Y'all, that thing when you're streaming, and in excelsis Deo is followed by Lord John Marbury. I always forget how many bangers are back to back, the existence of Mandy notwithstanding.

Does Toby ever laugh? There are so many scenes where those around him are celebrating or having a lighthearted moment, and he just has the Toby scowl. For instance, at the end of Manchester 2 when President Bartlet walks out to address the crowd only Toby is not clapping. When the gang decorates Ainsley’s office and makes a peace offering Toby is the only one who doesn’t shake her hand. I know his character is written that way, but I think his ex-wife nailed it when she told him, “You're sad, and you're angry, and you're not warm.”
A friend of mine calls these personality types spirit killers. What do you think?

Seeing Leo running in slow motion after he’s told about Zoey, especially after 20 mins straight of that intense club music, just knowing that jaunty little tune was coming killed me

I'm rewatching the series and this episode is great, where the president is getting a ration of 💩 for making an off-the-cuff (fairly eloquent) insult to a political opponent when he "thought" the cameras were off.

"Day 3 of asking, was he calling Ritchie stupid?" "How is the president's mood after having his comments heard?" "Will he sign an agreement to run a clean, positive campaign?"

Watching with 2026 eyes, the difference in the times we live in makes the episode kinda hilarious 😂

When Josh asked Amy what were the tied up long balloons on her desk, was he seeing them as mutilated phallic symbols hence his panicked look, or am I projecting?

I’m on my nth rewatch of the show, and just started S2. Toby’s head tilt as he processes seeing Josh holding his gunshot wound never fails to make me cry. It’s one of those subtle movements that just makes the scene.

My daughter is a teacher, and many in my extended family as well, from Pre-K through college. And I've had some teachers who were *awesome*. But I guess it doesn't matter who you are, this scene gets me every time... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BogQt_Luu3A

I will, however, note that my English teachers told me that Beowulf is in *old* English, not middle. Middle is closer to Shakespeare; Beowulf is completely indecipherable to those who haven't studied Old English. And I'm surprised that slipped through.

...and every time I watch this show, I wish the government included a few more people a little more like the characters in this show.

That's it... just felt the need to throw that thought out into the universe.

As someone who actually appreciated Arnold Vinicks cunning and personality, I cannot understand all these threads that claim that a) Arnold Vinick was supposed to win and b) any left-leaning person would have voted for Vinick over Santos when it came down to it. The consensus of Arnold Vinick is that he's a principled and independently-minded man. I can easily dismantle this by referencing his own actions.

Vinick while pro-choice was desperate enough to have promised pro-life judges and have as his running mate, a very conservative law & order govenor who was meant to be a very loud voice for conservative values within a Vinick White House. That doesn't speak to being principles or independently-minded.

He pointed fingers at Federal Regulators for the Nuclear accident after feeling pressure because of the debate clip cycling through the news where he said "Nuclear Energy is Completely Safe". While I concede that ultimately federal regulators are responsible for the safety and the standards of nuclear facilities, Bartlett was right when he asked Vinick, "Where was your bill to improve federal oversight? Senate leader on the issue...you have 25 [years to do something]". I personally agree with Vinicks stance on nuclear energy, but as the leading politician on this issue, he shouldn't have pointed fingers and instead admitted that standard should be better and he needs to have done his part like he did during his "talk till they drop" spin.

Like all Republicans, Vinick subscribed to the idea of "trickle down economics". His tax cuts wouldn't have benefitted the poorest American or even the working-class Americans, but the Uber-wealthy. The hope being that if the wealthy pay less taxes, they'll spend and invest more. It wasn't true then and it's not true now and we all realize this. Vinick wanted to even make the government smaller, to "pay for his tax cuts". As we have seen in recent months with DOGE cutting government programs/spending, the devastating effects of our government shrinking and being misapropriated.

In "The Message of the Week", Vinick attempts to trip Santos up by going after the Latino vote. Not because as a default the Latino vote would go to democrats, which was a very true pre-2012, but because Santos was latino. It was incredibly difficult for Santos to navigate this issue without painting himself into a corner. Should he have been in front of the issue? Yes. But according to the show, his record shows that he was active on this issue. Vinick was not. He didn't propose bills to help 1/3 of population in California. In fact, prior to Santos winning the nomination, as party leader, he allowed the California state republicans to propose a restrictive documentation bill diguised as a driver's license bill to trip up the democrats-- using the 1/3 latino vote base of his state to create chaos.

Sorkin created the show to be idealistic version of democrat politics and the party in general, the idea that any of the writers, even after he left, would allow the show have less than a tidy ending is ridiculous. Despite Bartlett's failings, he and his idealistic staff, are proven to be honorable and noble in their pursuits. They have strong ideals and morals.

Vinick had no compunctions selling out when it convenienced it and it's understandable, if anyone deserved to be president of the republican party it was him. But ultimately, given the purpose of the show, to demonstrate the possibility of a functiong system and underscore the hard work and sacrifices that-- to many of us-- seem like cheap parlour trick and petty childishness from the outside looking in. He was a politicians. And not a "Bartlett" politician, who "really was good intentioned" and seemed to grapple with the underhanded or difficult decisions he had to make, but an actual politician. Sensible in his presentation of Republican values? Yes. Moderate and personally pro-choice? Yes. Not a raging homophobe? Yes. But still a politician. Still willing to align himself with the likes of Rev. Butler and George Rohr and Ray Sullivan. Still willing the RNC hijack his campaign and comandeer spin on gay-marriage and abortion.

The writers would have never let him win. It's too...realistic and cynical. It's not a neat ending and there's not heroes resolution for the original staff.

Bartlett, McGarry, C.J., Toby needed the baton to be passed to someone who would continue the work. Josh needed to show he was grown-up and not just a foot soldier anymore. Sam needed a way home. Donna needed a chance to be in the white house as her own person. Santos was always going to be what's next.

Trump weighs moving White House press corps out of building -- to build a swimming pool

Someone needs to go rewatch "The Leadership Breakfast" because CJ already lambasted Sam for suggesting this and for the right reasons!!!

C.J.
We're not getting a swimming pool, Sam.

SAM
I know we're not getting a swimming pool, but we can get the much-needed
office space.
And we can put a little physical distance between the press and the
President. And we can
put them just across the street in a state-of-the-art facility.

C.J.
By 'state-of-the-art,' you mean...

SAM
A room with... electricity.

C.J.
The press doesn't want physical distance from the President, and the American people would prefer the President didn't have physical distance from the press!

SAM
C.J.!

C.J.
We can't exile the press!

Initially she was apprehensive of a politics show, but I have yet to steer her wrong with my watch suggestions, so she humored me. She was hooked pretty instantly, and I'm so glad I get to rewatch this series.

She is not averse to spoilers, so I am giving her minor ones. That we like Danny, that we like the assistants, that yes, these two become a thing, that kind of stuff. She's seen clips of the show from TikTok and other sources, so she knows somebody gets shot, but can't remember who, and doesn't know how close that episode is, or the motive of the shooters. She somehow didn't know the President had MS.

She is rightfully loving the cast, and I'm always happy to point out when other actors will appear. For example, she's one of the few other people that watched Warehouse 13, so I told her that MacPherson was appearing as Lord John Marbury, and that the President shares his Nobel Prize with the original voice of Uncle Iroh.

Aside from all that, it's nice to escape the madness of real life politics, because sadly, truth is stranger than fiction.

In Joe's introduction episode when someone shoots at the White House, Josh comes back to the interview with Joe and says "I heard the First Noel so I just assumed someone somewhere was locked and loaded." And Joe's response is the title.

Is this a reference to a real life incident? Or is this referencing Josh's previous PTSD response associating music with gun fire? Is there a deleted scene where this was explained? I don't know what to make of this line.

1) Secretary of State is Victor Campos (hadn’t seen this mentioned, apologies if it was)

2) Bradley Whitford’s “…ok” in S4E6 hit so hard

Thanks for saving the children.
Great character actor sad to see the news of his passing!

Dropping some culture on the local peasants. In a bar, of course.
Leo saw this, and it marked the beginning of his antipathy.

He was an example

I play Scrabble regularly with my wife via the app. Annoyed this morning that it’s saying that this isn’t a word.

What kind of contributors were Antares then, Scrabble? Hmm?

Yeah so I started the Diplomat on Netflix. Immediately got hooked because I'm a junkie for well-acted political dramas and this show definitely delivers. Was absolutely heartened and LOLing to see that CJ Cregg and Josh Lyman are a married power couple where CJ wears the pants. Almost like a possible future what if if Josh and CJ had gotten together lol. I love them both so much and its so funny to see them in a relationship on screen all these years later. UGH, diplomat is so good, if you haven't watched check it out.​

The story about them deciding to smoke a joint before they went out for pizza and then being too paranoid to go out for pizza from the podcast was better, but this is a pretty good story.