#rewatching tww

Episode:

• it’s insane how many people they got to appear for the funeral scene...but not Sam.

• it’s also hilarious to me that Zoey and Elizabeth showed up for Leo’s funeral but not to Ellie’s wedding aksjsh

• Toby should be a pallbearer, not Barry Goodwin

• it sucks they couldn’t film in the National Cathedral again

• when did Charlie get an office?

• Charlie is damn straight Donna. Josh owes you big time!

• Santos and Josh arguing (again) is getting old

• this whole plot with CJ/Danny and Donna/Josh wanting to sleep together but having all these conflicts because of CJ’s invitation to Donna to spend the night and Donna not wanting to disinvite herself because she thinks CJ will know she wants to sleep with Josh is hilarious

• “God, you’re a handsome devil.”

I love Abbey’s delivery of that line and I love Bartlets little wiggle after he says that

• honestly Bartlet being so devastated and heart broken over Leo’s death but then putting on a happy act when he’s around people and having Abbey know that he’s miserable and he’s just faking it and she’s concerned for him is just !!!!

• although the story of Margaret dumping trash on Leo’s head is hilarious

• Donna watching Josh walk away with Amy 👀

• ahh I wish Ainsley had more of an appearance in this episode

• “You’re looking for Leo McGarry, Josh, and he isn’t available.”

Damn Amy, kick him where it hurts.

• lol Josh and Danny just want to get laid. Well so do Donna and CJ.

also why can’t they just come clean?? why can’t Donna just be like “I changed my mind, I’m gonna go sleep with Josh. idk if you’ve been paying any attention over the last 7 years but we’ve had this kind of chemistry thing going and we finally got together during the end of the campaign and now we’re seeing each other. bye” and then have CJ do the same thing. “Donna did you ever hear rumors that I played favorites with the press? Well I kinda did and Danny was one of them. He’s always been annoying yet charming and long story short we’re now seeing each other.”

Bam done.

• I honestly can’t even remember who they name as the new VP

• doesn’t Amy try to set Josh up with someone?

• ahh she does

• wow and in front of Donna too?

• But Donna’s saying this Sarah girl is cute....ok Donna wyd

• “These two are falling asleep and Charlie’s heard it before.”

Lmao perfect description of a Bartlet story

• The family dynamic is strong in this scene

I love CJ’s “maybe 5” and her eye roll after Bartlet says there were 50 cameras and Josh in the background going “I wasn’t there, I swear.”

• I still don’t understand why Abbey basically shooed them all away.

• “I really miss him, sir.”

• “Leo and I are the past. You two are the future.”

• hand kisses between Bartlet and Abbey ahh I’m soft

Podcast:

• written by Eli Attie, John Wells, and Deborah Cahn

• Eli wrote the plot of who the Speaker of the House is gonna be, Cahn wrote the CJ/Danny and Josh/Donna, and John Wells wrote the Bartlet/Abbey scene.

• Hrishi read an interview with Allison Janney where she said filming this episode was a little bit traumatic and reliving the grief.

• The scene at the end with Bartlet and the staff telling stories about Leo was something the cast did on set. There’d be a break in shooting and they would talk about John and share stories.

• There’s an Air Force honor guard at the funeral.

• They don’t know who the one pallbearer is but I’m pretty sure it’s Mallory’s husband, so Leo’s son in law.

• They don’t know why CJ doesn’t want to come out with her relationship with Danny, but I’m pretty sure she told him she doesn’t want to define it or she doesn’t want to answer questions she doesn’t know the answers to yet

• “Not a lot of time for relationships, probably not a lot of time for therapy. And I feel like they could all use some.”

• They got a bunch of the cast members to share their memories of John Spencer. This’ll probably be long cause I think its better to copy their quotes instead of me summarizing it. Just more emotion that way.

• At the end of their first scene together, John said to Janel "You are going to be here until the curtain comes down." He would also tell her how great she was in the previous episode. 

“He would come, and he would knock on my door, very often with Martin. And they would be standing there together, and they would knock on my door, and I’d open the door and the two of them would be standing there, and they’d say, “Kid, we just wanted to tell you, we were just out here talking about the episode that was on last night, and just what great work you did.” And they would just be talking about my work, and saying how great they thought I was, and…they were just so, so nice. It was even before I was even a regular. He would, like, seek me out, you know, two blocks away from the other trailers, and knock on my little camper door. So. He was a wonderful guy.”

• Eli Attie was shocked when John showed up in a black turtleneck because he was so used to John wearing a suit. 

They would screen episodes during lunch for the crew. When they screened Bartlet for America, which dealt with Leo’s alcoholism and mirrored John’s life, John had tears streaming down his face at the ending scene between Bartlet and Leo.

• Emily Procter shared this story earlier in the podcast, but they like it so much so they included it.

“I used to go over to John’s house, he was very sweet. And he used to tell me how much he appreciated our on-camera relationship, and having this, sort of, like, parental relationship with Ainsley’s character. And I would go over to his house, and he would set up obstacles around the pool.  And we would – you know, so, high stakes. You know? There was a body of water. And he’d put a pot. And John was a great gardener. He had all of these roses. I don’t know if people know that about him. But you’d – oh, he was… He lived in one of the canyons, and he had this beautiful rose garden. He loved his roses. And he would set them out, and set out pots, and set out hoses, and we would time it. And he’d have bagels, and things, and we’d – we’d loop it. And time it. And he’d say, “I want you to know, this is how it works.” And he was so – I’m gonna cry. He was so great to me.  

• Kristin Chenowith:

“So, we sat down to read the table read, and there was a, a line in a parentheses, that said, “Is he falling for her?” And I looked at John, I was like, “What is ha-ha-happening?” And he goes, “Kristin. I think they see us, as, a, like, a, burgeoning romantic couple.” And we started laughing so hard, I was, like, choking, and so he gives me a Jolly Rancher. And the Jolly Rancher plays a very important part of the story, because he always had them. So, in the colder times, I was always cold on set, we had those parkas. Right? And he always had them in his his pocket. And I had my little petite parka, I think they went to the Gap Kids and got mine.

After John passed, there was this scene that I had to do, as Annabeth, obviously, but also as Kristin. Where I had to…be the…one to discover him. And, before that day, I was really avoiding it. I must – didn’t hardly read the scene. I didn’t want to do it. Didn’t know how to do it. I didn’t want to go there. We were all still in, like…I was in shock. Looking back on the health things, we shouldn’t’ve been, but I was. I just wouldn’t…there. Anyway. The day of the shoot comes, and they can’t find my Gap Kids parka anywhere. I’m like, “Where is my Gap Kids parka?” I mean, I don’t ask for much, people. Hah. Just kiddin’. And they handed my…they get, “Well, here’s one. Here’s a oversize…parka.” And I’m gearing up for this scene. And, you know, remember, I can’t play this scene before I know it. So, I’m like, “How…how…I might just…like…” Silently, come and said a prayer, like, “God, help me. Just be in the moment.” Not a moment you want to relive. And I put my hand in the pocket, and it was a Jolly Rancher. And…I was like, “Okay. All right, John. I’m listening. Thank you.” So I pulled that sucker out, it wasn’t – I had all the green ones. Um, it wasn’t my flavor, but I ate it. And I’m a big spiritual person, so I believe that people speak to us. And their spirit, and it was his spirit going, “You got this.”

• Rob Lowe:

“I had a lot of thoughts on Johnny. He was probably my closest friend on the cast, along with Dulé. I used to love, and marvel, at his ability to bring an entire story to two lines. He could do more with “Thank you, Mr. President.” than most actors could do with a soliloquy. He was kind, man, he loved everyone. He was hilarious. And, just the epitome of an actor’s actor. Tremendous work ethic. It was always about how to be better, being there for his fellow actor. I mean, the only reason Sam Seaborn wasn’t at Leo McGarry’s funeral, for those who have been asking over the years, is because I was in Europe shooting a movie, and we couldn’t get my schedule to permit. So, it was one of the great heartbreaks. But Johnny is somebody I truly think about almost every day.”

• Bradley Whitford met John in a van on the way to a read through of a movie. John was a little shaky, and in a moment of vulnerability, revealed to Bradley that he was absolutely terrified. He had gotten out of rehab a few days before and did not remember ever acting not under the influence of alcohol.  The van dropped them off in front of a bar and John said “Oh God, man, I used to drink here.” 

“And I remember sort of gathering him, in a way, I know – Aaron never knew any of this, but it was almost a mirror of what he says to me, and it wasn’t as articulate. But it was me going, “I’ll get you out of here.” You know? “You can do this.” So I have never had a relationship with anybody who I met in a moment of such…sweet vulnerability. I think because of that, because I met him in that moment, I think he immediately treated me – he was like a mentor to me. He would check in with me, he was always this voice of encouragement, and I think because I met him at what turned out to be a really wonderful turning point in his life, I think he associated me with a piece of good fortune. Just ‘cause I was there at that moment, where he was kind of turning in his life, and his career was kind of turning around. And, yeah. We were really…close.”

• Richard Schiff read his speech he wrote for John Spencer’s memorial. He couldn’t attend the memorial because he was doing a play, so Brad read it for him. This was his first time reading it. It’s really long and I can’t post the whole thing (just kidding I just broke it up into chunks). I cried at the end.

“To John, from Richard. I am a great actor. You can laugh if you want. For seven years, John Spencer has been trying to convince me, to get me to say it out loud. “I am a great actor.” And so, to honor John, I have said it. For those of you who know me, you know how ridiculously impossible that is for me to say, never mind that I still think I suck. That’s not the point. John Spencer came at you with love, like Joe Frazier came at Muhammad Ali with fists. Think about it. John Spencer would come at you, short and powerful, forehead first, with fiery eyes, and loading that left hook with complements and adoration, and admiration. Respect. An absolute and pure love. And throw them at you with ferocity and determination. And grit. And he would not let up. No matter how you’d ducked, bobbed, weaved, and sidestepped. And, sure enough, he’d catch you with that left hook, and buckle your knees. He had the spirit of the boxer, you see. He was a fighter. He fought his demons that way in, day in, and day out. He was triumphant over them. Batting them down as they popped up, like so many Jacks-in-the- boxes. Trying to divert his focus, his drive, his will to be the best human being he could be. And his great weapon was acting. He loved acting like no one I’ve ever met. He loved the makeup, the robe, the slippers, the trailers, the prizes, the gossip. He ate it, and dreamt it, drank it, devoured it like steak. And to do it right, he kept those demons nearby. Allowing them to live through his acting, and so always walking that dangerous, courageous line. The line only great actors and artists must tread on. And John Spencer was a great actor.

I was doing a scene in the Oval Office on The West Wing, a tough scene. John was doing the Warren late play at the Taper, and had to leave the set every day by five p.m. to make his show. So he was shot out first, all day long I was doing this very hard scene, and all day it was going well, alive, in the moments. When I was being shot, I expected it to go just as well. But John had left for the play, and when I looked over to his chair where he had been sitting all day, the scene suddenly stopped. Someone had replaced John in his chair, and the scene stopped, you see. And I realized that all day, in my glances over to John, I had received this great gift. One look from Leo, and I had been filled with substance, with purpose, with clarity. And now, with John gone, I was empty. And the scene stopped. The play was over. And I had to start again by myself, and I hated it. I told him that the next day. I thanked him for his great gift to us, his generosity, his presence. John was always there for us. Off-camera, giving. Constantly, and totally, and forever, giving.

I am not present at the memorial because I am doing a one-man show in New Jersey, of all places. When I told everyone of this choice to do this play, I was greeted with such remarks as, “Are you out of your mind?” “Why on earth are you doing that?” But John responded with, “Oh, that’s great. It’s gonna be so great for you. What’s the play? You’re going to kill ‘em.” And so, on and on. And so each and every day, as I wait, terrified in the wings, to embark on this wild expedition on stage, I talk to John. And I thank him for his faith in me. And I think if John were back here as fearful and shaking as I am, he would smack down those demons, and put the proverbial mouth guard between his clenching teeth, and tear out on that stage, and conquer all. And so I thank him every night. I thank him for all that he has given us. And will keep giving us.

At his funeral in New Jersey, I watched his friends and family, and the other Catholics present, reach over and touch his casket to say goodbye. And so, I did as well. And I felt a rush. An electric surge coming through my hand, from his casket. I was reaching out, and touching him, to say goodbye. Because I had missed the chance in Los Angeles. Some believe that the soul stays around for a couple of days, before it embarks on the next journey, wherever that is. Well, John had stuck around, I think. To say goodbye to us. And wouldn’t it be just like him? One last act of generosity, to let us say goodbye. To stick around for a little, just a bit more conversation, and companionship. To chat about the things in this world, one more time. What’s the greatest thing you can say about someone? That without them, you would not be who you are. John Spencer has changed my life, knowing him. And I will always love him for it. And so, with severely buckled knees, lying flat on my back, on the canvas, in fact. I say this for you, John. I am a great actor. And one day, maybe, one day, if I keep talking to you, keep listening to you, I’ll be – just maybe – as great as you.”

***This is long but I don’t care cause it’s my last one :(

Episode:

• ha what election? (I saved this episode for tonight. Although watching the predictions and numbers is kind of addicting, I need a break from it.)

• lol those opening shots of DC were like the kinder version of house of cards

• “You did a lot of good, Jed.”

I always thought that was sweet but didn’t the administration accomplish a whole lotta nothing?

• oh just pardon the lady who did weed!

• “Mrs. Bartlet and I gotta hitch?”

“Hike up that skirt, you’ll do fine.”

• “You’re gonna do great Josh. You don’t need me.” 😫

• “Nancy how’s your mother doing? Tell her I’m looking forward to seeing her again soon.” Lmao

• Debbie watching Bartlet take his sweet time writing the letter is killing me she’s so exasperated

• absolutely screaming at the fact that I was in that hallway and room that Abbey and Bartlet are in

• I wonder where they shot the inauguration scene

• the Oval Office getting cleaned out always made me sad

• Abbey looks kinda annoyed. and she started clapping after the rest of them lol I bet she’s zoning out

• aw Debbie

• that ain’t Evelyn Baker Lang

• the OG staff that stayed on are Sam Josh and Donna. Everyone else is moving on

• nothing against Ronna, I like her fine, but I just can’t believe she’s taking over Mrs Landingham and Debbie’s job

• “Where’s Mrs. Bartlet?”

“Already inside the car.”

aksjs I just love how quickly Abbey wants to leave. She said “yeet” and went for the car and didn’t even say goodbye to the Santoses

• “What in the world was he trying to prove by not wearing an overcoat?”

Hm maybe that’s why she didn’t wanna say goodbye

• CJ going into the press room for the last time

• Is that Barney from parks and rec?! Omg it is!!

“TED!!! GET IN HERE!!!”

• ok but why does the first lady’s cheif of staff have a much larger office than the presidents cheif of staff? Donnas office is huge compared to Leo’s/CJ’s. Is the East wing bigger?

• wait I wanted to see what Bartlet wrote to Santos!

• “Do you work in the White House?”

“No. No I’m sorry I don’t.”

Ugh my heart

• ok I didn’t cry again!! I’ve only cried at this episode the first time I watched it

Podcast:

• guest stars: basically the entire west wing cast

• This podcast was 2 hours long so please just bear with me. also this episode was filmed January 2020. This year. That feels like forever ago.

• The finale was watched by 10 million people

• “Martin, could you tell us a little bit about what it was like working with Stockard Channing? The dynamic that the two of you have on screen is...”

“My only disappointment working with Stockard is that she did not like one of my favorite movies, Grease. It was a forbidden topic. I don't know why, but she didn't like the movie, she didn't like herself in it.”

“She was terrific.”

“I thought so too. Maybe she'll get this message.”

• He also suggested Mia Farrow for the role of the First Lady.

“Yeah, she was my first choice.”

“This is going to be great for Stockard. It’s just going to be...I mean, you got bigger problems than Grease now.”

“I'm done.”

Lmao first of all that conversation was hilarious and second of all Grease isn’t my favorite movie but Stockard Channing is the reason I watch it everytime sooo 🤷🏽‍♀️

• The scene with Santos and Helen exiting the building and walking across the street was shot in front of Blair House, one of the guest houses of the President used to host visiting dignitaries and other guests. They were only allowed to step in the doorframe and then step out and walk down the steps.

• Josh: *asks the audience a question about Downtown Abbey*

Audience: no response

Josh: You guys watch any other TV?

Lmao

• oh my god Allison Smith (Mallory) is a singer!? she played Annie on Broadway (“I only do finale’s named Tomorrow, apparently.”) and just sang the chorus from tomorrow and I wasn’t expecting that at all

• “I could not imagine not pardoning Toby, because I don't think Richard would have ever spoken to me again.”

• Bartlet’s final stroll around the West Wing was the final shot

• “I thought the most ambitious scene was where Bartlet's walking and mentioning everyone by name. I was like, anybody who writes that scene for Martin Sheen is a brave writer indeed.”

“I will just mention that earlier tonight – sorry– sorry, Mr. Sheen – he did forget Aaron Sorkin's name. He referred him as the guy who created it.”

“I'm kind of glad that I only did one other of these.”

• “I wanted to ask about acting beside your daughter in The West Wing.”

“Renée–”

“Renée, I know.”

Lmao

• he enjoyed working with his daughter and hopes she did too (she never talks about it lol)

• There was a deleted scene where Will had to leave a note for Lou who was coming on to be the new Press Secretary and had a hard time figuring out what to leave her.

• JOSH: “I remember one of the strongest memories I have of this final episode, is what I think was the final scene, and everybody clapping and surrounding Martin after finishing the final take. And I remember kind of backing up and feeling, even though it was very special and I was moved, but I felt like it was other people's moment. The people who had been there from the beginning.”

MARY: “Yeah, I just felt lucky to–”

JOSH: “It was their very special thing, and I was happy to be even peripherally involved.”

BRAD: “And it was–”

JOSH: “Shut up, Brad.”

Lmao

• There was a scene right after Bartlet gives Charlie the constitution where Bartlet leaves the building and everyone applauds, but it was cut.

• The inauguration scene was a platform built in the parking lot of Warner Bros. studios.

• Aaron Sorkin had an office on the Warner Bros lot and they asked him that day if he wanted to be in the inauguration shot.

• The way Aaron planned on ending the series was having Bartlet leave the White House gates and dissapear into a crowd of people walking on the street. (Would that have actually worked? Wouldn’t people recognize him and he’d be flanked by secret service?) He told Eli Attie this a few days before he wrote the episode Red Mass, which has Senator Stackhouse walking into a crowd.

• Eli Attie suggested the final scene of the show, after showing Bartlet’s final scene, should be a sort of a hard cut to the Oval Office with no music, and military advisors leaving, and Santos behind his desk and him turning to Josh and saying, “What's next?” And then hard cut to black.

• Despite being known as Aaron’s idea, the walk and talk was created by Tommy Schlamme.

• Al Gore called Sorkin to recommend Eli Attie as a writer. Oh just kidding Eli emailed Al Gore telling f him he really wanted the job and gave him talking points of what to say

• NBC originally wanted the show to have more drama and action.

AARON: “You might remember from the pilot that Cuban refugees, on rafts, are trying to make their way the ninety miles to the coast to get here. Warren Littlefield and the NBC executives wanted Josh to basically swim out after them and rescue them, like really rescue them.

BRAD: “Like Rahm Emanuel in a Speedo.”

RICHARD: “Which explains why they didn't want Toby.”

• “The pilot originally ended with the line, “Thank you, Mr. President.” Ok. Bartlet said, “Josh, don't ever do it again.” Josh said, “Thank you, Mr. President,” and left, and we fade it to black and we rolled credits. And it was Tommy who said, “You know, I just, I feel like we should get the sense that life goes on.” And perhaps it was because I had no idea what episode two would be and I didn't want life to go on, I was resisting that. And anyway, that's where the line “What’s next?” comes from.”

• Sorkin didn’t notice Richard’s wedding ring until they were shooting the pilot. He told Richard he didn’t think Toby was married and Richard said he wasn’t. Sorkin then asked him why he was wearing a wedding ring. Richard said “it’s for you to figure out.”

Richard himself had decided that he had been married but lost his wife, which gave him a dark drive to be focused on work. He didn’t tell Sorkin his idea (“I – that actually would have been pretty good”) so Sorkin came up with the idea for him to have an ex-wife.

First of all wow I wonder what the show would’ve been like if off the bat, Toby had a wife who died. And secondly I love the lack of communication between them lol

• Allison Janney isn’t there but called Melissa’s phone to say hi! (And then proceeded to ask her where she left the key lol)

• People come up to ask Marlee Matlin and ask her why Joey didn’t get to hook up with Josh

• Sorkin was planning on killing off Andy. Kathleen York had no idea until Richard told her “I’m really glad after you had the baby that you made it.”

“Perhaps there was a discussion. Look, once I killed Mrs. Landingham, nobody was safe on the show anymore.”

“So, thank you for letting me live.”

• The scene in the episode Five Votes Down where the staff is walking down a stairwell into the hotel kitchen involved 11 takes, a grease fire, and a cameraman falling down the stairs.

• At the time, The West Wing set was the largest set ever built for TV.

• Janel Maloney didn’t quit her waitressing job until season 2. She was being hired episode to episode as a guest actor and didn’t know when her last episode would be.

• BRAD: I have a very clear memory of, I remember they said “Cut,” and I walked over, I think you were at the monitor. And I was like, “I love her.”

• oh my god they almost had a Halloween episode?!?

Kevin Falls pitched the idea five times to Aaron whenever an episode was going to air the week of Halloween. Dee Dee Myers told him the White House Press Corps brings their kids in to trick or treat.

“And I thought, “All right, well, there's something in that. Like, what if Bartlet is just Scrooge about Halloween? Like he doesn't get it. He thinks these kids are little thieves coming in for candy, and he's going to lecture them about like the true meaning of All Hallows Eve, and Ichabod Crane or something like, that'll be a funny cold opening, and that’s all I’d need to start if I can just – if I could just hand these guys eight pages tomorrow, I'll be happy. I don't have to know what's going to happen in the rest of the episode.”

That was on September 10, 2001. God that’s depressing.

I like the idea of Bartlet lecturing the kids because that’s what he does best, but I’m not sure I see him being a Scrooge, especially to kids since there’s that one scene where he greets a bunch of schoolchildren and he’s so good and funny with them.

• They filmed in DC two or three times a year for exterior shots.

Some stories they shared about DC:

~ The former NSA director of Bill Clinton’s called Sorkin to his office and wanted to know why there was no NSA on the show, which is how Nancy McNally became a character.

~ On his day off, Richard got a phone call from the White House Chief of Staff asking if he would host the National Breast Cancer Coalition at the OEOB.

~ Another time he was at a brunch with famous Washington people when General Alexander Haig, the former Secretary of State, walked up to him, his eyes boring into Richards, and said “I find your show eerie” and walked away before Richard could say thank you.

~ While filming Noël, Brad was allowed to go in and out of the White House gate for the last scene. One time he was walking in with Josh Bolten, the Deputy Chief of Staff and the secret service let Brad in, but stopped Bolten and searched his bag.

~Aaron Sorkin didn’t go to DC during the filming of Noël because his daughter was born. Tommy Schlamme got the choir, who sings outside the White House at the end of the episode to sing a Hebrew lullaby which translated to “welcome little princess”

This story by Brad which was too funny to put into words

Episode:

• haha this is when everyone hooks up with each other 😂 Lou and Otto

• “Did you know about that?”

“About Ronna and Cindy?”

“Any of them.”

“Yes.”

“Which one?”

“All of them.”

• “Never had a campaign fling?”

“No.”

“Do you want another drink?”

“No.”

Me, already knowing they have sex in the next scene: For the love of god just have sex already!! Just fuck oh my FUCKIGN god fuck

• Josh putting the tube of toothpaste in his mouth always grossed me out

• poor Donna coming back with coffee expecting a nice intimate morning with Josh only to be greeted by Ronna

• “Tell me you found my pantyhose.”

• Josh’s thank you speech lmao like wow Josh you really know how to boost team morale

“Dave..Dave take a bow.”

“You fired him.”

Lmao

• oh we’re going to the White House

• I like Charlie’s I voted sticker but I hate his mustache

• ooh CJ don’t work for Johnson & Johnson

• I like that foo fighters had a song back in season 1 and now they’re performing on the show

• damn everyone just wants to have sex on Election Day

• “Do you wanna take a walk...or something?”

Josh: 👀

• they reused the footage of Bartlet voting on tv from season 4

• wow Donna is as big of a nerd as Josh

• “Do you have Donna?”

“Have her?”

• I love Donna picking up Josh’s shirt with her feet and handing it to him

• part of Helen really doesn’t want him to win

• ah they mentioned Leo :(

• doesn’t Josh blow up at someone at the end of this episode?

• ah he blew up at them all

• oh yeah Kate voter for Vinick

• “Leo’s gonna sleep through the whole damn thing. I got to go get him up.”

Nooo I couldn’t remember if it was this episode or the next where she finds him but apparently it’s this one

• I like that Charlie still wants to work with CJ

• aw man everytime I think I’m not gonna cry up at the end and then I tear up 😥

• it makes me really sad John Spencer didn’t live to finish the show or see the impact it still has on people today

Podcast:

• Mimi Leder was nominated for Best Directing Emmy for this season of The West Wing based in part on this episode.

• Josh has a lot of issues in this episode and they feel bad for him.

• “Election Day Part 1” or “Voting Makes You Horny”

“They have one sticker that says, “I voted,” and they get another sticker that says, “I hooked up with someone.”

• Lester and Lou were discreet in their departures but Edie and Otto weren’t.

• Josh also didn’t know about Annabeth and Leo so he’s not good with figuring that stuff out.

• “Most disturbing element of the episode.”

“He’s just eating toothpaste like a second grader eats paste.”

• This episode highlights the negative feelings around all of these pieces of news. When they call a state for a candidate they usually show the opposite sides reactions.

• oh the whole thing about dropping the “the” reminded me of Gilmore Girls a year in the life when Lorelai tells Rory “drop the “the”. Just Gilmore Girls.”

• They like that Foo Fighters we’re on but not overused

• “The closest thing to an “I love you” we really do get is a pretty good one I think and that is from a non-romantic relationship in this episode, Charlie and C.J.”

• Bob from the Vinick campaign says “We’re also losing North Dakota, a state that’s gone Republican for the last 40 years.” But that’s not true. Bartlet won the Dakotas in season 4 because he bragged about it to Abbey in “Process Stories” after that election.

• That episode also sets up the character detail that Bruno peruses much younger women.

“In case you thought that his pageboy haircut was like the only creepy thing about him.”

• The Vinick campaign is already tabulating states for Santos that the Santos campaign themselves have not counted for themselves.

• In Leo’s room, there’s a suit and tie laid out on the bed. We never see Leo in this episode, so this is like a stand in for him. It’s also a nice character detail because we’ve only ever seen Leo in a suit and tie, even when the other characters were dressed casually.

Episode:

• I do remember shots being fired in the briefing room and Will and Toby pulling CJ down

• ahh also the egg episode

• “Squeeze this piece of rye bread.”

*squeezes bread* “Now what do I do?”

• I like how after Leo leaves, CJ’s just left holding the piece of bread

• oh the guy Josh is interviewing is Matthew Perry right?? I thought he didn’t come on until the next episode

• at least they acknowledge that Ainsley’s gone

• oh yeah and Debbie takes all of their cash in poker lol

• I just realized the last time they played poker, some lady tried to scale the White House fence with a gun. This time, someone fires shots. They don’t have good luck with that.

• of course Donna thinks Joe Quincy is handsome, he’s Matthew Perry, whom she saw at the LA party back in season 1 😂

• that’s a dumb psychological questionnaire...they go straight from “I am not sad” to “I am so sad that I can’t snap out of it” ...there’s no option for “I feel sad sometimes” ???

• I always thought the bullet went through the window in the briefing room but it just looks like the window was cracked. But then Will says “three shots, one hit.” So idk

• “President Chigorin, this is President Bartlet.”

*secret service barges in*

“Ok you know what? I’m gonna have to call you back.” 😂😂

• so a bullet did go into the briefing room...I feel like it was very close, too close to them.

• I like when Bartlet and Leo heard that CJ, Toby, and Will were in the briefing room they automatically went into panic mode and tried to leave...actual parents!!!

• also Charlie barging in...so not realistic for him to get past secret service but ugh I love it

• bulletproof windows for the oval (obviously) but not the briefing room? and probably a lot of other rooms? So if Bartlet is kinda wrong. If he was in the briefing room, he could’ve been killed from outside the building.

• “He wants to know if the President wants to say something funny.”

“That’s twice in four years. Some of you guys must really be mad at me”?

I love Carol

• Donnaaaaaa being all concerned for Josh and offering to call Stanley oh my god I have tears in my eyes

• Wait the shooting happens when Josh was interviewing Joe? And Joe heard gunshots? And Josh heard music? Oh my lord.

• oh I though Charlie was looking out the window cause he knew Zoey was coming lol

• referring to Jean Paul as Chef Boyardee lmao

• “If you’re a Republican then you damn well better look like Ainsley Hayes!”

“He does!”

Lmao

• “You gotta ask yourself if no one on the internet wants a piece of this, just how far from the pack have you strayed?”

LMAOO true

• “Guys?” 🥚🥚🥚

Podcast:

• guest star: Richard Schiff and Marlee Matlin

• this was recorded live in Dublin

• this episode was submitted as part of The West Wing’s Emmy win for outstanding drama and for Bradley Whitford’s Emmy nomination for best supporting actor.

• the poker game is a metaphor for trying to recover the spy plane from Russia. Bartlet knows that he has a particularly weak hand going into the conversation with Chagorin. Their conversation has the same energy and dynamic of a poker hand. They’re checking and rechecking each other and seeing who might fold first.

• “How is it a night off? It’s Friday night and they’re all at work.”

• Richard doesn’t remember throwing the cards into the bucket

• JOSH: Friends is pretty much the easiest job in the world. [...] It’s never a lot of work, and then you show up and you film it in front of a live audience for about five hours and I remember Matthew after about three days of shooting The West Wing, saying, “My God, this is the hardest I’ve ever worked.” And I said, “Yeah, and we don’t get a million dollars at the end of the week.” Much, much less.

RICHARD: Speaking to that, after, I worked with him in his next episode. Matthew and I had a storyline and at one point, into our thirteenth hour, I said, “How long is your work week?” He said, “Actually acting?” I said, “Yeah.” And he goes, “Eleven hours.” We’d already surpassed it in the first day. And then I calculated in my mind how much money he was making an hour. It didn’t make me happy.”

• The egg storyline came from Eli Attie. His parents went to a party on the vernal equinox and were given eggs to stand on end. His mom maintains to this day that no one could stand their egg on end until the exact moment of the equinox. She brought home a Polaroid picture of all these eggs standing on end, and he replicated it during the next vernal equinox. He told this story to Aaron, who thought he was crazy and had the researcher Lauren look it up, but the results were from websites debunking urban myths.

•The real SF-86 form does not include questions like “Are you sad?” It’s more dry than what they came up with for the episode. (Yeah no shit.)

• “I was just having a conversation with Dee Dee Myers early on, and she mentioned an incident where she was a senior adviser to the president, as my position was, she was press secretary, the first one under Clinton. And they were having a session in the Oval Office about some domestic policy and her advice ended up being taken by President Clinton and the next day she saw her advice on the front page of every newspaper in the world at the kiosk. And that’s when it hit her how impactful her position is and how much responsibility, it scared her. It freaked her out. I took that in and realized that if I was in that position, I would feel like I’m carrying the world on my shoulders. Because every decision that we make determines whether people have a home or not, determine whether people get healthcare or not, determine whether people live or die. I realized that responsibility would be burdensome to say the least and would excuse a character being somewhat morose. And have a very dark sense of humor.”

• oh man Richard thinks that Aaron knew he was leaving the show when he wrote this episode because he was showing deep appreciation for every character: establishing love between Donna and Josh, love between Zoey and Charlie, who had circumstances pull them apart, with Toby having a more positive disposition. “He seemed to be a little more alive, he was chewing bubble gum, sucking on lollipops.”

“I thought it was beautiful that Aaron was really showing his love for us before we knew that he was leaving.”

• oh I didn’t even notice that Will doesn’t even try to pull CJ down. He just dives for the floor and then puts his hand on top of her head 😂

• “The second time that C.J., you know when shots rang out, that she’s been pulled to the ground by the communications department. Because in season one, Sam pulls her down to the ground.

“I betcha I did it better.”

• They didn’t understand Joe’s line to Josh:

“You know, not for nothing, but the people that I talk to don't believe that story, and the people that you'd like don't care.”

Hrishi has a problem with how Joe would know about his PTSD and that Joe was “mocking a gunshot victim’s trauma right in front of him.” (Uh what?)

Richard says it’s a writers trick, where they wanted to reference Josh’s PTSD in case we weren’t thinking about it.

First of all, in the circle of Washington politics, it’s not that unrealistic for word to get around that a White House worker, particularly one of higher ranking, has PTSD or had a breakdown in the Oval Office. Even if they were trying to keep it quiet by secretly bringing in Stanley, it is still possible for staff members to have gotten word about it, talk about it, and then spread it to outer circles.

While I admit that it’s kinda confusing to try and decipher, I think Joe’s essentially saying that the people he talks to (Republicans) don’t believe that Josh has PTSD and/or don’t believe Josh had a breakdown in the Oval Office, (or is possibly lying about it?) whereas the people that Josh likes (Democrats) don’t care if he has PTSD/don’t care if the story is true or not, cause they’re on his side anyway.

It’s kind of along the lines of “those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind”.

• Toby calls CJ “Suzy Creamcheese” in this episode. Suzy Creamcheese is a song by Frank Zappa, and a real person. Her real name was Suzy Zieger. *X files theme plays*

• “And then when the show ends with her holding the egg, and everyone being gone, and her saying, “Guys...” unnecessary, really, because she just needed to see it herself, you know? And the fact that these miracles of nature exist and that we just have to have faith in our existence on this earth and in each other.”

Damn Richard

• They’re allowing the audience to ask questions and I love their accents

• Marlee Matlin randomly came on the podcast cause she was in Dublin filming a series

Episode:

• the only thing I remember about this episode is Helen gets annoyed at the safety measures being put in place for them (like secret service for their kids) like...Helen are you like, new to the world??

• oh yeah doesn’t Vinick want to run for something else? and they try to convince him to be part of a college board instead since he already has offers from them?

• I’m copying this from my last write up about the Santos’s going through the security details with Butterfield

It also makes me picture Bartlet’s family going through the same thing: Liz, Ellie, and Zoey being introduced to their agents, Ellie absolutely hating the whole process, Liz not liking it but being more worried about Annie and Gus, Zoey being like ‘whatever’ and not taking it very seriously cause she plans to evade them. A tiny replica of the Bartlet farm, Abbey lowkey panicking and being snippy to the secret service (although not as much as Helen) because it’s all a little too overwhelming.

• Amy ducking out the back door to avoid Helen lol

• I wish we could’ve seen Abbey show Helen around

• “This is too much. We don’t need all these people.”

“Okay. Which ones do you wanna fire?”

• Vinick calling Shiela and pretending to be busy while waiting for Santos is me in awkward situations

• oh Helen just named actual DC schools. I never caught that before

• “Tall Grande or Venti?”

“Huh?”

Same Vinick

• there’s a White House in Gail’s fishbowl

• I love the scene of Helen walking into the Oval not realizing she’s going to be in the Oval

• 200k for a decoration budget

• oh yeah Santos offers Vinick Secretary of State!! I knew that too I thought about it a few episodes ago but I completely forgot again lol

Podcast:

• guest stars: Teri Polo and Mary Louise Parker

• This episode was directed by Tim Matheson (Hoynes) which is funny cause the plot is about picking a VP.

• The only main character in this episode is CJ. This is kind of an indication the show could’ve continued without the main cast, because it’s still a good episode.

• This episode is setting up the idea of Santos asking Vinick to be VP. Santos wants to nominate a VP by the book which means going through Senate Republicans and all signs point to Vinick to get a quick confirmation.

• “I love the way she [Helen] serves Amy a nice warm glass of shut the hell up.”

• “We’re in season 7, and Amy Gardner has just become the Director of Legislative Affairs for the incoming president.”

“Mmm-hmm, don’t ask me what that is.”

Lmao same. MLP doesn’t have a great mind for politics so she worked hard to understand what she was saying before she said it.

• Her first episode was shot in DC. The cast went to the hotel bar and made plans to meet in the hotel lobby early hours in the morning to watch some meteor shower. She didn’t set her alarm but woke up 3 minutes before she was supposed to be in the lobby. She quickly got changed and went downstairs and only Richard Schiff was there.

“And Richard and I, Richard had like a handful of clementines or something, his baseball cap on, and he’s just so like devastatingly charming and mysterious, and wonderful, and he was like, “Oh this is great, it’s just the two of us we’ve got the car to ourselves,” we rented this car and we went out into the middle of nowhere and we didn’t know each other, and we lay on the hood of this car, just watching stars plummet and talking about everything that two people who don’t know each other probably shouldn’t or wouldn’t ever talk about.”

• aww MLP doesn’t remember shooting the Marion Coatesworth Haye scene ☹️

• Although she remembers the ice cream scene (“I embrace the cold. I luxuriate in the cold. I fight cold with more cold.”) and tying Bradley Whitford to a chair.

• Ha she brought her own props for Amy’s office because she wanted them to be really specific. She didn’t say which ones and they didn’t ask but I’m guessing it was the animals balloons.

• “I also like that she kind of angered people, that sometimes people would be like, “Oh my God, I couldn’t stand her,” the same way that young girls would tell me they liked her. She doesn’t need you to like her, she doesn’t need to be likeable, she doesn’t have to apologize for the fact that she can be very strong, just very assured in her job, and what her job is, and at the same time, she can wear whatever she wants, she can be as sexy as she wants to be. I like that.”

I still don’t like Amy that much but I respect this.

• It works that Abbey isn’t there to show Helen around because it means she has less footing walking around for the first time.

• “And did you get the sense here as I did that he was having thoughts at this point of running again?”

“He was like, season 12 here I come!”

• The woman Amy wants to be VP ran for Governor of Florida and lost, which means she was beaten by Rob Ritchie.

• Nancy McNally is on the short list for Secretary of State. However Vinick ends up being picked for that position and Nancy ends up as the UN Ambassador, which is the position Bartlet originally offered to Vinick.

• Think Santos is choosing Vinick as Secretary of State not only because he thinks Vinick can do the job but also because it would help him get Baker confirmed.

• Another bit of contrast that I really liked was just this moment when Helen comes to meet with the decorator, and she comes into C.J.’s office, and she doesn’t know where to go, and Margaret doesn’t get up to take her to the meeting – she just looks at her and just points, she’s like “Oh, it’s over there.” It’s behavior that’s very unlike Margaret, but Margaret’s like , “I’m outta here.” She’s like a high school senior in the last week of school. She’s like, “This is not my problem.”

Lmao they know it’s because it sets up Helen opening the door herself but this is still hilarious

• Teri Polo had to take out her piercings and cover her tattoos to appear more subdued as Helen, even though Helen didn’t show muc skin anyway and they would use one her tattoos as a plotline later on lol

• “Jimmy Smits is a gentleman and a scholar, and God or whoever it is broke the mold when he was made, because he was a gentleman. He was – is – he would be so hard on himself, if he forgot a line, if he forgot a word – if it just wasn’t right. It was so professional, he was so invested, and there was - there was this lovely chemistry with him that was like dancing, it was like music, it was sexy, it was sweet, it was funny, it was – again, just such an honor to work with him.”

• “And one thing that comes to mind is the loss of John Spencer. I will never forget that day on set. ‘Cause we were on set, and he was late. And when they came in and said this...”

Wait does that mean John Spencer died the day he was supposed to be filming? Y’all I’m gonna 🥺😩😭😭😭

Episode:

• man idc how many points Santos went up, if someone woke me up at 5am by pounding on my door like that I’d kill someone

• Bram knocked on the elevator tho lmao

• oh god this is when Josh and Donna kiss

• abdhahahsh

• oh god they keep kissing I thought it was a one time thing before they got interrupted

• what a happy cold open

• “12% undecided this late in the campaign.”

I mean, 11% of voters are still undecided for our election.

• Will putting Kate’s bra in an envelope and Kate wanting him to mail it to her is the equivalent of Karen Cahill putting Donna’s underwear in an envelope and mailing it to Josh

• look I like Josh and Donna just fine, but I never liked them as much as other people but this episode is killing me

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Me: *melts*

• why do Ray Sullivan and Shiela want to have their meeting alone without Bruno?

• I love Janel Moloney’s smile

• “It was bound to happen sometime.”

DONNA WHAT

• Josh can’t stop staring at Donna

• Josh: “Nothing can ruin my mood.”

Josh 5 seconds later: yelling at CJ

• “A cold!”

“He has...a cold?!”

The way Bradley Whitford says these lines absolutely sends me. Probably his finest acting scene next to the entirety of Noel

(also, “he has...covid?!”)

• I love Josh picking up Annabeth and then when he puts her down she completely drops out of the frame 😂😂

• Donna and Will at the same time:

“You’re seeing someone?”

“You’re seeing Josh?”

• I love Will going “Yours is Josh. You’re not cryptic.”

• “And yours is...?”

“Classified.”

Ah I just got that cause Kate always says that to Will

• they’re 21 days away from the election and we’re 25 days away...why is this rewatch lining up with real life

• “Make yourselves comfortable. *mutters under breath* “not too comfortable.”

Damn Debbie lol

• isn’t this Leo’s last scene?

• Me: I’ve never had a relationship but honestly, I am ok if I never have one. It’s not necessary and I know I’ll be fine on my own.

Also me: *wants someone to look at me the way Josh is looking at Donna in this episode!!!*

• oh yeah Shiela quits

“Don’t interrupt me” ha I love her

• I like the lights from the motorcade flashing on their faces

• holy crap is Alan Alda really that tall?? He looks like a giant!

• omfg the key l!!!!.!/aisnidshabshshahsba fuckign Ronna

• oops this was kinda long...much longer than the past episodes but it’s because it was a really good episode!!

Podcast:

• guest stars: Janel Moloney and Bradley Whitford

• “Everybody's excited and they all run around, banging on all the doors of who I hope are campaign workers.”

• Vinick’s first sneeze wasn’t “CDC approved” because he sneezes into the air instead of his arm. Hrishi says it’s because he’s in denial about having a cold. But a.) that makes no sense and b.) Sheila is putting his coat on him, so his arm is behind him.

these really aren’t the things to be focusing on but anyway

• Hrishi also made the comparison between Kate’s bra and Donna’s underwear.

• They appreciate that as soon as Donna tells Will the relationship thing isn’t about him, he doesn’t keep pushing it, saying ‘No, obviously you’re talking about me’ which is something that would happen in other shows. He immediately switches back into ‘yeah, we’re friends’ mode, and gives her advice.

• “That scene left me thinking, well he could still go up there and tap on the door, right?”

“I wasn’t sure why, plot-wise, that was like, “oh, now it’s not going to happen!”

“Yeah, he could still do that. He knows what room she’s in. She has, at least figuratively, opened to the door to him, by even making that gesture.”

“Ronna just completely cockblocks him.”

• Despite the little time we got with Shiela, her offering to resign and take the fall for the campaign still made an impact.

• CJ has to make sure both Santos and Vinick are coming to the White House to be briefed about the Kazakhstan situation. While she tells the Santos campaign details, but she only tells the Vinick campaign that it’s a security briefing.

• “Big star, clearly, but Ronna basically loses her shit over it. And Donna’s quite excited too.

“I mean, they make a great trio: Ronna, Donna and Bonna.”

“I’m surprised since they changed Ronna’s name, at the drop of a hat to rhyme with another’s character, I’m surprised they didn’t start calling her Rono in this episode with no explanation.”

Janel’s Interview:

• “Brad had some kind of a nasty cold. We had been talking for seven years about the eventual kiss, and he warned me he would be using his tongue, that’s what he kept telling me.”

“That sounds like Brad.”

“Yeah, you’d go to jail now if you said that. So then he showed up that day and he was kinda cold-y and flu-y and it was sort of not hot - I’m sorry to disappoint everybody. But the whole show was very exciting to do, I remember it very well. I remember it more than most of the shows for obvious reason.”

• You know, listen, I loved Brad and I still love Brad, and I think it would be a big fat lie to say that we did not have a mutual ongoing seven-year crush on each other.”

….*screams*

• They kissed “a liiitle bit” in rehearsal.

• Television Without Pity write up about the kiss:

“So Donna knocks on a door, and we hear Josh’s groggy voice from the other side. As soon as he opens the door, she bursts into the room. He’s wearing boxer shorts and a shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest. She just starts throwing state-by-state poll results at him, and he slowly walks toward her. And then she tells him that in the Times poll, the two campaigns are tied, 44-44. Josh takes a second to soak it all in, and screams ‘Holy mother of God, we caught him, we caught him!’ and then he grabs Donna’s face in his hands, and plants a big one right on her lips. They break away from the kiss, look at each other, and then dive right back in. The camera spins around them, and I get a little lightheaded, and it’s all very sexy, and then I realise that Josh just woke up. Morning breath. Ugh.”

“That reads like, had that scene not happened, that’s like fanfiction of how it would have happened. It makes me realize that the scene is such a West Wing fantasy fulfilment.”

• John Wells wanted the kiss to be a surprise. They didnt put the kiss in any promos

Brad’s interview:

• “Yeah, I was excited. I get to kiss her!...I mean, in a purely professional manner.”

Yeah ok Brad.

• “Janel said that she felt like it was awkward when it was being filmed as well. She didn’t feel like it had really landed for her.”

“Yeah, that’s a common response after I kiss a woman.”

lmao br a d

• “Even in this episode, he’s just so emotionally constipated that he can’t pick up the key and get the hell out of there. He still doesn’t know. He’s an idiot.”

And then when Hrishi said Josh could’ve followed and knocked on her door, Brad said he would’ve done that.

• “Did you talk to Janel about the scene? Either before, during or after.”

“Well we spent weeks with the intimacy coach, planning it out...”

• “Did it [the kiss] end up bringing you two closer as friends?”

Episode:

• I watched this the day before the HBO max special and then listened to the podcast a few days after that but I forgot to write it up and post it oops

• “Leo was unconscious in his room he’s been taken to the hospital.”

*BA BUUUUM BA DA DUMMMM*

seriously fuck the theme song sometimes.

• man the way Bartlet stops talking when he sees CJs face

• “And when Leo wakes up, he will kick your ass for letting that happen.” ☹️

• now that I’ve listened to podcast with Kristin Chenowith talking about John Spencer, the scene where she tells Josh Leo died is 100x harder to watch. It probably didn’t even take a whole lot of effort to start crying.

• this entire scene with CJ and Bartlet is very emotional but I’m just picturing Abbey anxiously waiting for Bartlet to get back on the phone to tell her what’s happening

• Margaret crying always gets me

• I like the look Vinick gives Jane when she makes that joke about Leo being dead

• also nice to see Shiela back. Much better than Jane.

• “Once again to remind our viewers, the red states are Vinick states, the blue states are Santos states.”

Whoever can’t figure that out shouldn’t be voting. God damn.

• aw Ellie calling her dad

• Bartlet just “Mrs. Bartlet-ed” (?) his wife. What happened to Dr. Bartlet?

• wait Leo almost died 15 years ago?!

• “The bar’s out of corona.” 👀

• I like the hallway scene. The staff singing “Deep in the Heart of Texas”, Bran picking Ronna up, Santos and Helen dancing.

• wow I don’t remember Josh crying that hard in Leo’s room. You can see the tears on his nose.

• oh I thought Santos won a California. I completely misremembered that.

• Shiela said Vinick’s grandkids were being out to bed but now they’re shown sleeping on the couch with him?

• “Same ol talking heads babbling the same drivel to fill up air time.”

That’s exactly how I feel about my mom watching politics 24/7

• oh Josh and Santos think they’re gonna lose?

• it’s funny cause CJs reaction gives away who wins before they cut to the Santos campaign celebrating

• I feel bad for Vinick though. I liked him a lot more than Santos. There’s also something to be said about him not demanding a recount

• “Thanks, boss.” 🥺

Podcast:

• Brad said this in the last episode but they forgot to put it in:

“I just want to point out that we finished shooting and I'm in bed with her without a shirt on, and then we finished shooting and I said, I ran up, I think it was (Chris) Misiano and I said. “I got shot in the chest a couple of years ago.”

“Oh, good point.”

“We didn't have time to do anything, and with everybody's fetishistic obsession with the show, it always cracks me up that nobody has ever brought it up, ever.”

• All of Josh’s major political accomplishments are overshadowed by tragedy. In In the Shadow of Two Gunmen Part II, while celebrating Bartlet winning the Illinois primary, Donna tells Josh his father died. In this episode, Leo dies the night they win the presidential election. (Also not for nothing but Donna is also the one who tells Josh the bad news both times.)

• They like that there was no long period of waiting to find out about Leo. The characters and the audience find out right away. They also like how they handle the information from that point on. It’s passed subtly from character to character without being “sentimentally indulgent and giving us this jolt of grief over and over.”

• “Having spoken to Kristin recently, and been reminded again of her deep connection to John and her love for him, that was painful to watch. She looks stricken. It must have been a difficult scene to act.”

• When CJ comes into the Oval to tell Bartlet, he’s on the phone with someone explaining Leo’s situation and while it’s never explicitly stated who it’s with, I, and the hosts, thought it was Abbey. But some comments thought he was talking to one of his daughters. Interesting.

• Bruno doesn’t say anything when the Vinick campaign is talking about Leo’s death. Vinick says “You’re quiet all of a sudden.” and Bruno says “Yeah.” Hrishi thought it was an acknowledgement of the history Bruno and Leo had together. Leo brought Bruno into the campaign back in season 3.

• They’re talking about how Matt Santos is not a gifted speaker the way that President Bartlet is, probably because Santos has Otto, this young and inexperienced guy whereas Bartlet had Toby, and how there’s been less emphasis on speech writing during the Santos/Vinick storyline than during the first 4 seasons, even though this episode was co written by a speech writer.

I think it’s just also cause Aaron wasn’t on the show anymore.

• If it weren’t for the 22nd amendment and “Mrs. Bartlet” Bartlet would run again.

“Why didn’t CJ tell him “It’s Dr. Bartlet?” Truuue that’s what I said

• “Once again, to remind our viewers that the red states are Vinick’s states and blue states are Santos’ states.”

“Oh my God. Major eye roll at that moment.”

“That was great. I love that they put that in there, just how dumb it gets on election day as networks are just trying to fill the minutes and hours.”

• They liked that we found out the election results through CJs expression when she tells Bartlet there’s a winner. They didn’t try to dramatize it or milk it out.

• This exchange between Santos and Bram reminded Josh of Charlie's first episode.

“Thanks Bram. For everything.”

“This is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“I think we may find a way to top it.”

Episode:

• lol Josh having to fly commercial now

• oh god this is when Sam returns!

• oh yeah he’s engaged!

• “You’re “me” to my “Leo.””

• lol Josh is just getting shit on for his looks. First by a random driver, and now his friend.

• so if Sam’s in this episode, that means this is when Josh blows up at Otto. And Sam basically gives Josh an ultimatum saying “go on vacation or I won’t work for you.”

• I like that they show Debbie having allergies. Good continuation.

• lol Helen’s face at being called ma’am.

“Did you just ma’am me?”

• ok I have had to pause this 3 times to look up words I don’t know. West Wing I like when you’re smart but c’mon.

• oh yeah they’re monitoring Santos’s calls to Russia and China. Doesn’t he mess up and call someone about the invasion and it becomes a problem or something?

• lmao we finally saw Josh relax...for 3 seconds

• “Who said anything about talking?” 👀 Donna

• I love how she kicks the door closed with her foot

• I honestly wonder if Josh even heard a word Donna said cause the way he’s looking at her is 😍💓💕😍🥰💖

• “Bye!” Lol

• I’ve pointed this out before but it’s funny that both Abbey and Helen find “commander in chief” such a turn on lol

• huh they want Babish as AG

• “If one of the 389 horses should keel over, there’ll be a team of veterinarians and a forklift standing by. Which should be a lovey sight for the children in the crowd.”

• ah yeah CJ doesn’t want a job

• “Is he seeing anyone?”

Donna:

• So did CJ already know about the phone conversation Santos had with the Chinese president when she told Josh that Santos can’t express his disapproval?

• watching Josh continuously eat antacids and drink alca seltzer makes me feel ill

• and then he chugs a Red Bull!! how is this man not dead honestly

• ok I guess CJ didn’t know

• I love the confusion and then the realization that washes over Donna when she realizes Helen wants her as Chief of Staff

• also Donna!! as Chief of Staff!! to the First Lady!!

• “There’s no way I’m gonna get a handle of what’s going on between the two of us in the time frame you laid out.” Joshhhhhh

• ahh poor Otto. He has tears in his eyes!!

• Josh is such an asshole

• “My sister thinks you’re very attractive.”

“She doesn’t have a sister.”

• wait...Bartlet was in on Santos calling the Chinese president?? I feel like I kinda remember this but at the same time I don’t cause I’m shocked wtf

• “I have no life. And I don’t know if that’s really how I want it or if it’s just some borderline or not so borderline pathetic, pathologic avoidance thing.”

• ahh Josh did the hand over his heart thing to Santos. It was really quick but still

Podcast:

• live with Bradley Whitford

• they opened with a cellist playing Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 which was beautiful

• Watching this episode took Brad back to where he was emotionally when they shot it. They had lost John Spencer and knew the show was ending.

• “By the way, I wanna say something.”

“Yeah. We flew you here first...you’d better start saying something!”

“It would’ve been so great to get flown here and remain mute.”

Lmaosjns that made me laugh so hard

• lmao a random audience member just yelled “Why did you eat the toothpaste?”

“Ok, that’s the only question we’re going to take because it happens to be a very good one, but this is going to be chaos if everybody calls out questions.”

“Out of an abundance of courtesy...After I make love to a woman...I simply swallow the paste.”

Brad 😂

• Josh visiting Sam was a parallel of In the Shadow of Two Gunmen that didn’t need to be pointed out to the audience, but was pointed out anyway by Sam. Another parallel is Josh trying to get Sam to join the administration, just like Toby was trying to get CJ to join.

• “By the way, Rob’s refusal to age really helped set up my look of exhaustion.”

• “Amazing thing what you did.”

“Well, that’s the easy part, it’s what you do with it that counts.”

This exchange between Sam and Josh reminded Hrishi of Hamilton when Washington says “Winning was easy young man, governing’s harder.”

• You can see Sam’s face change when Josh says “Deputy Chief of Staff”. Hrishi thinks he changed his mind because it’s not a speechwriting job. He referenced back to what Sam said in 20 Hours in America when he has to fill in for Josh:

“I’ve worked here 3 years and 8 months and until you sit in the room all day, you can’t comprehend the chaos of the Oval Office. I had one good moment talking about the global ripple effect of a budget deficit, but that’s it. The rest of the day was just keeping up, and this is a pretty light day.

“One good moment is good...”

“Oh, I’m not complaining. One good moment is great! It’s a golf shot! I gotta get back in there, that’s where it’s happening.”

• Bartlet was left leaning and while Santos is also left leaning, he seems to be to the right of Bartlet.

• Josh increasingly became the main character on the show, with his personal and professional life front and center.

• Bradley was conflicted as to whether he wanted the show to continue or not. He wanted to get out before “the banana turned brown” but he also looks back and realizes the show could’ve gone on.

• John Wells said the plan before John Spencer passed away was to go ahead and move into a Santos administration.

• Josh’s outburst at Otto reminded them of his outburst at Bartlet in Noël (which is why they wanted to play Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 at the beginning of the podcast)

• Another parallel to Noël is both times Josh has his outbursts, Sam is the first one to speak to him. In Noël he just says “Josh” but in this episode he gives him the speech/ultimatum.

• Hrishi thinks Josh not only hired Sam because he thinks Sam will do a good job and be great for the Santos Administration, but also because Josh really needs him there.

“There’s some part of Josh’s subconscious that knows that he is at this point, and the only person who’s ever been with him in that kind of moment and can bring him back is Sam.”

• “Let’s not gloss over the fact that Donna herself gets an important job offer this episode.”

“That’s right, she gets offered the job of Chief of Staff for the First Lady, so it’s yet one more thing that she’ll be coming to after Amy Gardner.”

Oh my god

• CJ and Josh talk to each other like colleagues and not like old friends.

• They think it’s weird Josh and CJ weren’t let in on Bartlet and Santos’s idea about the calls to the Chinese president.

“I’m just saying, maybe you want to let them in on your secret plan to fight an invasion?”

Ha. I see what he did there.

• Hrishi is concerned for Donna because she doesn’t have a sweater on the plane when it’s November in DC.

• There’s concern by Bartlet that there will be pranks played on the new administration during the transition.