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caz963Well... wow! I know it's not the West Wing as it was in the good ol' days, but it's still a bloody good show and better than a lot of the other stuff on the telly!
Let me get the silly fangirly stuff out of the way up front and say that Brad Whitford is looking totally gorgeous and that it looks as though the old Josh is back! (complete with backpack and sunglasses!
It was a bit weird, having the show open with that "3 years in the future" thing, but then, if this is the last season, it's telling us a bit about how things are going to go - so although we know what's going to happen (C.J & Danny are together and have a baby, Will's in Congress etc.) we still have to learn how they all got there. BUT - the absences are more telling... Leo isn't there - but then, assuming that Santos wins the election, he would be VP and would be referred to as such, so that would give the game away. Neither Josh nor Donna is there at the beginning - although Josh comes in later and announces the President's arrival. From the way Bartlet looks at him and speaks to him - like the prodigal son who's come home - I'd be willing to bet it's Santos, but of course, we don't see who gets out of the car. Donna isn't there because... well, if she and Josh are married with 2 kids, that would also give the game away, and tptb would be cranking up the angst to these unbearable pitches for nothing.
Anyway, that's just the pre-credit sequence! In the episode proper, there's more on the NASA leak... Babish is back, which is good, and Margaret isn't pregnant any more - wow, that was quick!
On the campaign trail, Josh has set up the Santos campaign HQ and is doing practically everything himself. I know he has trust issues, but the poor boy's gonna work himself into the ground if he doesn't hire some decent help! There's an interesting bit of tension between Santos and Leo in this ep - Santos has presumably gone along with Josh's suggestion of Leo for running mate because he knows Leo has a vast deal of experience which he (Santos) lacks. BUT, it's becoming obvious that Leo's past is dragging the campaign down, and Santos is obviously pissed about it. Josh knows, and is clearly torn - and Leo knows too. John Spencer is great here - you can see how uncomfortable he is, being "the guy" instead of "the guy behind the guy", but trying his best to do what he's told. The scene between Santos and Leo at the end, when they finally sit down to talk and start thrashing out a plan is really good. Oh, and I love Annabeth - she's one of the new characters I actually like, and she's great with Leo. The way she bosses him around is really cute, and they're bringing the funny! They can't do it with Josh and Donna any more - they're both too deep in denial and emotional baggage for that, now, so they've found another way to bring it - which works!
OK, so Josh and Donna. I'd already seen "the interview" scene, and have said before that it was brilliant and heartbreaking all at the same time. I didn't really like it when I heard that Donna would be approaching Josh for a job - I think he should be making the running now, but then, it began to make sense. Anybody working in Democratic politics would want to be working on the presidential campaign, so it makes sense for Donna to want to work there, too. So OK... but when Josh DIDN'T hire her... well, totally unexpected, but then again, strangely right. His personal feelings are of course clouding his professional judgement. He needs staff, Donna is capable and good at what she does and would be an asset. There are many who think that Josh was a total asshole to her, and that he getting back at her for leaving him in the first place. Er... NO! He wasn't in the least bit vindictive - he turned her down for what he thinks is a valid reason - she was a visible part of the Russell campaign, regularly trashed Santos in the press and would therefore have little credibility if she joins the Santos campaign. Obviously, Josh is in error here, because I'm sure that stuff like that happens all the time in politics- it does in other businesses. I think part of his decision was that he didn't want it to appear as though he gave her a job because he was in love with her. After all, his staff seem to know who she is (someone, whose name I can't remember, thought Josh would want to take this interview), and maybe he was worried about what it would look like. My argument is, that if, as is supposed by many a fanfic writer, one of the reasons which has prevented Josh from letting Donna know how he feels about her is that he didn't want her to be accused of having got her first job with him via the "casting couch", then he certainly doesn't want that to happen now. I gotta say, I loved the way they both played this scene - I bet they don't need any direction - they know their characters so well. This was a real tearjerker - Brad looked like he was about to cry (oh, the wonderous wibble!) and Janel was barely holding it together... they are both sooooo far gone over each other, it's painful. But then, this is drama, and tptb are upping the ante as far as they can. This is also why I believe that we are finally going to get a resolution this season. Brad was playing last season, and this ep. like a man so utterly and completely in love that there really is nowhere else for the relationship to go, other than to a resolution. Of course, there is always the possibility that it will be the WRONG resolution, and that Donna will turn around and say that she waited for him for as long as she could, but she gave up on him (Nnnoooo!!!!!!!!)... I just hope not, and if that is the case, then I will simply retire to the world of fanfic and live out the rest of my days there.
So, anyway, a good episode and season opener - Jimmy Smits is still pretty good - I know there were many who didn't like his performance last season, and yes, he's not in the same league as BW, AJ, RS & JS, but he was better than I thought he'd be, and so far, is better this season. The character is growing - he's already more confident, more authoritative, more... presidential, for want of a better word. OK, so Santos is no Bartlet, but then nobody is. And this character development is going to set up some conflict with Josh in the not too distant future, I think. After all, Bartlet and Leo had their disagreements - even though Jed was reliant in the early days on Leo for his military expertise, he was still his "own man" which Josh has already seen in Santos, so I reckon they've got some rocky patches ahead. Again, this is drama, so nothing can go too smoothly!
One of the saddest things about this ep - Leo, CJ, Josh and Toby all in a room, not getting on. I can't remember if Josh and Toby have actually spoken since "the fight", and things are still clearly tense between them. I guess its another sign that things are "coming to an end" - if these relationships, forged in happer times are breaking down. I really would like to see Josh and Toby have a conversation and make it up... if the writers do nothing else about the relationships between the outgoing staff and the incoming, please let it be that.
Let me get the silly fangirly stuff out of the way up front and say that Brad Whitford is looking totally gorgeous and that it looks as though the old Josh is back! (complete with backpack and sunglasses!
It was a bit weird, having the show open with that "3 years in the future" thing, but then, if this is the last season, it's telling us a bit about how things are going to go - so although we know what's going to happen (C.J & Danny are together and have a baby, Will's in Congress etc.) we still have to learn how they all got there. BUT - the absences are more telling... Leo isn't there - but then, assuming that Santos wins the election, he would be VP and would be referred to as such, so that would give the game away. Neither Josh nor Donna is there at the beginning - although Josh comes in later and announces the President's arrival. From the way Bartlet looks at him and speaks to him - like the prodigal son who's come home - I'd be willing to bet it's Santos, but of course, we don't see who gets out of the car. Donna isn't there because... well, if she and Josh are married with 2 kids, that would also give the game away, and tptb would be cranking up the angst to these unbearable pitches for nothing.
Anyway, that's just the pre-credit sequence! In the episode proper, there's more on the NASA leak... Babish is back, which is good, and Margaret isn't pregnant any more - wow, that was quick!
On the campaign trail, Josh has set up the Santos campaign HQ and is doing practically everything himself. I know he has trust issues, but the poor boy's gonna work himself into the ground if he doesn't hire some decent help! There's an interesting bit of tension between Santos and Leo in this ep - Santos has presumably gone along with Josh's suggestion of Leo for running mate because he knows Leo has a vast deal of experience which he (Santos) lacks. BUT, it's becoming obvious that Leo's past is dragging the campaign down, and Santos is obviously pissed about it. Josh knows, and is clearly torn - and Leo knows too. John Spencer is great here - you can see how uncomfortable he is, being "the guy" instead of "the guy behind the guy", but trying his best to do what he's told. The scene between Santos and Leo at the end, when they finally sit down to talk and start thrashing out a plan is really good. Oh, and I love Annabeth - she's one of the new characters I actually like, and she's great with Leo. The way she bosses him around is really cute, and they're bringing the funny! They can't do it with Josh and Donna any more - they're both too deep in denial and emotional baggage for that, now, so they've found another way to bring it - which works!
OK, so Josh and Donna. I'd already seen "the interview" scene, and have said before that it was brilliant and heartbreaking all at the same time. I didn't really like it when I heard that Donna would be approaching Josh for a job - I think he should be making the running now, but then, it began to make sense. Anybody working in Democratic politics would want to be working on the presidential campaign, so it makes sense for Donna to want to work there, too. So OK... but when Josh DIDN'T hire her... well, totally unexpected, but then again, strangely right. His personal feelings are of course clouding his professional judgement. He needs staff, Donna is capable and good at what she does and would be an asset. There are many who think that Josh was a total asshole to her, and that he getting back at her for leaving him in the first place. Er... NO! He wasn't in the least bit vindictive - he turned her down for what he thinks is a valid reason - she was a visible part of the Russell campaign, regularly trashed Santos in the press and would therefore have little credibility if she joins the Santos campaign. Obviously, Josh is in error here, because I'm sure that stuff like that happens all the time in politics- it does in other businesses. I think part of his decision was that he didn't want it to appear as though he gave her a job because he was in love with her. After all, his staff seem to know who she is (someone, whose name I can't remember, thought Josh would want to take this interview), and maybe he was worried about what it would look like. My argument is, that if, as is supposed by many a fanfic writer, one of the reasons which has prevented Josh from letting Donna know how he feels about her is that he didn't want her to be accused of having got her first job with him via the "casting couch", then he certainly doesn't want that to happen now. I gotta say, I loved the way they both played this scene - I bet they don't need any direction - they know their characters so well. This was a real tearjerker - Brad looked like he was about to cry (oh, the wonderous wibble!) and Janel was barely holding it together... they are both sooooo far gone over each other, it's painful. But then, this is drama, and tptb are upping the ante as far as they can. This is also why I believe that we are finally going to get a resolution this season. Brad was playing last season, and this ep. like a man so utterly and completely in love that there really is nowhere else for the relationship to go, other than to a resolution. Of course, there is always the possibility that it will be the WRONG resolution, and that Donna will turn around and say that she waited for him for as long as she could, but she gave up on him (Nnnoooo!!!!!!!!)... I just hope not, and if that is the case, then I will simply retire to the world of fanfic and live out the rest of my days there.
So, anyway, a good episode and season opener - Jimmy Smits is still pretty good - I know there were many who didn't like his performance last season, and yes, he's not in the same league as BW, AJ, RS & JS, but he was better than I thought he'd be, and so far, is better this season. The character is growing - he's already more confident, more authoritative, more... presidential, for want of a better word. OK, so Santos is no Bartlet, but then nobody is. And this character development is going to set up some conflict with Josh in the not too distant future, I think. After all, Bartlet and Leo had their disagreements - even though Jed was reliant in the early days on Leo for his military expertise, he was still his "own man" which Josh has already seen in Santos, so I reckon they've got some rocky patches ahead. Again, this is drama, so nothing can go too smoothly!
One of the saddest things about this ep - Leo, CJ, Josh and Toby all in a room, not getting on. I can't remember if Josh and Toby have actually spoken since "the fight", and things are still clearly tense between them. I guess its another sign that things are "coming to an end" - if these relationships, forged in happer times are breaking down. I really would like to see Josh and Toby have a conversation and make it up... if the writers do nothing else about the relationships between the outgoing staff and the incoming, please let it be that.
