Review of Noel
Written by Toniann
I thought this episode was a necessary one, but also one that was
well-placed. We needed to see some fallout from the shooting, and
specifically as it affected Josh. But in order to be really believable,
I think, there needed to be some time between the two. Great episode,
and one I look forward to watching again.
Did you catch that huge lighted White House thing being pushed on a
cart at the beginning? Was that a cake? If so, cool.
Donna cracked me up in this episode. For once she wasn't rambling on
as she normally does; instead it was a simple "Yo-Yo Ma Rules!" that had
me grinning.
White House Visitors Bureau guy Bernard Thatcher was a great
character, wasn't he? Frankly, I wish this guy worked at my office. Or
that I could get away with being that blunt. He was like Niles Crane
with those fashion tips.
While we're on the subject, I really liked the subplot about the
painting. It had nothing to do with the main Josh storyline, but that's
what subplots are for.
Side note, though, on something I didn't get: CJ had that picture that
showed two people standing in front of a painting, which turned out to
be the painting hanging outside the Blue Room, which unlocked the whole
puzzle of the Screaming Visitor. It appeared, in the brief glance I got,
to be a black and white photograph, somewhat old. My question is, where
did she get that photograph? Why did she have it? Did those people send
it to her? Was this explained and I missed it?
Really random thought. I was thinking about Charlie, and how he and
Josh were, in a way, the two real victims of the shooting. Charlie
wasn't injured physically, but knowing he was the target of all this had
a deep effect on him. We saw some of that in, what was it, "The
Midterms", I think. I just wonder what Josh and Charlie could say to
each other about that.
Even Jed Bartlet can't sign 1.1 million Christmas cards himself.
Jeesh. I think I sent out something like 30 this year, and I thought
that was excessive.
Toby, Toby, Toby. He was like the Grinch after he'd been won over by
Cindy Lou Hoo. I especially liked the bagpipers.
On a personal note, I'd like to find a therapist like Stanley. The few
I've encountered, well, I always feel like I can make them feel sorry
for me a bit too easily, or that they're telling me what I like to hear.
This guy was like a therapist on truth serum. "I broke a window." "Yeah,
stop doing that." Seriously, the fact of the matter is, I've always felt
that it's important to find a therapist you're not smarter than. That's
what made Stanley the right guy for Josh to talk to, imho.
I've been down here before and I know the way out... And that's why
people like Josh and Sam and CJ and Toby and Jed Bartlet were willing
to do whatever it took for Leo last season. What a guy.
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