[The West Wing] 1.05 "The Crackpots and These Women"

[hermionesviolin]

When we first started watching the series, Mary Alice said that she had wanted to start with the pilot (duh) but that the show doesn't get REALLY good until episode 5. Seeing the title of course had me again thinking of "Daughters of Jerusalem (Canticle for These Women)."

The actual episode? ::shrug:: I really think that "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" / "A Proportional Response" is/are the strongest so far.

The basketball opening reminded me of the opening of "Bushwhacked" (Firefly) which was happifying.

I find it interesting that Leo who is often such a jackass is the one doing the Andrew Jackson thing.

They are so dismissive to people. This feels unrealistic. I mean, even if you're a crackpot, you can probably garner a number of people who will be pissed that the Presidential staff totally blew you off.

CJ got sold on the wildlife thing? I have difficulty believing this. I heart her vending machine statistic, though, and am curious as to whether it's actually a f'real stat. (tv.com actually doesn't help me out.)

When CJ's turning to the door and says to Josh, "You're very sweet sometimes," Eric said, "Ew. Sexual tension I wasn't expecting." I got as far as mentioning that my friend Ari really liked the banter relationship between them [see here] and did later say "That's why you're Josh" (in reaction to him calling Josh obnoxious about something). But yeah, I was totally feeling the "omg, that's me and Eric." (Though damned if Eric gets to be in the nuclear bunker and I don't :) )

Wow, Josh's survivor guilt.

Yes, the speechifying at the end just feels too much. (I thought Bartlet's conversation with Toby¹ -- as well as Josh's speech about his friends, of course² -- was much more moving.)

¹ "thank God... I couldn't live without you Toby. I mean it. "

² "I want to be a comfort to my friends in tragedy. And I want to be able to celebrate with them in triumph. And for all the times in between, I just want to be able to look them in the eye. Leo, it's not for me. I want to be with my friends, my family, and these women."

[cites from westwingtranscripts.com]

Toby: It’s “Throw Open Our Office Doors To People Who Want To Discuss Things That We Could Care Less About... Day”
Er, that should be "Couldn't Care Less." I would think Toby would know that.

Comments

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure Toby uses "whom" correctly. They're all fairly erudite. The "could care less" phrase is about the only one of Toby's that has pinged me as unconventional. I've heard it defended as meaning he honestly could care less. He cares a little (he says sarcastically) but he could probably care less.

Apparently the folks defending the phrase have used it themselves in that way, and while it's not as common as "couldn't care less" (which is what I always use, except that one time and hermionesviolin immediately caught me, that smart girl *g*), they claim it's just as legitimate. *shrug* I don't really have a problem with it. I do grit my teeth at "drug" for the past tense of "to drag", however. Gah!

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure Toby uses "whom" correctly.

It's been a long time since I've seen canon, but I have to doubt it, because the "wrong" way actually sounds better in this day and age: "Who are you taking to the dance?" (or, for a more canon-like example, "Who is the President going to nominate?") would slip by my ear without notice, whereas I'd probably do a double-take if I heard "Whom are you..."

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

And because Elizabeth conveniently included a link to transcripts, I can say with confidence that they all "misuse" (misuse in square quotes because the usage is now perfectly standard) who/m. In the pilot, Josh says "Who is she working for?" and "Who do you get to run it?"
(actually, Josh is probably the worst offender out of all of them); Donna says "Who do you like?" and Toby says "Who do we get?" in "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc"; Leo says "Who we just recommended cuts in funding for the M6 Beacon" and "I didn't know who else you could get mad at" (this last one to the President himself) in "A Proportional Response." On the other hand, the word "whom" isn't used once in the pilot, "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc," or "A Proportional Response"; Josh does, however, say "Whomever we pick" in "Five Votes Down."

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Checking out the transcripts, very sneaky. *g* I suppose "whom" really is falling out of use, then. It's likely Toby used "whom" at least once in a particularly forceful and memorable way because it stuck in my head, though if you ask me now I couldn't tell you which episode!

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

That should be "scare quotes." *headdesk*

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I was wondering what you were trying to get at by calling them "square" quotes :)

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I have no recollection of "catching" you, but it's a very me thing to do, so I'm pleased that you remember it. :)

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Hee! Actually, the reason I ever tried out the phrase in the first place was because I'd just heard Toby use it in "And It's Surely To Their Credit" and wanted to try it out!