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?

S02E16: Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail

After the disaster that was Ellie, we immediately afterwards get one of the best episodes of the season. I always love big block of cheese shows and this is easily my favourite. In addition to the real emotional strength of the episode we also have my favourite oddball appeal of the entire show.

It turns out that Sam's block of cheese person is the most intriguing (and has the most emotional resonance given what Sam's been going through). It gets really interesting when we find out that Daniel Gault has been something of a project for Sam, dating back to his college days. I love the way Sorkin pulls us into the story here. He sets the scene with a sympathetic figure (the granddaughter) and follows it up with another one (the dying son). Sam's a pretty switched on guy, so the fact he wrote 23 pages of his thesis defending him means he has to be a good guy, right? The somewhat slippery performance of the FBI agent doesn't give us doubts, but when Nancy McNally wants to see him the brakes come on. As the whole story is relayed to him and he actually sees the file confirming it, another little piece of Sam dies (the last time was when he offered Laurie $10,000 not to go home with her john). In some ways this time things are even worse - he can't do anything about his father's infidelity so he was determined to do something to help this wrongly-accused father, only to find out his failings were even worse, and over just as long a period.

Toby's group of nutters are protesters, who he wouldn't be happy to meet at the best of times, but the fact that in his opinion they're useless at protesting makes it even worse. At one point he even gives tips on doing a better job to their ringleader, something we know he'd only do if he knew for a fact that he had they hopelessly outmatched. There was a really lovely moment for me during this sequence where Toby gives a mini speech writing lesson. "We did repetition, we did floating opposites, and now we end with the one that's not like the others: Free trade stops wars!" As someone who's done a fair bit of public speaking I've never forgotten that sentence. Speeches shouldn't just inform, they should move people, and in seven years of listening to some stunning speeches in this show, what Toby said there was hands down the best piece of public speaking advice I ever picked up from it.

As interesting as both of these are, my favourite ever block of cheese appeal simply has to go to the Cartographers for Social Equality. As they pile reason upon reason why the Mercator map is awful they just sucked me in, and when CJ and Josh lean in to look at the (let's be frank here, bizarre) Peters Projection Map they were only mirroring what I was doing sat in my armchair at home. They almost had me, then they flipped the map upside down and I was out. Even so, thanks to this episode my absolute favourite map of the World even now is the Peters Projection map (even though it means my favourite web comic hates me: http://xkcd.com/977/ ).

You know why this episode is so great? You can watch it a dozen times and never get bored. If you get to the end of it and someone you're with says "Wanna watch it again" you're not adverse to the idea. Even though the only thing that connects the various sub-plots is that block of cheese, they still fit together perfectly, giving every main character a moment to shine. In one sentence it's heart breaking and in the next it's laugh out loud funny. There is literally (Chris Traeger alert) nothing I would change about this episode because I can't think of a way it could be improved; even Jed's unease is a wonderful piece of foreshadowing. This episode is as efficient as it is beautiful, and for that reason probably my favourite one of season two.

Random observations:

In this episode we get probably the first great example of music used to set the tone in The West Wing (I'm not including any specifically composed stuff here), and it also gives us the episode title. Talking of that, Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail is the longest episode title in the show's seven year run.

Margaret's shake of the head as Leo states she spent a great deal of time assigning the crazies quickly followed up with a nod as he turns his head is comedy gold.

The main Cartographer for Social Equality is better known as Dr. Phlox from Enterprise.

Sam's rant on the staircase where he quotes Lincoln is stunning, simply stunning.

After the emotional intensity of Sam's plot to have the nous to finish it with the latitude/longitude crack is brilliant.

Loads of Sorkin crossover stuff can be found in this episode:

(1) Leo goes on about the dreadful traffic on DuPont Circle, which is lifted straight from The American President.

(2) It turns out Sam's father has been having an affair for the past 28 years. This is ridiculously similar to the plotline in Sports Night where Jeremy's father has been having an affair for 27 years (seriously, even if you're not a Sports Night fan, go and watch the episode The Sword of Orion, because even the coping mechanism the two men employ is pretty similar).

(3) Special Agent Casper is Sports Night's saviour in the final two episodes of that show.

(4) When Sam says "This girl's going to find out who her father was" and Donna corrects him with "Sam, you meant grandfather" is reminiscent of an exchange in The American President where Michael Douglas says "She deserves a chance" and Michael J. Fox corrects him with "You mean it deserves a chance; the legislation". Both times the person is being reminded that they can't allow emotions to stop them from doing the right thing.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?

S02E15: Ellie

I'm about to review what is, IMO, by quite some margin the worst episode of season two of The West Wing, and quite possibly the worst one in the show's run so far (Mr Willis From Ohio was my least favourite episode of season one, but I think this one is probably worse).

There are several issues I have with this particular episode. It probably doesn't help that I raise an eyebrow when Sorkin puts drug policy front and centre on the show given his somewhat interesting history with banned substances. He believes in treatment over punishment? I'd never have guessed [sarcasm mode off].

Another issue is our title character. In the pro category we have the fact that she's being played by a moderately well known actress, and a pretty one at that (yes, I'm hopelessly shallow when it comes to that kind of thing). In the con category... well there's no easy way of saying this, but she's just an awful character. I thought Zoey was annoying, but Ellie puts her in the shade (in fact, by far my favourite Bartlet daughter is the one we sadly see least of). Yes, I can grasp that there are certain inconveniences that come with being the daughter of PotUS, but I'd have to guess the advantages monumentally outweigh those inconveniences. With that in mind she just comes across as a spoilt little rich kid. If you think that's just me ranting then you'll probably want to avoid the other eight episodes she appears in, as I'll likely just be copy and pasting this paragraph to save time.

So given that I feel like the entire main plot line is a wash, what else is there to be entertained with during this particular 43 minutes of TV? Well there's a film called Prince of New York which apparently Charlie feels the President wouldn't like as much as Dial M For Murder (and based on the synopsis Charlie gives Mrs. Landingham, who would?). It's a non-issue, merely there to fill time. The same can be said for Toby's discussions with his ex-wife, which seems to be inserted purely to tie up the Seth Gillette issue without having to pay Ed Begley Jr. another appearance fee.

I'll come clean - the first time I saw it I actually thought it was kind of OK. We get to see another of Jed's daughters, and anything that fleshes out his character and backstory has to be good right? Toby's ex is always good value for money, as every time we see her it seems to emphasise that the Democratic party isn't some happy family that never falls out, something we don't see often enough in the show. However, it has a really poor re-watch value, and I'll confess that when I saw it was the next episode to watch I groaned a little inside. Never mind, I'll console myself in the knowledge that the last seven episodes of the season are all corkers.

Random observations:

You know you're watching a pretty risible episode when an argument about time zones is the highlight.

Sam's reporter "friend" is T-Bag from Prison Break.

It must be cool having a bona fide cinema in your house.

Episode grade: D-

S02E14: The War at Home

Last time on West Wing: DEA Agents in mortal danger! Poll numbers soon to come in! Police officer in PR foul up! Abby annoyed with Jed! See all these plot strands tied up in the next exciting instalment. OK, so maybe The War at Home isn't all that fast-paced but it is nice to get a West Wing mini-movie.

Early on we get a scene where Bartlet has a scene with Josh and Sam which initially seems quite quirky and nice - it's a change of pace and it gives an insight into the various unofficial conversations PotUS may have during the course of the day. Unfortunately after a short time it becomes evident that it's merely an opportunity for Sorkin to give us a lecture on drug policy (pro tip: nothing Bartlet tells Josh and Sam would be news to them, so it's clearly aimed at us). I don't mind Sorkin preaching once in a while, I just which he'd do it with a bit more subtlety. We get another mini-sermon from Leo towards the end too.

When they're in the situation room at the start of the episode and there's one dissenting voice concerning sending people in I remember thinking when I originally watched the show "that guy's going to turn out to be right". For the life of me I can't tell you why I thought that; maybe it's the way the line is delivered, perhaps it's the fact that the camera lingers on this previously unseen character just a little longer than normal. Whatever the reason, it's very well done.

The resolution of the DEA situation is one of a relatively small number of instances in the West Wing where Bartlet clearly does the wrong thing (dealing with a terrorist) because he can't stomach the consequences of doing the right one. Throughout the episode it's repeated again and again that it would be a dreadful move to make, and if that isn't enough Josh spells it out in a conversation with Donna that leaves us in no doubt that under no circumstances can Aguilar be released. By the end of the episode, that's exactly what CJ's announcing at the briefing. Bartlet may be a good president, but he's not infallible.

Random observations:

The "You don't live longer, it just seems longer" quote is actually by Clement Freud.

Is this the first time we see Jed playing chess? I can't think of an earlier occurrence off the top of my head. By the way, considering what we learn further down the line about his prowess at the game, Leo's tutoring of him here seems really off.

Ed Begley Jr. does a really good job as Seth Gillette, junior senator from North Dakota. When he drops the boom on Toby by floating the idea of running as an independent it comes out of nowhere, though in Toby's defence he rallies reasonably well.

We get a trademark Sorkinism in this episode, where a piece of bad news is followed up by the rumble of thunder.

I really like that when Donna leaves for home she says bye to Joey's interpreter, not Joey. She identifies with the subordinate more.

It's a really poignant moment when we see Jed looking at the coffins coming back, heightened by having the man who gave him counsel that could have spared all their lives being stood right next to him.

Episode grade: B-

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

Finally the mutual attraction between Josh and Donna get acknowledged, even though we're still about five years away from them acting on it.

I wonder how many of us watching the conversation between Abby and Jed about his MS really wondered whether it would ever take hold to the degree it did in season seven.

S02E13: Bartlet's Third State of the Union

First up, my apologies for the very delayed nature of this review. Partially the holiday and partially a horrendous virus have conspired to put me way behind schedule. Hopefully over the next month or so I'll catch up on at least a couple of episodes.

If there's one thing Americans know how to do it's put on a show. Make no mistake, this episode is about a speech. As a British person I tend to think "so what"? Probably the most famous political speech over here in the UK isn't even delivered by the Prime Minister, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer (it's the Budget speech). Now there's no denying, the UK has history on its side (for instance, it's quite cool that the Budget speech is the only time someone is allowed to take a drink into parliament (it's the Chancellor who gets it, and he normally chooses whisky)). Sadly, Americans have us beat when it comes to pomp and circumstance. "The State of the Union" has such a great ring to it, and the idea that millions of people around a country sit on the edge of their seats as their head of state sets out a plan of action for the next 12 months is almost romantic when you think about it.

Of course, all those viewers mean the reaction to the speech is pretty important, hence Joey Lucas being bought in to handle polling. It's always nice to see Josh thrown off his game somewhat, and he's even more frantic than usual around Joey. While the power cut pushes the envelope of believability it's certainly entertaining.

I don't know how realistic the idea of a three hour news programme involving senior staffers debating various Republicans following the speech is, but I love the notion of it. While all of the debates are interesting, the real stand out is the one involving Toby where they discuss the second amendment. What with Sandy Hook so recent in the memory it's amazing how often you'll find yourself watching an episode of West Wing only to hear a snippet of dialogue which relates to something currently in the news. I can't think of another show which has aged nearly so well (and Toby's argument would have been just as effective if he'd given an accurate figure for gun deaths instead of the ridiculously exaggerated 32,000).

The main non-speech related plot is the capture of DEA agents in Colombia. It seems to exist mainly in order to give something for Leo to do while Josh, CJ, Sam and Toby stress over the fallout to the speech. It also means Jed doesn't really get much of an opportunity to bask in the glory of his rip-roaring speech which virtually launched his re-election campaign...

...which brings us to Abby. She's not just a pretty face, she knows what's just happened, and she's not a happy bunny. Sorkin does a bit of a juggling act here because he gives us about three reasons for Abby being upset with Bartlet, but saves the real one for the final scene. She clearly doesn't think he's up for another four years of political hoopla, and it means tension on the home front for Jed.

On the plus side, this episode had decent performances, some nice one-liners and quite a cinematic feel to it. On the downside, it felt like a little too much was going on and it could really have done with being a two-parter as the DEA situation doesn't get resolved and Josh never gets his numbers... hang on, this effectively is a two-parter, because The War At Home is going to give us all that and more. Hooray!

Random observations:

Josh gets so bored waiting for polling figures he reads Vogue.

Emily Proctor dancing to Blame it on the Bossa Nova = Awesome. Martin Sheen delivering Sam's line to Ainsley straight after = Awesomer.

Episode grade: B+

So what did you all think?

S02E12: The Drop In

The episode title refers to the (not-so) last minute change in the President's speech, but I'll get to that in a minute because quite frankly, when you have Lord John Marbury in the show he deserves the first paragraph. If you don't have a massive smile on your face during his first scene (in the office with Leo and Josh) then there's something wrong with you. His slapdown of the missile shield is particularly entertaining, and manages a level of condescension even Jed struggled to reach; I love it! He also gets the best line in the episode when he comments that even if the shield is successful people will simply build a better missile, while at the same time coming off warm enough towards Leo that even he thaws a little towards the new Ambassador. The one weird thing is that seemingly from nowhere CJ and Donna are swooning over him all of a sudden. I don't recall them indicating that during the India/Pakistan crisis last season.

And so to the drop in. The really interesting thing about this is that it highlights cracks in relationships between the senior staff that up to now have gone largely unmentioned in the show. We've always had the impression that Toby felt like he was just that little bit better than everyone else in the room, viewing everyone else with a mild disinterest. Notwithstanding that, the picture has definitely been painted thus far that they're all one big happy family who would walk through fire for any of the others. Here though, it's made abundantly clear that Toby is essentially backstabbing Sam.

I have to say, I don't entirely buy that subplot. Firstly, if there's one thing that Toby doesn't do it's duck a fight. He really doesn't do it when he thinks he's right. Second, Toby isn't dumb enough to give Sam enough evidence to figure out the drop in was planned. Third, if there's one person who Toby does show some affinity for it's Sam, which makes the move even worse. Finally, and most importantly, it's just a really mean-spirited and downright nasty thing to do. To steal Toby's own line here, "Friends are honest with each other". Thankfully Sorkin's a good enough writer that he doesn't push the reset button at the end of the episode, and it's clear from the scene in the bar that things aren't going to be back to normal with them for a while.

Honestly I don't know how I feel about the development we're given here. On the one hand it certainly injects a little realism into the show as I can imagine this is a pretty common occurrence in real life politics. On the other hand, isn't the whole point of The West Wing that it's a look at politics through rose coloured glasses, and that for the most part these people are the best versions of themselves they can possibly be? While characters make mistakes, and from time to time make calls that err on the side of political expediency as opposed to doing what's right, this is probably the nastiest thing that any of the main characters has done so far in the show.

Random observations:

Fancy Leo not picking up the Charlie Brown reference; shame on him! Having said that, given that information it's hardly worth Bartlet's effort adding the "Oh, good grief" line at the end.

It's not often that we know stuff before CJ does, but if you don't figure out who the British Ambassador to the US is going to be from the "previously on..." sequence alone then you're just not paying enough attention.

Gail is in a totally different bowl in this episode when compared to her normal one. Maybe that in itself is a reference to the replacement ambassador. It looks like a mobile phone has been "dropped in" the bowl too, which could just be a play on the episode title.

Episode grade: B

So what did you all think?

S02E11: The Leadership Breakfast

This is one of those place-holder  episodes. Nothing much happens, but it doesn't happen so nicely that we don't really care. There's some nice comedy, some geek trivia from Jed, some Machiavellian political manoeuvring in which Toby gets outplayed (several times) and some guest stars who do some really good work.

In some ways I feel like it's an opportunity missed. Small spoiler warning: It kind of feels like they're setting up both Felicity Huffman and Corbin Bernsen for recurring roles. By the end of the episode we're looking forward to round two between Toby and Ann and we've had Shallick's card marked as a probable opponent for Bartlet a couple of years down the line. Neither of those things happen (Felicity never appears again and Corbin is in one more episode a couple down the line). I think both of those things are bad. Bartlet's eventual opponent is no better a character than Bernsen's, who disappears without a trace, yet another continuity mis-step. Meanwhile the one thing the show could have done with is someone really good on the other side of the aisle (see spoiler section), and Felicity could have filled that role excellently.

The one thing that does happen which is concrete is the handshake between Leo and Toby where they form the "committee to re-elect the President". That plot-line does pick up over the next few episodes, leading to probably the best half season in the show's entire run.

Random observations:

There's nothing better to get me in the mood for an episode of West Wing than some Sam and Josh tomfoolery.

Sports Night crossover alert #1: Ann Stark is played by Felicity Huffman, who played Dana Whitaker in Sports Night (she was effectively the Leo of that show if you've never seen it).

Sports Night crossover alert #2: Sam screws up with a woman he wants to impress (Karen Cahill) by confusing Kurdistan with Kazakhstan. In Sports Night Dan Rydell (the Sam of that show if you've never seen it) screwed up with a woman he wanted to impress (Hillary Clinton) by confusing secular schools with non-secular schools.

Congressman Shallick is played by Corbin Bernsen, better known as Arnie Becker from LA Law.

Episode grade: A-

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

If there's one thing the post Sorkin era writers managed to do better than Sorkin himself, it was bring some really meaty Republicans to the show. Haffley is a weasel, but he's a talented one who keeps the administration on their toes. Vinick is probably the best example, and the season seven campaign is far more in-depth and well rounded than the season four version, which is all wrapped up in just a few short episodes.

S02E10: Noel

Noel is simply a perfect episode of television. Early on it's easy to see it's going to be something special. We're used to seeing Josh ride roughshod over people so his "you think you're talking to the paper boy" jibe is nothing to write home about, but the way Stanley comes back with "you're not talking to the paper boy either" salvo still has the power to send shivers down my spine, even though I must have seen this particular episode over a dozen times. What follows is a wonderful examination of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The first flashback takes us three weeks back. Nothing seems strange; Josh seems perfectly normal. We know the pilot has to have something to do with his issues (whatever they are - we still don't know as yet), Sorkin has already established the expertise of Stanley so when he picks up on the pilot comment we do too. As a result our ears prick up more over that subplot than any of the other stuff we hear in the opening segment. And then there's the knock at the door...

What's really clever about the way Sorkin deals with this is that he knows most of his audience don't know the first thing about PTSD, but he doesn't just want to tell us that Josh has it - he wants us to figure out what's going wrong with Josh (and more importantly why) at more or less the same rate as Stanley. It's far more nuance than you'd expect from the average network show, but this isn't the average network show.

The scene where Josh loses it in the oval office is tough to watch for me. I've probably mentioned it a time or six, but just to remind you Josh is my favourite character. Thing is, the person in that office isn't Josh. His whole demeanour is different straight from the off and watching him unravel in front of our eyes isn't easy viewing. Bradley Whitford is unbelievably good in the whole episode, but I think it's this scene which won him the Emmy that year.

Then we get Josh reliving the shooting during the Yo-Yo Ma performance and we begin to realise just how much he's been bottling up for the past ten episodes. When he puts his hand through the window it may not technically be cutting but it's not far off. By the end of the episode he's far from cured but at least he can see light at the end of the tunnel.

As an aside, the English snob working at the White House provides some much needed levity in an episode that could easily be a little too dark for most people.

Random observations:

Stanley is better known as Aaron Shutt, ace neurosurgeon from Chicago Hope. As much as I raved about Bradley's performance in the episode, Adam Arkin's is great too.

Does the President really receive a million letters in a year? That seems high.

"Long as I got a job you got a job." Thank goodness for that.

I can't hear Carol of the Bells without thinking of this episode. I get chills every time I hear it.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?

S02E09: Galileo

It's no surprise in this episode when we find out that Jed geeks out over space related trivia. However, it's more of a surprise to hear that he's no fan of obscure symphony orchestras (no offense intended, Icelandic readers; I've personally visited Reykjavik and think it's a wonderful place). It just seems like the kind of thing he'd go for.

I love that the episode has so much going on, all of which is fairly interesting. Potentially the most boring of these is the stamp thing, so Aaron chooses wisely in giving this to the dynamic duo of Josh and Donna. Their natural chemistry along with some nice one-liners enables me to be entertained while simultaneously learning something, and I just love that.

After giving Mallory barely a mention for what seems like an age, she pops up again here. I've been critical before of the way they wasted the chemistry between her and Sam, so I should at least acknowledge that Sam comes out with a reasonably feasible reason why she's been absent for so long. I can see why being photographed hugging a prostitute may diminish other romantic possibilities. Having said that, she knew he'd actually slept with one before developing an interest, so I think it's clear she can't be referred to as prudish.

With all this going on (and I haven't even mentioned the green beans) a far more serious situation arises with the oil refinery/missile silo fire. What I really like is that most series would let all the more mundane subplots fade into the background as soon as something of this magnitude crops up, but The West Wing makes this the subplot. There aren't many shows that would have the guts to do that.

Random observations:

Did Jed really convert to celsius in his head, or did he just happen to know the figures in celsius rather than fahrenheit?

Would someone from NASA's PR team really be such an awful writer?

Toby gets something wrong again in this episode. Phobos and Deimos were Mars' sons, not his horses. Get it together Toby.

Gail makes an appearance and I think there's some kind of buggy in her tank, presumably relating to the space mission.

Is it just me or does the music playing as CJ and Charlie walk out the theatre sound like it's come straight from a Bond movie (mixed with a little whalesong)?

This episode would get an A if it weren't for CJ's little meltdown in the oval office towards the end of the episode. I don't like being lectured, but I especially don't like being lectured in a really obvious and patronising way.

Episode grade: A-

So what did you all think?

S02E08: Shibboleth

Wow. The plot for Sam's show is exactly the same as the plot for this episode... apart from the crime solving part.

Is it just me or is Toby absolutely insufferable in this episode? The whole thing with Leo's sister just doesn't sit well with me. From the off it's clear that Toby is well aware that Leo won't be pleased about it, and you'd assume that Toby would take that into consideration as been as Leo's his boss. Tiny spoiler alert: If I was Leo I'd say "Hey Toby, that's fine. By the way, I'm hiring your dad as my PA." I also think the issue is a bit bizarre. Didn't Josh get threatened with the school prayer issue last season when they were talking about FEC nominees who were against soft money? When did it go from being part of a nightmare legislative agenda to a debate the White House actually wants?

Al Caldwell and Mary Marsh make another appearance thanks to the religious asylum issue. Al is still a rotund buffoon and Mary is still awful.

I find the main plot incredibly similar to the one in the pilot. Call me politically naive, but does it really matter what the religious beliefs of the Chinese are? They came over in barrels and risked death in search of a better life. Shouldn't the White House have their backs regardless of their views on Jesus? Considering the final resolution of the issue shouldn't their beliefs be moot? Bartlet as good as says so to Josh at the end, so the entire interview is irrelevant really.

I know he's not perfect, but sometimes Sorkin's writing is just sublime. The little subplot with the knives is so inconsequential that 99% of writers wouldn't include it at all. Yet he makes it beautifully comic with each successive knife that fails to make the grade and just when you think it's run its course he concludes it with probably the most touching moment in the entire episode.

Random observations:

Yay. Yet another introduce the cast "previously on...".

Jamestown wasn't the 16th century Toby. If you're going to be a pompous ass at least be accurate about it.

Why is CJ setting off flashes in front of the turkeys when she knew from the off that Troy didn't like to be touched? Surely a turkey that doesn't want to be touched shouldn't be anywhere near PotUS?

The Chinese Christian names 11 apostles (there are two called James, and he omits Judas' replacement, Matthias).

"If the Oscars were like that I'd watch." The first time I heard that line I spit my drink out. The whole scene from that point up until Donna's "You can't pardon a turkey?" is brilliant.

Episode grade: B+

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

I find it interesting the way Barlet indicates that the main reason for allowing the refugees to "escape" is to allow the Chinese to save face. Events in Han would indicate the real reason is very different.

S02E07: The Portland Trip

CJ is sort of in the doghouse at the beginning of the episode, thanks to her Notre Dame gaffe. It's light and fluffy stuff, and gives us the opportunity for a few chuckles, but I always get a bit concerned when they emphasize the somewhat sadistic nature of Bartlet's character. He's the President and they all serve at his pleasure. He can order them to do pretty much whatever he wants. Personally I think a good rule of thumb would be to refrain from deliberately making your senior staff miserable on a whim. Danny's retribution is far more subtle, and all the better for it.

The meeting Josh has with the congressman in this episode is particularly interesting. It shines a light on the complexity of political opinion, which can often get lost in world where the media needs to pander to the extremes in order to be heard. In reality, not every homosexual is a democrat, not every gun-toting redneck is a republican. Not every democrat is pro-choice, not every republican wants taxes lowered. Truth be told "the enemy" often isn't the enemy at all, and we'd probably be surprised how often our "friends" don't necessarily take the position we expect. What we should recognise is that just because someone disagrees with us doesn't mean they're any less sincere than we are, and we should respect that.

Jed's final decision on the issue is also interesting. He can rail all he likes about how it's wrong, but even for possibly the most idealistic president ever portrayed on the small screen, political expediency trumps what he feels is right. A second term is more important than doing what's right. Depending on how cynical you are you can see that one of two ways. Either it's a feather in the cap for democracy - he has to bend to the will of the people or risk being ousted, or it's a reminder of just how ineffective the whole process of government is. Ever get the feeling these weren't decisions we were meant to make?

I really get the feeling at this point that they're trying to make Ainsley part of the regular cast, not just a recurring character. Her part in this episode was totally crowbarred in.

Random observations:

Sports Night crossover - Colonel Chase was also in an episode of Sports Night. His character name? Chase.

I agree with Josh about Donna's dress. Wow.

Episode grade: B-

So what did you all think?

S02E06: The Lame Duck Congress

I'm a big fan of the moments in the show where we get to see how staggeringly knowledgable the main characters are when it comes to congressional and senatorial affairs. That's just what we get in the pre-credits sequence with the discussion of the various committee changes. As an side I find it interesting that when CJ criticizes the dirty pool they'd be playing Toby frankly admits that it is but he doesn't care. Funny how dirty pool is fine when you do it but disgusting when the other guy does.

Emily Proctor once again does some excellent work in the episode. I really like the way after handing Sam the position paper she just hangs around the office because she knows exactly what's coming. I also find the ensuing debate both interesting and very similar to the one Sam had the previous season with Mallory about school vouchers in Six Meetings Before Lunch.

This episode also gives us a sort of resolution to the CJ/Danny arc. It's not particularly elegant, but it's better service than they gave to Mandy and Mallory.

The final conversation between Jed and Toby is pretty interesting. I like the ethical dilemma of which way you fall when public opinion is clear one way or another (and it becomes a lot murkier when the thing you perceive to be right is the opposite of what's popular).

Random observations:

I find the whole carpal tunnel syndrome completely uninteresting (ditto the Konanov sub-plot). They provide a few mild smiles but they're just window dressing.

Sam's "we play with live ammo around here" line gets borrowed by the Parks and Recreation writers for the episode which features Bradley Whitford.

Episode grade: B

So what did you all think?

S02E05: And It's Surely to Their Credit

For an episode with an awful lot of humour in it they also manage to deal with some pretty heavy stuff too. When you're fifteen minutes in and all the President's been involved in is an abortive attempt to read a radio message and a possible booty call from the first lady you realise he's just the comic relief.

Heavy stuff #1: Ainsley's first assignment is pretty sensitive stuff. After shocking us by introducing a sympathetic republican in the last episode, he really floors us in this one by giving us two democrats who are just, well, pathetic. Sam's initial lack of support seems against character to me, and the last minute turnaround doesn't really redeem him totally. This is a man who was best pals with a prostitute the previous year but can't stand sharing the same room with someone who doesn't share his political opinion. It's put in even bigger contrast by Leo's acceptance, given the article she previously wrote about him.

Heavy stuff #2: Suing the KKK. I love Josh's reason for rejecting this. He's a big picture guy, and classy with it.

It's really impressive how well Emily Proctor gels with the main cast right from the off (more about her in the spoilers section).

Random observations:

Donna's jokes were probably good enough to make Studio 60.

Gail makes an appearance at the five minute mark. It looks like a stage in her bowl, which could be a Gilbert & Sullivan reference. It's hard to tell though, as you only see it for a couple of seconds.

Lionel Tribby is better known from Boston Legal (and IIRC from the US remake of Fawlty Towers).

Is it Donna's birthday during this episode? There's a note on Josh's blackboard.

The steam pipe trunk distribution venue doesn't seem too bad to me.

Aaron Sorkin actually got me into Gilbert & Sullivan (curse him). He's clearly a fan too, as the first Studio 60 episode after the pilot modifies Modern Major General for their cold open.

Episode grade: B+

So what did you all think?

Spoilers for the future follow.

Clearly Emily Proctor had a good future with the show, but she chose to go and star in CSI: Miami instead. While I can understand why she'd do that, I think it's a shame she didn't stay with The West Wing until the end of its run. She's a good enough actress that she'd have easily been able to get the lead in another series after.

S02E04: In This White House

I have to say I loved the pre-credits sequence of this episode the first time I saw it, and to this day I find it really entertaining. Problem is, it's completely unbelievable and doesn't stand up to any scrutiny. Why would Sam continually refer to the state Kirkwood is in if he doesn't absolutely know? This is a guy who will not only know which state it's in, he'll know which Congressional district it's in (as evidenced by the previous episode), and most likely how Justice Mendoza would get there by car.

While Ainsley Hayes is the focus of the episode, I think it's worth focussing on the absolutely stellar job Zakes Mokae does as President Nimbala. He steals pretty much every scene he's in, and while a lot of that is due to Sorkin's fantastic writing Moake just nails the performance. He makes Nimbala incredible personable and that makes the resolution to the episode all the more heartbreaking. It's the Nimbala subplot which raises this from a good episode to a great one.

And that brings us to Ainsley. I think she's a fantastic character, and without a doubt the best written Republican Sorkin has ever managed. Yes, he makes Sam untenably stupid in an effort to emphasise her intelligence, but there's no denying he writes her with great deal of subtlety. When Sam rails at her because of the Roslyn shooting there just doesn't seem like any response, yet her "you don't like the people" speech back to him isn't at all confrontational yet manages to be completely disarming. Boy is she better than Mandy or what?

Random observations:

Yet another previously on which just introduces us to the main cast.

We get another bit of Sorkin recycling as the host of Capital Beat is Dana's former boyfriend from Sports Night.

I think Sorkin has a rule - for every sympathetic Republican in an episode he needs to put in two dreadful ones to make it clear that what we're observing is the exception rather than the rule.

Gail's bowl has an elephant in it, presumably a reference to Ainsley getting a job at the White House.

I was racking my brain because I knew I'd seen the actor who plays President Nimbala somewhere before. I checked the IMDb page and nothing rang any bells. Then it hit me - I'd seen him in a Matthew Modine film called A Cut Above, but it was listed on IMDb as Gross Anatomy (they changed the name for the UK release presumably).

In another bit of Sports Night recycling "the President likes smart people who disagree with him" sounds suspiciously like an Isaac Jaffe quote.

Episode grade: A+

So what did you all think?