So, after the ironing was done...

[caz963]

I moved on to In Excelsis Deo, which I haven't seen in a while. How great is that ep? And how great is Richard Schiff in it? (Emmy-winning great, that's how!) I love the scene where he's talking to the down and outs and then, at the end he gives the guy a wad of notes... he's just so - awkward and gentle and you can just tell he's appalled at the way these guys have to live and at the fact that he can't really do anything about it. And the head rub when he throws out that he's a "powerful person". Just... gah!

And Mrs L. "I miss my boys". *sob*. I miss HER. Not that I don't love Debbie, because I do, but Mrs L. was one classy broad.

Bartlet with the kids - so funny and so right.

CJ and Leo -
"Want me to come cook you something?"
"What are you, my mother?" with that fabulous grin of his...

The shopping expedition - and surprise, Mandy's being annoying!

JOSH
[enters] Good morning Mr. President.

BARTLET
Josh, what are you doing right now?

JOSH
I'm helping prepare a strategy for the European economic summit in February.

BARTLET
Blow it off.

JOSH
[flippant] Okay.

BARTLET
Seriously, take an hour and come with us.

JOSH
You're going shopping?

MANDY
He won't let me send some press along.

BARTLET
Leave me alone.

JOSH
I don't understand. How are you going shopping?

BARTLET
Oh I sneak out every now and then.

JOSH
You sneak out?

BARTLET
Yes, couple of agents, an unmarked black suburban. They tell the manager, they clear the store, I'm in, I'm out. It's like nothing ever happened.

JOSH
I never knew this.

BARTLET
Did you know that there's an underground tunnel out of here?

JOSH
Yes.

BARTLET
I haven't been able to find it even though I search almost everyday.

JOSH
Where are you going?

BARTLET
To a place called Rare Books, you know what they sell?

JOSH
Fishing tackle?

BARTLET
Funny boy.

MANDY
The President is doing some last minute Christmas shopping at a rare bookstore and he won't let me send some press along.

BARTLET
Tell her to leave me alone. Sheila!

MANDY
A couple of guys.

BARTLET
This is a Christmas thing I'm doing Mandy; we don't have to make hay out of it.

MANDY
It's such good hay.

BARTLET
[to Josh] Want to come?

JOSH
An hour with you in a rare bookstore? Couldn't you just drop me off the top of the Washington monument instead?

BARTLET
It's Christmas, Josh! No reason we can't do both.

JOSH
I suppose.

BARTLET
Let's go shopping!

And of course, Danny and CJ:



C.J.
Take me out tonight and convince me.

DANNY
Excuse me?

C.J.
You heard me.

DANNY
I didn't, 'cause there was -- I was distracted by a thing.

C.J.
I'm not gonna say it again.

DANNY
Ok, then I'm gonna assume that you asked me out. [walks away]

C.J.
[quickly follows] I didn't ask you out. You asked me out about forty-nine
times and I'm
saying yes to one of them.

DANNY
Okay.

C.J.
You understand we're having dinner right?

DANNY
I understand.

C.J.
We're not having a fling.

DANNY
I understand.

C.J.
This is a business dinner, in fact bring your notebook.

DANNY
Okay.

C.J.
[stops] My secret service name is Flamingo.

DANNY
That's nice.

C.J.
I have to feed my fish.

DANNY
Okay.


Watching this, and then looking through the transcript pages and the pics made me realise just how much was going on in this episode - all of this AND the hate crimes thing, the business with Laurie (hee! - the "Keystone Cops"!) All in 45 minutes, and it's perfect. *eyes glaze over in deep nostalgia!*

But any recap of this ep isn't complete without these pics:






They're so far gone, even at this early stage! *sigh*


NEXT: - "I thought you were the butler!"

Comments

[anita-coffee.livejournal.com]

I just saw it today! I wasn't that impressed. I'll watch it again later (I DL'ed it) and try and pinpoint why, but for now -

Annabeth - Awesome.
Josh/Donna - I loved the hug where he's wrapped his arms around her neck, but there was still something a little bit off in their interactions...
CJ - She's the one who made me cry. The 'Thankyou, CJ.' 'Mr President' moment was just <3.
Vinnick - I'm sorry, WHY was Alda nominated for an Emmy? *sigh*. He was wooden and annoying.
Santos/Helen - Cute as pie.

I think if I hadn't known the outcome of the election then it would have been better all round, but overall... They had the opportunity to make a really compelling episode and ignored it. Completely.

I'll give an attempt at a better review of the episode when I do tonight's.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

Hm. I thought that what we got from J&D in ED2 was the stuff people were saying was missing last ep - the depth of emotion etc. I mean the scene in Leo's room where he's been crying; the way he just falls into her. Josh never shows emotion like that, NEVER. And yes, lots of us after were like - huh? - why didn't she put her other arm around him? - but then realised it was probably the director's decision because that's the shot he wanted... But the hug - THAT'S the hug you give the woman you love - and again, the parallels - both men hugging their blonde other-halves!
Get your kleenex out for the teaser tonight.