Review of The State Dinner
Written by Toniann
review written in Feb. 2002
Like it or not, CJ would make a pretty good fashion editor. In a million years I never could have remembered all those details. Especially about the shoes.
Everything else aside, there really is something fantastically fun about the Indonesian staffer's name: Rahmadi Sumahidjo Bambang. Say it with me!
To jump ahead a little, the "interpretation round-robin" scene was hysterically funny, a classic bit. On a more serious note, though, I thought it said something about Toby that he crafted a toast that was sure to offend the Indonesians, knowing he needed a favor from them, because it was the right thing to do. And he still asked for that favor, on behalf of his friend, knowing the odds were he'd get turned down, as well. What a man.
I get the comedic value of Donna running around talking about Indonesians summarily executing people they suspect of being sorcerers, but for the record, is there any truth to that?
Here's something interesting (to me, anyway) about the truckers subplot, and the argument over two-tiered hiring. The Town I work for, and the union I'm in, does the same exact thing, and there's no sign of that ending. Probably the tiers aren't extreme, but in our system there are definitely higher pay rates, more and cheaper benefits, and incentives for permanent, long-time employees. New hires are paid on a lower scale and have fewer benefits. Just some information, in case it's news to anyone: this does indeed go on in a lot of industry.
Did you catch that? The President said that Yo Yo Ma would be playing some Bach concertos later. Yo Yo Ma Rules!!!
What can I say about Mandy that I haven't said before? Plenty, in this episode. I'm sorry, but there are no two ways about it: she completely mishandled herself and the hostage situation in McClane, Idaho, and with tragic results. She was so caught up in the competition with Josh, so eager to prove that she had the president's ear, that she forgot that lives were at stake. She was criminally negligent. She had no business advising the president on a hostage situation, she doesn't have the training or the expertise in law enforcement. And the president shouldn't have listened to her, of course. Having said all of that, it did make for an interesting story.
Great line: the president asking Leo where Toby was sitting, and when Leo responded, "With CJ, Josh, and Sam", Bartlet said, "Ah, that's the fun table." Whoo hoo!
If Charlie's grandparents are alive, why aren't he and his sister, or just his sister, at least, living with them? I understand from what he said that they're older and don't get around much, but these kids lost their mother, and they're family. You would think, that's all.
If I'm wrong, disregard this, but I believe this is the first episode that Stockard Channing appeared in as Abigail Bartlet. She started off as a terrific character, and has continued since, of course. I loved her scenes with CJ, and Leo, and most of all, of course, with Bartlet himself. Glad she came on board, and even gladder she stuck around.
That final scene, of Bartlet talking to a very junior officer as his ship went down, was so well-crafted that I really can't put it into words. Good show, all around.
"Did I mention we're having salmon?"
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