Review of Hartsfield's Landing

Written by Toniann

  • Was the reporter *nuts* for asking the president about chess, or what? Has this guy never met Jed Bartlet before?

  • So in that opening scene, CJ gets the president in the car and he talks to Leo about China. Then the cars leave. Couldn't the cars have gone while the president was talking to Leo? I mean, it's not like he was driving. Wouldn't it have made sense for them to talk en route?

  • Slightly OT: Isn't it great that Allison Janney is going to be on Frasier? I can't wait.

  • Once again, the world's going to military hell and though mentioned, Fitz is no where to be seen. I know, I know, I'm just still missing John Amos. I do like Anna Deveare Smith, though.

  • 46 out of Hartsfield's Landing's 63 residents are registered voters? What about the other 17? I guess they're all under 18.

  • Okay, can I just say that Charlie was da man in this episode? I love CJ, you all know that, but he really came out the winner in that little tussle. Crazy gluing the phone? Switching her card? And then the desk? That guy is crafty and resourceful. She should surrender and sign out the form, like, now.

  • Josh talked about the Flenders (or whatever their name was) of Hartsfield's Landing taking Donna into their home. Huh? I guess maybe during the campaign.

  • Wasn't it weird that Josh called up Donna to babble about China? That poor guy really didn't have anyone to talk to in this episode. I liked how that subplot ended, though. Josh did the right thing, easing up on that couple. And I think he did it even without thinking of the fact that his doing so might have been the one thing that got their vote. I'm betting they voted for Bartlet, in the end.

  • And yes, Josh, sometimes you are the fish guy.

  • Let me just say here: I really wish I knew how to play chess. Oh, I know how the pieces move. But somehow, I think there's more to it than that.

  • The complex scenes between Toby and the president will require a repeat watching for me to really get a firm grip on every nuance of what happened there. But I liked it. At the end of the episode I was disappointed we didn't finish with a final scene between the two of them. Then I realized, like Bartlet said, they're not done. They've just agreed to play the game. Toby really does think so highly of Bartlet, and the truth is, Toby's good opinion is just as important to the president, whether he likes it or not.

  • Completely OT: that Red Lobster commercial, with the guy staring into the tank and touching his hands to the lobster's claws, that was too much. It reminded me of a Friends episode where Phoebe gives Ross advice on how to win over Rachel and explain they should be together (this was years ago, obviously) with a story about the lobsters in tanks, walking along together and holding claws. "Do the claws again!"

  • Bartlet's scenes with Sam had such a nice flavor to them, didn't they? The teacher/student sort of vibe, as Bartlet encouraged Sam to "see the whole board" and think it through himself. That last line, about Sam running for president someday and Bartlet having faith in him, that was nice. He really is a good man.

  • Scenes from next week (as yes, this is the tiniest of spoilers): was that a glimpse of Lord John Marbury I saw? Whoo hoo!

    "It's all part of the service here at Claudia's House of Useless Knowledge."

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