Written by Eli Attie
Directed by Christopher Misiano
“You asked me to jump off a cliff with you.”
Classic, old school West Wing meets new & mature West Wing in what was the best touchstone-to-season-one episode in quite some time. It’s best divided into three categories:
1—The Good
The continued relationship between Bartlet and his wife. Were Stockard Channing and Martin Sheen born to act together? It certainly seems that way.
The President’s slow descent into moody, maudlin introspection. This was the first time I noticed how white his hair had become…a physical sign of the depths into which this President has descended. Martin Sheen was magnificent at communicating a quiet, intense state of uselessness, even as he calls across the world to gain support for the peace plan he negotiated hours ago. His silent gazes into nowhere speak more than the words of a hundred other two-bit actors.
2—The Even Better
The chaos of a White House falling apart, puncutated by islands of tranquility — such as the return of Donna — are magnificently conveyed: Josh and Toby at cross-purposes; CJ hounded by a reporter who obviously wants to shag her now instead of later; Charlie holding off on his graduation, because it could end his relationship with the President. A tightrope walk ended only when Leo gives Bartlet a single name from his hospital bed, it was amazing while it lasted. Full of witty reparte, pedconferencing-mania, and cross-office shouting not seen since the middle of the first season…I loved every minute of it.
3—The Outrageously Sublime
Where to start?
Steven Culp’s Speaker as the ultimate straight man…and the disastrously funny speaker-phone conference debacle in his office between Toby and Josh.
The demands of other congressmen, ranging from banning all forms of marriage, excepting churches, synagogues, department stores and casinos!
CJ and Josh in the ultimate glucose war of attrition (yes, you read that correctly)! There’s a Clinton-era joke buried somewhere in those pizza boxes…
Turkmenistan as the new running White House joke!
And, in complete counterpoint, the strange, unnerving quiet between Donna and Josh, who have clearly realized what type of feelings they have for each other…and don’t have a clue as to what to do next.
What more can you want from The West Wing? Very little…this is as perfect as it gets, and lays a heavy footprint for the rest of the season. And to top it all off, Will gets lots of screen time this week! Yippee!
10
