caz963 | Entries tagged with spam

So... I watched 20 Hours in L.A yesterday... and I think it has to be the first really "meh" episode of the first season. Not a lot of funny here really, but then it follows Celestial Navigation - maybe that used up the funny allowance for two episodes...

( You're not the Belgian Foreign Minister... )

Current Mood: cold

Because the ironing pile had practically taken over my house, I decided it was time to act – even if I ended up like a damp rag afterwards, because it’s too hot to iron! But we were getting to the stage where there were more clothes in the basket than in the wardrobe, so…
I took comfort in the fact that it at least allowed me to watch Celestial Naviation - bloody hell, that episode should come with a health warning! I had to stop countless times because I was laughing so much! So, I am inspired to present my usual “ironing wordspam” – and I’m apologising in advance for the length of this, which I’ve already trimmed judiciously! – but, well, you know…

So. The plot. Mendoza gets arrested for, as Sam puts it driving whilst being Hispanic and he (Sam) and Toby head off to Connecticut to get him out of jail. The Secretary of State for Housing and Urban Development calls some Republican a racist and has to have her ass kicked – but not before the President has been inveigled into publically calling for her to apologise. And of course, the immortal “Woot Cannaw” and Josh’s legendary “Secret Plan to Fight Inflation.”

Off we go then.

Josh, who’s about to give a talk to a lecture theatre full of students hears about the arrest just before he’s due to go on stage. His talk frames the episode as we switch back and forth between Sam and Toby’s rescue mission (!) and the events of the “past 36 hours”.

I've tried really hard to trim this a bit, but what the hell - it’s fabulous, so here are all my favourite bits:

( Lost in Connecticut… )
Again, the incredible juxtaposition of the funny (in this case, the extremely funny) with the serious in this show in the early days never ceases to amaze me. If I had to make a list of my fave S1 episodes, this would be on it. Actually, it’d probably make a list of my favourite episodes full stop… but that’d be a pretty long list.
(And sorry it's such a long spam... but I couldn't help myself!)

Current Mood: cranky

Well, I didn’t do any ironing today because it was too effin’ hot (93 degrees!) but I did get a bit of time to myself to watch “Take This Sabbath Day.” But I’m gonna do the ironing spam anyway… rather than picpams, these tend to be “wordspams”! hee!

Unusually, this episode only really has an ‘A’ plot and a ‘B’ plot (normally there are 3!) – the real meat of the episode is Bartlet’s dilemma over whether to commute a death sentence, and the subplot is “hungover Josh meets Joey Lucas” – which of course gives us a wonderful comedic performance by Brad – who somehow manages to make looking like total crap cute! (Yes – I’m a hopeless case *g*!)

( It was my Saturday, too, Josh! )
I love Sam’s antics as he’s trying to “cut the cord” – puts down his phone and pager… picks them up again… can’t leave the ringing phone. Oh, Sam – don’t you realise there’s NO WAY you’re going to get out of the office for the weekend now??
The call is from the lawyers for Simon Cruz, the guy on death row whose execution is scheduled for midnight Sunday.

( Drop kicked into the fijords )

Meanwhile, Donna has discovered Josh asleep in his office smelling like he “slept in a dumpster” (one of Mandy’s better lines!). We can probably all quote this scene verbatim, but what the hell…
( I’m not listening to you now… )

Of course, being Josh, he can’t have the good luck to have been able to get himself cleaned up before Joey arrives… he also has appalling timing, telling her there’s no way she can possibly get to see the President, when guess who turns up at Josh’s office door? Oh, Josh!.

Bartlet is now wondering how on earth he can commute the death sentence – which is of course what he wants to do. He knows that the majority of the people are in favour of the death penalty for murderers, but he doesn’t believe in capital punishment on the one hand, but on the other doesn’t see how he can commute this sentence and then not others, because it’s bound to happen again. Eventually, he accepts the political reality – that he has to allow the sentence to be carried out – but he can’t reconcile what he has to do with his personal and religious beliefs.

Earlier, he’s spoken to Charlie about what he’d want to happen if the person who killed his mother was caught and brought to justice:
( a question... )

Oh, the nostalgia… *sniff* this show was just SO. DAMN. GOOD!

( gratuitous drooling… )

Current Mood: dorky

So,in Take Out the Trash Day.

We learn that Josh likes his hamburgers so well done that "if you dropped it on the floor, it would break"... that Bartlet's in trouble with Chiquita and Dole and that Sam and Toby never have their late night chats any more... which, apparently, they never had anyway... whatever.

( We've got a bit of a sticky wicket )

And "exposition girl" finds out that Take Out the Trash Day means dumping media stories you don't really want anyone to read all in one go on a Friday because nobody reads the paper on Saturdays!

I love Sam and Toby's discussion about the commandments, and then Sam's comment to Leo:
LEO
Coveting thy neighbour's wife's gonna cause some problems.

SAM
That's what I said. Plus, if I were arrested for oveting my neighbour's wife,I'd probably bear false witness.

LOL! *ahem*
( Don't take anything off the table... )
( smackdown )

And Donna finds out, sort of by accident, who was responsible for leaking the information about Leo's rehab. and getting the confidential records.

Sam fires her. And I have to say this, now - a lot of fic out there has forgotten just how mean Sam can be when he needs to. He's often presented as being a bit clueless and a bit of a gossip who can't keep his mouth shut - and I really can't fathom where that came from! Sure, he has his clumsy moments (like Josh) and maybe the sleeping with a call-girl thing wasn't his finest hour, but still...

But in the end, in an AWESOME scene, nailed to perfection by John Spencer, Leo calls the girl in to see him. He doesn't bawl her out, he just wants to understand her motivation for doing what she did.
I love this scene, so I'm just gonna let the words speak for themselves... ( I'm Leo McGarry )

And in addition to all this, there was discussion about bananas, some guy trying to get Leo to resign, Toby saving PBS and Danny telling CJ he didn't mind the random grabbing-and-kissing. No wonder time flies so quickly when you're watching one of these... watching two episodes means I did AN HOUR AND A HALF'S IRONING!!! But it didn't seem that long at all!

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: office

... was accompanied by He Shall, From Time to Time and Take Out the Trash Day.
I know it's sad, but I actually look forward to huge piles of ironing, these days!
( Is it possible I'm taking something called euthanasia? )
Actually, Abbey's fantastic all episode - I love the bit where Bartlet is insisting he feels well enough to get up, and she's all "OK, off you go then," knowing full well he isn't, which is borne out when he can't stand up without falling over!

Leo's secret about the pills and booze hits the internet and he does his pre-emptive press conference, having bawled Sam out for writing the President's statement of support, and then Josh and Sam for giving it to him to read.
( Abbott and Costello )

Brought to you by "exposition girl", this week, the explanation as to why Josh has to ( pick a guy )

Mallory and CJ get to .... scratch their respective "itches"!
( Taking that fish with you? )
And then, at the end, as Bartlet 'briefs' Tribby about what to do in an emergency...
( best friend... )
Wonderful. And I'm amazed all over again that not only has all this gone on, but that they've managed to negotiate a peace between India and Kashmir as well. 45 minutes well spent, I'd say!

ETA - oops - keep forgetting to thank West Wing Transcripts and _jems_ for the screencaps!

Current Mood: creative
Current Location: office

And so on to "Lord John Marbury", with the fabulous Roger Rees hamming it up just a little bit as a British aristocrat. Love the way it's set up with him and Leo - it's not that they don't get on or that they dislike each other, it's just that they're so very different, but there's a sense of ... exasperated friendship and admiration there nonetheless.
Lots of funny - especially this:

( You guys are gonna love him )

And this - which is really all in Toby's facial expression at the end:

( oops! )
We discover that Josh isn't a "real" lawyer and it's also the episode where Zoey asks Charlie out (awwww!). CJ is left out of the loop because Toby and the others weren't sure she'd be able to lie to the press about the troop movements in Kashmir, and Josh's deposition doesn't go well. It's just a little thing, but during the conversation in Leo's office when they talk about the fact that the story about Leo is about to break - Josh asks if Leo's family know everything... and as Leo says that they do, you can see Margaret nodding in the background. I like that, for some reason...

And speaking of the deposition

( I'll bust you like a pinata )
And the Josh and Donna moment of the episode - at the beginning, when Josh is served with the subpoena.

( I'm a professional hostile witness. )

So we're left with at 2 week ceasefire in Kashmir...

( Stopping a war in two weeks )
Sadly, I have no more ironing to do at the moment, so I'll have to find another excuse for breakng out the DVDs. Although, by the start of IED hubby was watching, too and we'd have gotten through the next episode if it hadn't been so late, so maybe it won't take too much arm twisting to watch more later! And I have let him watch all the football without complaint! *g*

Current Mood: hungry
Current Location: office
Current Music: Brimful of Asha - Fatboy Slim

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!
( I sneak out every now and then. )

And of course, Danny and CJ:
( I was distracted by a thing... )

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:
( Skis would have killed you? )

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

Current Mood: busy
Current Location: my desk

.... was accompanied by Enemies and The Short List! 2 episodes needed whilst I worked my way through two large baskets!

I know that Enemies is one of the few S1-4 episodes Sorkin didn't write, but it still has plenty of good lines. The teaser with Bartlet and Josh in the Oval in the early hours cracks me up ( every time )
Also, Toby and Sam - "Somewhere in this building is our talent."
and Josh again, at the end; "I'm sure someone with your encyclopedic knowledge of the ridiculous and dork-like will
be able to find a tree or a ferret that the public has a right to visit."
The episode is also notable for featuring one of my favourite ( dreamy!Josh moments: )

And in The Short List - two dork!Josh victory dances, "Who da man?", drunken yelling at cats; Sam tripping over the boxes in his office after waking up at his desk... and remember this guy?

"It was a series of phone calls, which I masterminded, while I'm not one to be selfish about credit, I think it is important to know that it is done, and I DID IT!"
... and then of course, this...
( I could be dead you know. )

Aaaand, then the ironing was over and it was on to IED. So much love for that ep. But it's late, I'm tired and I MUST go to bed, so maybe I'll ramble on about that another time...