It was a night of finales, and after contemplative sleep, I’m going to put my jumbled thoughts into words…
THE WEST WING - Memorial Day (Season 5 Finale)
After last week’s jaw-dropper, I wasn’t sure how they were going to follow this up. I shouldn’t have worried.
Memorial Day is a story about tilting at windmills, and has two agendas. The first is to shine the light on the realities of Middle East peace — or the lack thereof. It couldn’t have done it better, and in doing so manages to both vilify the current, real-world administration’s never-ending battle against terrorism…while at the same time revealing that no matter what side they’re on, Americans want closure and release through some sort of catharsis. This isn’t Gaza and the Middle East anymore — this episode transcends all of it and takes us back to September 11th. In fact, it could very well be the kind of episode Aaron Sorkin would have come up with, had there been time after the World Trade Centre attack.
The arguments go back and forth, the agendas are pushed, the emotions are cranked. As an example of the kind of democratic debate the U.S., the U.K. and Canada pioneer, there can’t be anything finer on television than the political discourse on display in this episode. But the real kicker comes with the six-year old flashbacks to President-elect Bartlett, having a decision by the previous administration thrust upon him, and vowing to be different with all the naive cheer and good will at his disposal. It’s shot in a stark, solarized coolness that frames the scenes for what they are…fantasy. Reality is much more full-blooded, and the final argument between Bartlett and Leo McGarry testifies to this. There aren?t any easy answers….all you can do is make your call and let history be the judge.
To be blunt, the episode left me wiped, thrilled, amused, sad, and wanting more…especially given the atypical cliffhanger ending. Next season should be interesting.
ANGEL - Not Fade Away (Season 5…and the Series…Finale)
I honestly don’t know what to make of Not Fade Away, but my gut tells me this: it’s a superb season capper, but as a final episode, I’m left wanting. Even as I think about it this morning, my feelings remain the same.
Maybe I expect too much, but dammit…I wanted closure. I had come so far with Angel, on his road to redemption and being a champion…and they end it as Blake’s 7 meets the Little Big Horn?
It was full of amazing stuff, and it moved like lightning. The one last day was beautiful, and it is getting better and better watching the stable, cool-as-you-please Connor (a returning Vincent Kartheiser) talking with Angel…something we only dreamed about during season four. And Spike finally getting a chance for his poetry to shine…that was both insanely funny and quite touching. William the bloody awful poet no longer…
There was lots of mini-closure: Illyrian & the dying Wesley, Lorne (the most heartbreaking of all), that rat-troll Lindsay (masterfully played for the last time by Christian Kane), and the twisted little goodbye to Harmony. But then they end it going out fighting, against the evil hordes (by the way…where DID the evil hordes come from…), and I’m left feeling…what?
Disappointed? Cheated? Wanting to pull my hair out?
I don’t know… My friend James believes that this series finale is better than Buffy’s (Chosen), but in all truth, I had the most amazing rush watching Chosen. The closure I felt after that episode made my heart sing. Watching Not Fade Away only left me screaming at the television: “it can?t end like THIS!” Frankly, it doesn’t feel like an ending at all….and all I can say is that I expected more, and I wanted more.
Maybe if Joss alone had written and directed it…? Maybe if the series had one more season to deal with what was to come…? These are all what if?s, and everything is now in the hands of posterity. I guess I’m not truly disappointed. I’m just disillusioned…
