Review of The Pilot

Written by Toniann

review written in Jan. 2002

  • A lot of great and wonderful things happened in this, the first of many exceptional episodes. I have to say, though, that my favorite bit was Leo vehemently contesting the accuracy of 17 across in the New York Times crossword puzzle. I loved when he called to complain and sounded like enough of a loon that they hung up on him -- and he was telling the truth!

  • You know, it doesn't really sound right when they call the president "POTUS" out loud, like it's a word. It sounds kind of silly. And I notice they stopped doing it.

  • Poor CJ, the first glimpse we get of her and she's falling off a treadmill. A sign of things to come. Ah well. The race isn't always won by the most graceful. Maybe.

  • So. Laurie smokes pot? Wait, let me get that straight: she just "really loves it", or something to that affect. Wow, I like her even more than I did before! In all seriousness, though, boy, they sure dropped that aspect of her character, didn't they? Not to mention, it's kind of funny when you think that it was Aaron who wrote that line.

  • Loved the first shot of Leo walking through the West Wing. I think most of it was one continuous shot. Nice.

  • They really kind of changed Sam's character along the way, didn't they? I mean, here in the pilot he's acting kind of Rob Lowe-like. In the midst of the third season as I write this, I can't quite picture Sam managing to pick up a woman in a bar that suavely.

  • While we're at it, did I hear that right? Sam once hit on Leo's wife? Now that's a story I'd like to hear.

  • Boy, they really thought they were going to do something with the whole Mandy/Josh storyline, didn't they? What a shame that didn't work out.

  • It's somewhat heartbreaking to see so much of Cathy (Suzy Nakamura) in this episode. What the heck happened to her? Doesn't Sam need an assistant anymore? Was that it? That they thought it wasn't accurate in regards to his place in the West Wing pecking order that he'd have his own assistant? I don't buy that.

  • Last but not least: let me just say that, nobody makes an entrance like Martin Sheen. :)

    "You'd be amazed at how normal I can be."

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