"Han" redux
I don't usually write up my thoughts on individual episodes, but this doesn't count because it's really just a comment to welshwitch gone awry.
I actually rather *liked* this episode, which is something that hasn't been true for a long time. I mean, I definitely haven't been in the "bring back Sorkin, John Wells is ruining it" camp -- as far as I'm concerned, Sorkin himself did a lot more to damage the show than Wells has done, and there have been moments of every episode this season that I've thought were decent -- but this is the first one that's pleased me on an overall level.
I have to give John Wells credit for dealing very well in the A-plot with a storyline that could have ended up totally clichéd. The President could have stood up at the last minute and Done The Right Thing, CJ and the promise of freedom upon which Our Nation Was Founded could have triumphed, the talks could have *still* been saved (or they could have failed but everybody could have been happy that they did the Right Thing anyway), and the single bright spot of Good would have prevailed over the spectre of Evil. That's what I saw coming, so much so that I watched certain scenes with only one eye open (the other being covered by my hand). None of it happened. Not a single ER moment in the A-plot, look at that! And the actor who played the pianist was really good, too. Who is he?
I generally think Josh and Amy are interesting together, but I didn't like what was done with them last episode. The relationship was rekindled too quickly, without leading up to it in any way, and it felt pretty pointless and just thrown in there. Not to mention the fact that the camerawork was annoying and distracting. This time was much, much better (and the Turningverse irony of Josh chafing at not having anything to call his and Amy's relationship? delicious.).
The Toby and Will stuff was totally obvious, but it was still fucking funny. And yes, we all knew it was going to end up on the teleprompter, but the twist with the new VP seeing the text as Bartlet was modifying it was kind of heartbreaking. I loved the look on his face, and I really kind of like the character. I wanted to see Bartlet chew them out, though. That big a mistake with no repercussions? I don't think so. That friendly conversation with the veep needed to be followed up by the President coming down on them hard. I'm certainly going to pretend in my head that that's what happened next.
Things I didn't like: 1) Donna's relatives. What was the point of that? Keep the stories clean, guys, don't throw in extra subplots that go nowhere and don't advance the stories you're trying to tell. 2) Josh failing to bring the Congressman around, but the intern accomplishing it with one phone call. I like the potential of the intern as a character who's there to be more arrogant than Josh and sort of occasionally put him in his place, but this sort of thing is just like the bad Wesley Crusher stuff from Star Trek: The Next Generation. He's fine as a foil for Josh, but please, leave him as a supporting character. Although, tangleofthorns? There was totally a "Your Next Bold Move" moment in there with the whole vote thing, which made me happy. :-)
I give it a strong B. Is this the first one Wells wrote with an actual writing team behind him, maybe?
I actually rather *liked* this episode, which is something that hasn't been true for a long time. I mean, I definitely haven't been in the "bring back Sorkin, John Wells is ruining it" camp -- as far as I'm concerned, Sorkin himself did a lot more to damage the show than Wells has done, and there have been moments of every episode this season that I've thought were decent -- but this is the first one that's pleased me on an overall level.
I have to give John Wells credit for dealing very well in the A-plot with a storyline that could have ended up totally clichéd. The President could have stood up at the last minute and Done The Right Thing, CJ and the promise of freedom upon which Our Nation Was Founded could have triumphed, the talks could have *still* been saved (or they could have failed but everybody could have been happy that they did the Right Thing anyway), and the single bright spot of Good would have prevailed over the spectre of Evil. That's what I saw coming, so much so that I watched certain scenes with only one eye open (the other being covered by my hand). None of it happened. Not a single ER moment in the A-plot, look at that! And the actor who played the pianist was really good, too. Who is he?
I generally think Josh and Amy are interesting together, but I didn't like what was done with them last episode. The relationship was rekindled too quickly, without leading up to it in any way, and it felt pretty pointless and just thrown in there. Not to mention the fact that the camerawork was annoying and distracting. This time was much, much better (and the Turningverse irony of Josh chafing at not having anything to call his and Amy's relationship? delicious.).
The Toby and Will stuff was totally obvious, but it was still fucking funny. And yes, we all knew it was going to end up on the teleprompter, but the twist with the new VP seeing the text as Bartlet was modifying it was kind of heartbreaking. I loved the look on his face, and I really kind of like the character. I wanted to see Bartlet chew them out, though. That big a mistake with no repercussions? I don't think so. That friendly conversation with the veep needed to be followed up by the President coming down on them hard. I'm certainly going to pretend in my head that that's what happened next.
Things I didn't like: 1) Donna's relatives. What was the point of that? Keep the stories clean, guys, don't throw in extra subplots that go nowhere and don't advance the stories you're trying to tell. 2) Josh failing to bring the Congressman around, but the intern accomplishing it with one phone call. I like the potential of the intern as a character who's there to be more arrogant than Josh and sort of occasionally put him in his place, but this sort of thing is just like the bad Wesley Crusher stuff from Star Trek: The Next Generation. He's fine as a foil for Josh, but please, leave him as a supporting character. Although, tangleofthorns? There was totally a "Your Next Bold Move" moment in there with the whole vote thing, which made me happy. :-)
I give it a strong B. Is this the first one Wells wrote with an actual writing team behind him, maybe?