Simply, the best episode of West Wing ever. The last 20 minutes are the best 20 minutes ever in TV history. Not sure what else to say. Brilliant! I absolutely love the speech by the president, the story line leading up to the speech, how Charlie deals with the young kid, and the whole plot of the episode. I really believe this is the best thing that has ever been on TV. It seems like the whole cast hit a high when recording and acting in this episode. Every cast member is spot on with this one. President Bartlett's speech makes me tear up ever time I hear it. It is the most inspirational speech I have heard. "We reach for the stars". When Bruno asks Sam when he wrote the last part and Sam says, "In the car", Bruno's response is legendary! I feel that this episode is the high water mark of acting and plot line. There has never been anything better before or after.
2 Reviews
Cringeworthy
Sonatine971 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
When I first started watching the show some 15 years ago, this episode always ranked as one of my favourites. But alas over time and repeat viewings, I have had to change that opinion in the opposite direction.
Some of the writing was pretty cringeworthy on reflection, especially Bartlet's speech about "We reach for the stars" with regards the pipe bombings that killed 44 students, but conveniently forgetting to mention that this act of terrorism was probably due to Bartlet's own covert operations against Qumar - a very definite "reap what you sow" trope.
Moreover, the Charlie/Anthony confrontation in the White House, was pretty poorly done: slamming someone up against a wall in the hallowed corridors of The White House, is not the done thing, and Charlie of all people should know that. So what he did was just an empty gesture: pure grandstanding to add a bit of drama to a poorly written scene.
But I think the worst bit of the episode was in the bar with Josh, Toby and a guy called Matt Kelley. Without even exchanging names this Matt guys spurts out his life history - he's been to Notre Dame with his daughter; she loves it, but he can barely afford it on his $55k income; and that public schools are not very good, and it "should be hard" for a father to send his daughter to college, but with a little bit of help from government.
2 minutes of political soundbites that by sheer coincidence is just the sort of thing Josh and Toby want to hear. How often does that happen in a bar amongst complete strangers in the real world?
Some of the writing was pretty cringeworthy on reflection, especially Bartlet's speech about "We reach for the stars" with regards the pipe bombings that killed 44 students, but conveniently forgetting to mention that this act of terrorism was probably due to Bartlet's own covert operations against Qumar - a very definite "reap what you sow" trope.
Moreover, the Charlie/Anthony confrontation in the White House, was pretty poorly done: slamming someone up against a wall in the hallowed corridors of The White House, is not the done thing, and Charlie of all people should know that. So what he did was just an empty gesture: pure grandstanding to add a bit of drama to a poorly written scene.
But I think the worst bit of the episode was in the bar with Josh, Toby and a guy called Matt Kelley. Without even exchanging names this Matt guys spurts out his life history - he's been to Notre Dame with his daughter; she loves it, but he can barely afford it on his $55k income; and that public schools are not very good, and it "should be hard" for a father to send his daughter to college, but with a little bit of help from government.
2 minutes of political soundbites that by sheer coincidence is just the sort of thing Josh and Toby want to hear. How often does that happen in a bar amongst complete strangers in the real world?
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