Review of Dead Irish Writers
Written by Toniann
I don't know if we've ever seen Bartlet doing a crossword before -- just Leo, I think. If the man can play chess as well as he does, crosswords are probably not much of a stretch.
He calls his wife Boo Boo? I think I liked the time he called her "Hot Pants" better.
"Abigail, may I grasp your breasts?" Isn't there something just altogether wonderful about Lord John Marbury? I mean, as the president said, in some cultures it would be considered poor taste to compliment a woman's breasts in front of her husband. Or in front of her, for that matter. In this culture, actually. But LJM just carries it off. Maybe it's the accent. Or, as Donna once said, "He's dreamy."
His scenes with Toby were interesting, and not just because they gave us the source for this episode's title. I didn't see his turnabout coming -- that man is very good at arguing a side he doesn't agree with, it seems. I liked the bit about a nation's "original sin", what ours are, and how for England, "it's Ireland." Sadly, historically, I must point out that it was also Wales and Scotland at some point -- England just won those wars, end of story. Not that I'm throwing stones; America certainly has our own skeletons in the closet as well.
Speaking of Donna, can I ask what the heck that whole citizenship thing was about? Honestly, we really changed our border and parts that were once American soil are now Canadian? Really? We've actually done that, or just in West Wing world? I had no idea. Speaking as someone who lives twenty minutes away from the Canadian border, you understand this is of some interest to me.
Though, how silly of the Secret Service to even be concerned about letting a Canadian into the party anyhow. I mean, *Canadians*, for crying out loud. These are our best buds we're talking about. I know, I know, it's the Secret Service. They're actually never silly about anything.
The Girls' Drinking party, led by Abigail Bartlet, was kind of funny... I liked CJ's obsession with the cork. And Donna blurting out what she did and stepping just a tiny bit over the line... but, in the end, what she said was true and Abby seemed to realize that. That didn't stop her from getting the Canadian anthem played for Donna, though. Neat. As it was playing, I kept thinking, "Good thing for hockey, so everyone knows all the words."
You know, I've noticed that CJ likes to wear gray formal wear a lot. This isn't the first time. It's nice, and she looks good in it, it's just beginning to be a bit repetitious. And that's your Fashion Police report for the week.
I will also not hold it against CJ that she's "not wild about cats", since she said she could get used to them. She could try being a little more enthusiastic about it, though. Felines Rule. Does she remember nothing of Bast?
I love Hector Elizondo, even when he's not in a movie with Julia Roberts.
I was trying to like her there for a bit, last time, but Amy Gardner had that very nasally annoying voice thing going again. I'm sorry, it doesn't matter what she's saying, I can't listen to it.
We had the closed captioning on, and every time a scene went back to the party, it said something like "(lush, romantic music plays)". But then the next time it would say "(big band music plays)" and then "(swing music plays)" and then "(dance music plays)". It was a different description every single time, and I have to tell you, it all pretty much sounded the same. I'm just sayin'.
"I'm like Gatsby, but without the problems."
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