Review of H.Con - 172

Written by Toniann

  • I really liked Jordan, Leo's lawyer. She was one tough lady. And I wonder how their dinner together went.

  • It's a small thing, but I love seeing CJ and Toby banter with each other, and there were a couple of nice bits of that in this episode. I loved when Sam read out the passage about Toby being dark and cynical and failing at marriage (what was that about "the one marriage we know about", anyway?) and the two of them did that little lean around the lamp to talk about miniature golf.

  • There was something strange about how long it took Josh and Toby to come up with some way women are being screwed so that Josh would have an excuse to go and see Amy. And the one Josh came up with really was just lame.

  • Speaking of Feminista Amy (as Josh might refer to her endearingly), well, whether I like her or not I gather I'd better get used to her for a bit. For what it's worth, I liked her better in this episode than the last time we saw her.

  • Butwhile we're at it, when he was on the phone with her, why on earth did he say there was a dog in the room? In the West Wing? Really? While we're at it, Bartlet really should have a dog, don't you think? All the cool presidents did. Actually, all of them did, period, in recent history.

  • Um, excuse me, Giselle, but since when can Josh lay claim to not liking ballet? Didn't we just hear about a childhood desire to be a ballerina recently?

  • As a librarian/archivist, I just have to talk about Charlie's map for a second. Bear with me; I can't help it. He found a 1709 map in a flea market? And if so, it's being handled about carelessly, and *rolled*? Someone get me a poly sleeve and a map folder, stat. I can't even think about it.

  • Speaking of Charlie, he had these great facial expressions tonight, like after Sam asked him if he was at a sHance attempting to contact Margaret's grandmother (it would be Margaret, too, you know it) and then later, when remarks were made regarding the president's underwear. I'd have a strange look on my face, too.

  • You know, I really love the White House mess. It makes my work lunch room look like a hot dog stand. I want to work there just so I can eat there, even if they don't have Fresca.

  • You heard it here first (maybe): to answer the question I know will be asked, the president's favorite movie that Toby referred to was "The Lion in Winter", starring Kathryn Hepburn and Richard Harris, and was about King Henry of England and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their three sons. And it's a wonderful movie.

  • Some interesting bits with Leo in this episode: walking by the painting of Andrew Jackson, then reflecting on him later -- isn't that the guy who brought us the Big Block of Cheese, as well? I also noted the framed "Bartlet for America" napkin still residing on his desk at one point

  • Cliff the Republican lawyer really is kind of turning out to be a decent guy, as Donna discovered tonight. I wonder if there's any future for them yet, especially since we're obviously going in a different direction with Josh. Well, that's probably a good thing.

  • Great scene: Toby, CJ, and Sam in CJ's office, Sam ranting about the photographer's tell-all book, and CJ calmly bringing him down and pointing out that he's just worried about what's going on that they don't know about, and focusing on the book for distraction. Good call, CJ. They'll come a long way, not just CJ and Sam, of course, the whole staff as well. But a long way from when they all first started working together. I've been rewatching season one lately, and the difference is profound.

  • I had an inkling... Toby's quote from The Lion in Winter, and Sam's comment about not taking the truth casually. I had a feeling that if the president agreed to the resolution, it wouldn't be just to save Leo. And I'm glad there was more to it, because though I love Leo as we all do, saving him wouldn't have been reason enough. I want to think about it some more, but my gut reaction at this moment is that, harsh repercussions or not, this decision is that is truest to the president's character, and what the Bartlet team is about. Be true to yourself, after all, and I think that's what they're doing here. Right or wrong.

  • Finally, a side note about next week's previews: you've just got to love continuity!

    "When the fall is all that's left, it matters a great deal."

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