**Varuna**

mrsconn23

I'm at the end of season 4 of the West Wing.  

I see why In The Shadow of Two Gunmen was your favorite.  Great TV. 

How the FUCK did they not know her BF was planning to get Zoey kidnapped? 

VarunaTT

Yes, I just love that episode.  I've watched it so many times and it's never failed to make me cry/laugh/get chills, etc.  I think it's probably one of the best things I've ever seen on TV.

Huh, I never thought Jean Paul was in on the kidnapping plot.  I think I thought he drugged her (which not so funny, ha-ha, thank you so much, I wish they showed some F/U from that) and then the kidnapping (already planned) was able to get her easier.

That moment when Leo runs down the White House hall to tell the president?  Seriously, I have chills even thinking about it.  It's just the most painful run to watch b/c Leo-s always so dignified and put together and now he's just Leo running to his best friend to give him such horrible news, but still has to be Chief of Staff....it's just an amazing moment.  

It's the relationships that make this show great.

VarunaTT

Wiki does say his "unintentional" complicity in her kidnapping.

mrsconn23

Jean-Paul is a jackass.  I hate him as much as Charlie does.    I'm on the first ep of season 5 now. 

VarunaTT

Oh and @charlotte989875, West Wing chat in here!

kimmiinthemitten

Man, I'm bummed I didn't get to hear your immediate reaction to Two Cathedrals!

charlotte989875

How did I miss this today??

So I love and hate that episode equally. I love Charlie in it because of when he tells her it's a crappy time to stop showing up when you say you will, even though he's totally in love with her. He's one of my favorite WW characters.

 I hate Jean Paul and I find Zoey annoying at this time bc she flirts with Charlie but keeps going back to the frog (said in Jed Bartlets voice). I was always confused about whether he knew about the kidnapping, because he got immunity to give up his dealers name so was he in on it at all? Or was he just a really arrogant stoner? If he wasn't in on it then it was a pretty terrible kidnapping plan that could have gone all kinds of wrong because they pretty much had to wait for her to either be drunk, high or otherwise easy to coerce. 

I have clearly spent way too much time thinking about this. 

VarunaTT

kimmiinthemitten said:

Man, I'm bummed I didn't get to hear your immediate reaction to Two Cathedrals!

That scene with Jed alone in the church, yelling?  Gets me every time too.  

Also, I'm still mad Sorkin thought doing that was a good idea.  That and Toby's character arc are the two WORST things ever in West Wing.  Well, okay, let's ignore some other things, but those are the ones that make me the most mad.

I always figured that the kidnapping plan was based off of her being at the big party and all the publicity about it.  It's definitely a weak point of plot, but it does help create one of my favorite storylines and guest characters.

OurWildKingdom

kimmiinthemitten said:

Man, I'm bummed I didn't get to hear your immediate reaction to Two Cathedrals!

That is FW's favorite scene!

kimmiinthemitten

My favorite episodes in order are In Excelsis Deo, Posse Comitatus and then Two Cathedrals.  I like how they all show a different side of Toby, CJ and Jed, but there something about the softer side of Leo so early that really gets me!

Edited because I hit submit too soon!

Edited twice because I called Toby Leo 

bleve0821

I watched WW so long ago, and I loved it.  Now you guys are making me want to watch it again (it's a long weekend--challenge accepted).  I don't have a favorite episode, but my least favorite was Duck and Cover.  I don't know how realistic the show actually is, but that episode was so inaccurate--URGH I can't even.  

I HATED the Toby character arc.  It was probably the only thing about the entire show that felt wrong to me (besides Duck and Cover, and maybe one or two other episodes), like the aftermath of when Mulder and Scully finally actually hooked up (sorry if I ruined that for anyone)

VarunaTT

I'm not sure I can pick favorite episodes, but I have favorite moments:

Josh in the press room when CJ has her dental work and her yelling at him.

The time when they're all trying to figure out what time it is in Tokoyo and CJ points to the clocks on the wall.

When Toby finds Josh, shot.  Toby is always so stoic, the look on his face in that moment, just takes my breath away.

Sam's monologue about how we're supposed to be explorers.

When the president brings in the basketball ringer and is hiding behind him, staring at the other staffers.

And I will forever know the answer to the trivia question:  What are the only 3 words in the English language that start with "dw".

VarunaTT

Oh and of course:

https://youtu.be/Q7H_L5cYkg8

charlotte989875

I LOVE the jackal! Also one of my favorite scenes is the Christmas episode when Josh has PTSD and Leo tells the story about the guy who fell in a hole. Gets me every time. 

Also, Sam's monologues on pretty much everything, teachers, exploring, whatever. I wish he hadn't left in season 4. 

I don't love the later seasons but when Matt Santos gives the speech in the church by up, all of that. 

VarunaTT

Yeah, I think season 5 or 6 is where it starts to die off for me.  I do enjoy the very last season.  Especially when Jed and Abby are waiting on the new president elect and say, "Do you remember the last time anyone was late meeting us?"

That PTSD episode was amazing.

I just keep coming back to the fact that what made that show work was the relationships between the main characters.  The plots were for the most part enjoyable, but it was those relationships.  Those are the professional relationships you dream of having.

mrsconn23

I just started Gaza. 

DOES DONNA DIE?!?!?!?!

charlotte989875

mrs.conn23 said:

I just started Gaza. 

DOES DONNA DIE?!?!?!?!

Do you really want to know??

mrsconn23

charlotte989875 said:

mrs.conn23 said:

I just started Gaza. 

DOES DONNA DIE?!?!?!?!

Do you really want to know??

I am past it for now...but WHAT HAPPENS WITH LEO?!  OMG!  Their last conversation cannot be Leo dumping the Jed. 

charlotte989875

That episode arc is so sad. I hate when they fight. 

mrsconn23

Bump...I'm watching the demise of Toby and this is bullshit.   I see why you hated it and why Richard Schiff was pissed.  This is so random and not really what I would see his character do.   

VarunaTT

My favorite Toby episode is the one where Josh is going to see Bartlett in New Hampshire and Toby is the hated political operative.  

That episode is what starts Toby's loyalty to the President and it's their continuing relationship that seals it.  Even with the justification of Toby's astronaut brother, it just never rings true.  Schiff apparently said the way he made it work was to decide Toby was covering for someone (I would assume he picked CJ, since that's the only other person I think Toby was as loyal to.  I don't think it would've been Andy).

mrsconn23

Update!  I finished over the weekend!!    I loved it.   Great series.  The ending was nice overall.  

kimmiinthemitten

How did you do throughout the Leo episodes?  Even the second time around i cried like I worked there.

mrsconn23

kimmiinthemitten said:

How did you do throughout the Leo episodes?  Even the second time around i cried like I worked there.

I cried!  It was so sad! I forgot that John Spencer died during the making of the show (I remember reading about it). 

kimmiinthemitten

I was dreading getting there by the time the it came around, and then the final episode I couldn't help but hope maybe they taped it early enough.

VarunaTT

I'm glad you liked it!  The last season was ho-hum for me, just because I hated the breakup of the cast, even though they did a great job showing campaign life again.  I did like the endings for Josh and Donna, and even that they hooked up.  I was glad to see CJ find happiness with Danny too.

charlotte989875

I definitely cried during the election night episode where Leo dies. Just makes me think the cast was really mourning the loss of John Spencer. 

I liked the final episode. I don't know if after everything that happens in the series if there is a good way to end it. I did like that Mallory brought the napkin and that Sam comes back to be Josh's deputy. 

charlotte989875

I definitely cried during the election night episode where Leo dies. Just makes me think the cast was really mourning the loss of John Spencer. 

I liked the final episode. I don't know if after everything that happens when in the series if there is a good way to end it. I did like that Mallory brought the napkin and that Sam comes back to be Josh's deputy. 

mrsconn23

Yeah, the last season seemed a little disjointed.  But the last 15 min or so of the finale was nice since they tied it all up.