Friday, January 11, 2013

The West Wing, season 7

FOUR-STAR EPISODES: 2
AVERAGE EPISODE RATING: 3.1
-The Ticket ***
Santos/McGarry hits the campaign trail. Talk of Leo's health diverts attention from the issues, and his inexperience as a candidate shows. Ms. Chenoweth shines. Plus some Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin). The teaser is a flashforward to the Bartlet Presidential Library dedication. The whole gang is there (well, no Seaborn), plus Danny. It's very nice, and as a whole feels more classically WEST WING than the previous season. Plus the return of...Oliver Babish (Oliver Platt - BULWORTH)! Classified information about a military shuttle has been leaked, and he has to grill C.J. Donna applies to the Santos campaign for a job, and has an awkward, excellent scene with Josh.
-The Mommy Problem ***
A great use of Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner" takes us on the Santos campaign trail, where the effort to keep on message is sidetracked by gossip about a broken hotel bed. Josh is swamped, and reluctantly hires Lou Thornton (Janeane Garofolo - DOGMA, MYSTERY MEN) to shape their message. Santos is called up for a weekend of military reserve duty...but the staff ponders having him resign his commission when his history of postponements comes up. He preempts the no-win debate by taking his duty immediately.
-Message of the Week ***
The Vinick campaign cagily pushes Santos off-message by raising border patrol issues, and sponsoring an immigration bill. Some prime Gianelli. Vinick is troubled by religious groups who insist he promise to appoint anti-abortion judges. He lies to appease them, and it recoils on him. Sullivan saves the day. One of Vinick's top aides (Julian Acosta), a latino troubled by the attacks on Santos' heritage, resigns. Chris Matthews does a beautiful background appearance as his HARDBALL self.
-Mr. Frost ***
Santos fields a question on intelligent design, and turns a "god gaffe" into a harder question for Vinick. As Leo is subpoenaed, Toby admits to leaking the existence of the military shuttle...a move that effectively ends his character's arc. Richard Schiff acknowledges being disenchanted with how the writers handled this last season....and i can't blame him. I understand how they thought it might work, but there were so many more compelling options to be had for our prickly Mr. Ziegler. Come back, Rina?
-Here Today ***
There were some moments of Toby's demise that worked...the promotion of Will to communications director after a near-complete absence the first four episodes, is welcome (there's so much change going on that even the absence of a replacement character felt disjointing). The final scene between Jed and Toby is handled just right. It's left to Babish, of all people, to say a kind word to Toby as he's ushered out of the building.
-The Al Smith Dinner ***
An ad placed by an ultra-conservative group attacking Santos' support of abortion puts both candidates in an uncomfortable position, and threatens to reduce the race to negative attacks. A woman's coalition flirts with supporting Vinick - their meeting with Santos provides one of the most clear-thinking positions on abortion i've ever heard (play it for any anti-abortionist you know). Smits and Alda have an unplanned meeting, where they nip the negativity and set up a no-holds-barred debate.
-The Debate ***
Occasionally brilliant, and always audacious. The Santos/Vinick debate is recorded live. No really, for real, they recorded it live. Moderated by Forrest Sawyer. Alda and Smits rise to the moment (talk about channeling the exact flavor of fear needed for a performance). One of the series' greatest achievements. The only episode in which none of the original regulars appear.
-Undecideds ****
The only WW episode that guarantees my tears. Santos gives a towering speech in an african-american church, two days after a neighborhood boy is killed by an hispanic cop. Smits' most powerful moment of the series. As he walks out of the church, to the standing applause of a crowd who hadn't much wanted him there, he takes the hand of his pink-skinned wife. Beautiful imagery...and further evidence that writer Deborah Cahn is the only reason that post-Sorkin naysayers are emphatically wrong. A decidedly icy Toby gets a visit from Josh, the first contact he's had with anyone since being fired. Mary McCormack gets a beautiful, hysterical moment watching Will Bailey's ass.
-The Wedding ***
Some more goofy, strange magic as Kate asks Will whether he owns a tux. Thank you to the producers for not going the obvious route, and giving the White House wedding to Charlie and Zoey. Jed is delayed as China and Russia mobilize over an oil conflict in Kazakhstan.
-Running Mates ***
An episode of high water marks. Will and Kate flirt their way into a charming first date. The greatest episode for Matt & Helen fans, as he returns home for the last time before the election (and her red thong undies get snapped by paparazzi). The greatest Chenoweth episode, as she preps Leo for the vice presidential debate. Her flirtations are darling. She gives sexy a whole new slant; it's disturbing to be served apple pie with this much cherry in it. It's neither her fault nor Spencer's that they don't have better chemistry. It's also a shame they were never able to get more screen time for Santos staffer Ronna (Karis Campbell). She's a constant delight.
-Internal Displacement ***
The teaser, with Danny revealing to C.J. that presidential son-in-law and congressional candidate Doug has been having sex with the family's nanny, is pure brilliance. I laughed hysterically at the dialogue and acting...humor-wise, Sorkin never did better himself. I looked up the writer, expecting "Cahn"...but it was our very own Bradley Whitford! The rest of the episode doesn't disappoint, as Will has to investigate the reports, and C.J. has to tell Doug the President can't appear with him. She also receives an unexpected visit from Liz Bartlet (the wonderful Annabeth Gish). The Busfield/Janney scenes are by far the best thing going here, as he tells her he wants to be a part of her life. It's been too long since WW was this fulfilling.
-Duck and Cover ***
A nuclear accident in California deals a major blow to pro-nuke candidate Vinick. This episode nobly tries to frighten us out of our paralytic hope that none of these ticking bombs in our midst will have an "oops". As new polls announce the candidates are dead even, a celebratory Josh and Donna fall into each other's arms...and lips. Seven years of waiting is over.
-The Cold ***
In the wake of the nuclear accident, the Vinick campaign must court republican core voters. To aid this, campaign manager Sheila (Patricia Richardson) resigns - a touching moment, and her finest. Bartlet calls both candidates to the White House, to tell them the U.S. must send 150,000 troops between the armies of Russia and China, to prevent nuclear war. The final shot of Vinick in silhouette, sick and alone, walking into a brightly-lit event, is one of the most cinematographically enduring of the series.
-Two Weeks Out ***
The candidates race to CA. Vinick holds a marathon press conference at the power plant where the accident occurred. Gianelli discovers Santos' briefcase in a common holding room; it contains evidence of hush payments to a single mother. Vinick struggles with what to do with this information.
-Welcome to Wherever You Are ***
Chenoweth sings! On the eve of the election, a prosecutor threatens another indictment of Toby, which would result in an election-sabotaging subpoena of Leo. It's Halloween, as Santos' son pukes on a neighbors' porch during a photo op, and Toby can't take his kids around at the same time as Andy. John Bon Jovi babysits (for Santos, not Toby).
-Election Day ***
The early results are tight and unpredictable. Josh goes manic. Foo Fighters rehearse. The night before, the staffers paired off for sex. Josh and Donna spend the day in and out of bed...an amazing thing after seven years (she looks fantastic, i'll add). In Houston, Helen humps the restless candidate to sleep. Politics, sex...and death, as Annabeth finds a collapsed Leo.
-Election Day, part 2 ***
Leo dies. As the polls are closing, the race is too close to call. The candidates struggle with what to announce, and whether to contest the results. At Vinick headquarters, Gianelli and Mayer (Stephen Root) have a beautiful scene (as one would expect). Stephen is another one to add to the list of the criminally underused...but it's beautiful having him there. Santos wins.
-Requiem ***
Leo's funeral. How many stars of enormously successful shows died during the run, requiring their death be written into the storyline? John Spencer joins Michael Conrad of HILL STREET BLUES, Phil Hartman of NEWSRADIO, and CHEERS' Nicholas Colasanto. His death is handled as movingly and seamlessly as any of them. The list of recurring characters who appear at the funeral is so huge, it's easier to mention the handful who are missing. No Seaborn, no Marbury, no Butterfield, no Tribby or Babish...and no Mandy (don't scoff, it would have been a beautiful touch). But that's about it. The actor turnout is also a beautiful tribute to the show itself, as the final season winds down. Back at the White House, a more intimate gathering is held. The spillover between fiction and reality lends great poignance. C.J. and Danny again flounder romantically, as Josh and Donna do the same (we're just one step removed from bedroom farce, really). Any time Busfield and Janney share a scene, the four-star meter starts pinging.
-Transition ***
Hold on to your housefrock. He's back. He's back. He's really, really back. Mr. S. Norman Seaborn (Sam, to the uninitiated, also sometimes known as Rob Lowe). He's actually back. Wheeeeeeee! Josh travels to L.A., to walk in on lawyer Sam in a deja vu scene. He offers him deputy chief of staff. But Josh is unraveling in manic anxiety (and self-destructing his romance with Donna). Helen asks Donna to be her chief of staff. Sam shows up in D.C. and agrees to take the job, on the condition that Josh immediately take a week off on a beach somewhere. Josh finally agrees...and asks Donna to go with him. She agrees. Beautiful.
-The Last Hurrah ****
When Alan Alda signed on to be a regular cast member of the greatest television show since M*A*S*H, this is the episode of which he dreamed. A towering portrayal of a man who goes from a hair's breath away from the presidency, to nobody. Arnie shuffles around his office, trying to convince his remaining staff (Richardson and Root) that he can win the next presidential election. At a coffee shop, the barista calls him Ernie. And then...thinking he's been called in for a belittling photo op, he is stunned to find the president-elect offering him secretary of state. He struggles with his place in history, and refusing to be a political pawn. Wonderful stuff. Plus a little Butterfield, trying to cope with the incoming first family's wish to have Helen and the kids remain in Texas. As if that's not enough, how about the WW directorial debut of Tim Matheson?
-Institutional Memory ***
The tempest of C.J.'s life is winding down...or is it, as Santos offers her a job in the new administration? Does she want to slow down? Does she have any idea how? She keeps on saying and doing the wrong thing with Danny. He's patient and understanding, and their story arc becomes the most compelling part of the series' end. The producers could have done more with Charlie & Zoey, or Donna & Josh, or Will & Kate, or Santos & Josh & Sam, or Toby's trial(s), or Annabeth & Charlie (sorry, my mind wandered there...). Any of those might have been fascinating, but i daresay none would have topped C & C - Janney and Busfield can do no wrong. C.J. also has a scene with Toby that almost redeems his crappy season. A charismatic tycoon (Xander Berkeley - POISON IVY II, 24) offers her ten billion dollars and fix the world. Brilliant dialogue, in the final episode written by Deborah Cahn.
-Tomorrow ***
You might shed a tear or two. Perhaps it will be when Donna, Sam, and Josh enter the White House for the first time as staffers of a new administration. Perhaps it will be when C.J. stands at her old podium one last time. Perhaps it will be when Keb' Mo' plays "America the Beautiful", the most touching WW musical appearance in a long line of touching appearances? Perhaps it will be when Aaron Sorkin himself appears in a crowd scene. The series' final episode plucks almost all the right heartstrings, as the Bartlet administration vacates the White House while Santos is inaugurated. A little Butterfield, a little Mallory...but inexplicably, no Toby. He's pardoned in absentia, as Jed's last act of office. What's next?

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