9.1/10. So my mom, of all people, spoiled the end of this one for me. (It was an honest mistake, be kind.) So that took a little of the umph out of the reveal that CJ would become Chief of Staff (though I wasn't sure if Leo would survive or not.) Despite that, I really enjoyed how the episode set up that reveal and decision.
Seeing Josh and Toby work at cross purposes to one another, vaguely vie for the job, and make a complete mess of things without Leo there to keep everyone in order and on the same page was a great to show not only the value that Leo brought to the position of chief of staff, but the need for someone to rein in all these very smart people and point all their talents in the same direction. Bits like both of them trying to work Halfley while he puts them on speakerphone together were hilarious, and seeing the two of them jockey for position a bit was a nice way to show that while these guys are good friends, they still look to the big chair.
And it's clear someone was needed for that big chair. Trying to gin up 60 democratic votes for a Republican-floated tax cut in exchange for needed Republican support for American soldiers necessary to make the Middle East agreement work made for a great crisis of the week. It worked as a natural extension of the difficulties in the details of the deal outlined in the prior episode, and led to some great scenes of our heroes wheeling and dealing.
But nobody wheels and deals like CJ Cregg, and that's why I really like not just the choice to make her Chief of Staff, but how the episode showed she's suited for the job. She's very used to dealing with multiple parties and difficult messaging with the press, and as the (nicely done) red herring of Will Bailey was used to intimate, she's also good at "managing up." (And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it's nice to see a show that's had some trouble with its depiction of women over the years make its most significant female character the "co-President" as one reporter puts it.)
I also liked how they showed Barlet struggling with the decision. Again, there's been a greater sense of episode-to-episode continuity this season, and it's paid dividends in stakes and character development. The President's guilt over the possibility that he caused his best friend's heart attack was well done and palpable, and it adds an emotional dimension to his reluctance to naming an interim Chief of Staff even though it's sorely needed. That internal strife leads to some great scenes between him and Mrs. Bartlet (who's always a welcome presence as someone who talks to The President as an equal, not an underling), and a tremendous moment between him and Leo.
The moment where Mrs. (Dr.) Barlet tells Jed that he can't let Leo take the job again because it'll kill him, because that's what the two of them do -- throw themselves into their work regardless of the personal or physical cost, did a nice job of establishing the set up. And the warmth and regret of The President when he goes into Leo's hospital room, and Leo absolves him and tells him that's the job, he needs a replacement, and there's "only one name," is stellar stuff. The "jump of a cliff" arc words to indicate the choice are pure West Wing grandiosity, but I really liked it.
There's other fun and notable stuff along the way. Donna is back, and gets a nice moment of contrition and appreciation from Josh. Josh's junk food battle with CJ in the wake of Leo's heart attack led to some fun comedy. And the subplot of Charlie holding off his graduation from Georgetown so that he can keep working for the President is interesting.
Overall, this was a finely-tuned machine of an episode, that balanced comedy, emotional stakes, and major plot developments with incredible grace. Very well done.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2016-09-25T17:28:14Z
9.1/10. So my mom, of all people, spoiled the end of this one for me. (It was an honest mistake, be kind.) So that took a little of the umph out of the reveal that CJ would become Chief of Staff (though I wasn't sure if Leo would survive or not.) Despite that, I really enjoyed how the episode set up that reveal and decision.
Seeing Josh and Toby work at cross purposes to one another, vaguely vie for the job, and make a complete mess of things without Leo there to keep everyone in order and on the same page was a great to show not only the value that Leo brought to the position of chief of staff, but the need for someone to rein in all these very smart people and point all their talents in the same direction. Bits like both of them trying to work Halfley while he puts them on speakerphone together were hilarious, and seeing the two of them jockey for position a bit was a nice way to show that while these guys are good friends, they still look to the big chair.
And it's clear someone was needed for that big chair. Trying to gin up 60 democratic votes for a Republican-floated tax cut in exchange for needed Republican support for American soldiers necessary to make the Middle East agreement work made for a great crisis of the week. It worked as a natural extension of the difficulties in the details of the deal outlined in the prior episode, and led to some great scenes of our heroes wheeling and dealing.
But nobody wheels and deals like CJ Cregg, and that's why I really like not just the choice to make her Chief of Staff, but how the episode showed she's suited for the job. She's very used to dealing with multiple parties and difficult messaging with the press, and as the (nicely done) red herring of Will Bailey was used to intimate, she's also good at "managing up." (And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it's nice to see a show that's had some trouble with its depiction of women over the years make its most significant female character the "co-President" as one reporter puts it.)
I also liked how they showed Barlet struggling with the decision. Again, there's been a greater sense of episode-to-episode continuity this season, and it's paid dividends in stakes and character development. The President's guilt over the possibility that he caused his best friend's heart attack was well done and palpable, and it adds an emotional dimension to his reluctance to naming an interim Chief of Staff even though it's sorely needed. That internal strife leads to some great scenes between him and Mrs. Bartlet (who's always a welcome presence as someone who talks to The President as an equal, not an underling), and a tremendous moment between him and Leo.
The moment where Mrs. (Dr.) Barlet tells Jed that he can't let Leo take the job again because it'll kill him, because that's what the two of them do -- throw themselves into their work regardless of the personal or physical cost, did a nice job of establishing the set up. And the warmth and regret of The President when he goes into Leo's hospital room, and Leo absolves him and tells him that's the job, he needs a replacement, and there's "only one name," is stellar stuff. The "jump of a cliff" arc words to indicate the choice are pure West Wing grandiosity, but I really liked it.
There's other fun and notable stuff along the way. Donna is back, and gets a nice moment of contrition and appreciation from Josh. Josh's junk food battle with CJ in the wake of Leo's heart attack led to some fun comedy. And the subplot of Charlie holding off his graduation from Georgetown so that he can keep working for the President is interesting.
Overall, this was a finely-tuned machine of an episode, that balanced comedy, emotional stakes, and major plot developments with incredible grace. Very well done.