as well as the next guy, but I draw the line at Leo not understanding the idea Donna floated in order to give Stackhouse a breather.

The conversation between Toby and Hoynes towards the end of the episode is wonderfully done and sets things up beautifully for the next episode.

Is this the first time we find out CJ's first name is Claudia? My memory's failing me.

EDIT: Forgot to mention Gail, who has a cat in her bowl, in reference to the statue CJ broke.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?