30 Days of The West Wing: Day 24
Here is the meme in case anyone else would like to join in:
Day 1: Favorite Season
Day 2: Favorite Episode
Day 3: Favorite Song Used In An Episode
Day 4: Favorite Female Character
Day 5: Favorite Male Character
Day 6: Favorite Friendship
Day 7: Favorite Romance
Day 8: Least Favorite Female Character
Day 9: Least Favorite Male Character
Day 10: Least Favorite Season
Day 11: Least Favorite Romance
Day 12: Least Favorite Episode
Day 13: Favorite Bartlet that isn't the President
Day 14: Favorite Secret Service Agent
Day 15: Episode You Like That Others Hate
Day 16: Character You Relate To The Most
Day 17: Character Who Didn’t Get Enough Screen Time
Day 18: Character You Like That Others Hate
Day 19: Best President Bartlet-centric Episode
Day 20: Best Leo McGarry-centric Episode
Day 21: Best Toby Ziegler-centric Episode
Day 22: Best C.J. Gregg-centric Episode
Day 23: Best Joshua Lyman-centric Episode
Day 24: Most Harrowing Scene
Day 25: Favorite The West Wing Quote
Day 26: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
Day 27: Cutest/Most Adorable Moment
Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
Day 29: Episode You Hate That Others Love
Day 30: What You Think Made TWW So Great
Day 24: Most Harrowing Scene
Harrowing is defined as "acutely distressing." There are many scenes that I consider harrowing over the seven years of the show, so I'll list my top six.
Donna learning Josh was hit (S02E01): This was the beginning of the show giving Donna more importance than her position warranted. It's clear here that Josh is more than just her boss, and it's awesome that she represents someone who cares more about what's happening to him than anything else in the hospital...but it doesn't really make sense that she's there when, say, Margaret isn't. However, if you overlook the weirdness of her showing up at all, this is a great distressing scene.
CJ grieving Simon Donovan (S03E22): This is a truly moving, awful scene, and it's all because Allison Janney sells it so well. If it wasn't for her breaking the viewer's heart when she falls apart on the curb, Simon Donovan's death would mean very little. After all, he's only around for four episodes! He gives great depth for his brief existence on the show, but his would be a hollow, unnecessary death if it wasn't for CJ mourning him in a way that feels believable for the time she spent with him.
Leo running to the President when Zoey is kidnapped (S04E21): Really, the entire Zoey kidnapping is harrowing. But because Zoey is stupid and her parents can be unsympathetic, it is really Ron Butterfield and Leo who make it matter. It's the look of despair on Agent Butterfield's face: he was utterly stoic when a bullet went through his hand, but the loss of the First Daughter leaves him distraught, it's kind of amazing to see. And Leo, faced with even more bad news that he gets to give the President, doesn't hesitate--he just starts running.
Toby fighting with Josh (S06E16): Compared to my other choices, this one seems out of place, but it makes my personal list. Josh visits Toby to offer sympathy for the loss of his brother, but is offended when Toby's response is less than warm and fuzzy. He's mean and callous when Toby is honest about his issues, and their fight escalates to physical fighting. What makes this harrowing for me is that watching it, it feels incredibly uncomfortable. It's deeply unsettling to see these two, who used to be family, go at each other when they should have each other's backs. When Toby breaks down later with CJ, it's not just about his brother; there's a little Josh in there, too.
Toby finding Josh shot (S02E01) and Leo's heart attack (S06E02). These two tie for my choice of most harrowing scene. I cannot choose between them. The tilting sensation and believable shock in Toby's behavior is chilling every time, but it is harrowing in an almost positive way because what an amazing episode, and the acting, and Josh is okay in the end. In contrast, Leo's heart attack is so harrowing I struggle to watch it, but it's harrowing in an impressively awful way. To choose the first scene would mean undervaluing the powerful distress of the second, but to choose the second would mean undervaluing the artfully moving effect of the first. I give; they both win.
And...icons!
Thanks for reading. :)
See you tomorrow for Day 25!
Day 1: Favorite Season
Day 2: Favorite Episode
Day 3: Favorite Song Used In An Episode
Day 4: Favorite Female Character
Day 5: Favorite Male Character
Day 6: Favorite Friendship
Day 7: Favorite Romance
Day 8: Least Favorite Female Character
Day 9: Least Favorite Male Character
Day 10: Least Favorite Season
Day 11: Least Favorite Romance
Day 12: Least Favorite Episode
Day 13: Favorite Bartlet that isn't the President
Day 14: Favorite Secret Service Agent
Day 15: Episode You Like That Others Hate
Day 16: Character You Relate To The Most
Day 17: Character Who Didn’t Get Enough Screen Time
Day 18: Character You Like That Others Hate
Day 19: Best President Bartlet-centric Episode
Day 20: Best Leo McGarry-centric Episode
Day 21: Best Toby Ziegler-centric Episode
Day 22: Best C.J. Gregg-centric Episode
Day 23: Best Joshua Lyman-centric Episode
Day 24: Most Harrowing Scene
Day 25: Favorite The West Wing Quote
Day 26: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
Day 27: Cutest/Most Adorable Moment
Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
Day 29: Episode You Hate That Others Love
Day 30: What You Think Made TWW So Great
Day 24: Most Harrowing Scene
Harrowing is defined as "acutely distressing." There are many scenes that I consider harrowing over the seven years of the show, so I'll list my top six.
Donna learning Josh was hit (S02E01): This was the beginning of the show giving Donna more importance than her position warranted. It's clear here that Josh is more than just her boss, and it's awesome that she represents someone who cares more about what's happening to him than anything else in the hospital...but it doesn't really make sense that she's there when, say, Margaret isn't. However, if you overlook the weirdness of her showing up at all, this is a great distressing scene.
CJ grieving Simon Donovan (S03E22): This is a truly moving, awful scene, and it's all because Allison Janney sells it so well. If it wasn't for her breaking the viewer's heart when she falls apart on the curb, Simon Donovan's death would mean very little. After all, he's only around for four episodes! He gives great depth for his brief existence on the show, but his would be a hollow, unnecessary death if it wasn't for CJ mourning him in a way that feels believable for the time she spent with him.
Leo running to the President when Zoey is kidnapped (S04E21): Really, the entire Zoey kidnapping is harrowing. But because Zoey is stupid and her parents can be unsympathetic, it is really Ron Butterfield and Leo who make it matter. It's the look of despair on Agent Butterfield's face: he was utterly stoic when a bullet went through his hand, but the loss of the First Daughter leaves him distraught, it's kind of amazing to see. And Leo, faced with even more bad news that he gets to give the President, doesn't hesitate--he just starts running.
Toby fighting with Josh (S06E16): Compared to my other choices, this one seems out of place, but it makes my personal list. Josh visits Toby to offer sympathy for the loss of his brother, but is offended when Toby's response is less than warm and fuzzy. He's mean and callous when Toby is honest about his issues, and their fight escalates to physical fighting. What makes this harrowing for me is that watching it, it feels incredibly uncomfortable. It's deeply unsettling to see these two, who used to be family, go at each other when they should have each other's backs. When Toby breaks down later with CJ, it's not just about his brother; there's a little Josh in there, too.
Toby finding Josh shot (S02E01) and Leo's heart attack (S06E02). These two tie for my choice of most harrowing scene. I cannot choose between them. The tilting sensation and believable shock in Toby's behavior is chilling every time, but it is harrowing in an almost positive way because what an amazing episode, and the acting, and Josh is okay in the end. In contrast, Leo's heart attack is so harrowing I struggle to watch it, but it's harrowing in an impressively awful way. To choose the first scene would mean undervaluing the powerful distress of the second, but to choose the second would mean undervaluing the artfully moving effect of the first. I give; they both win.
And...icons!
Thanks for reading. :)
See you tomorrow for Day 25!