Review of The Stormy Present
Written by Toniann
The most intriguing thing about this episode, to me, was a chance
to take a look at the "presidential heritage" that exists in the
West Wing world, or at least some of it: what we learned of Lassiter
was obviously second-hand. Still, if there was anything I took away
from this episode, it wasn't so much any sort of commentary on
Middle East politics, but rather what Bartlet said to Toby on the
plane, how he'd come to realize that those "horrible old men" were
his only peers.
In the end, we certainly took away some measure of respect for the
unseen Owen Lassiter, I guess, but... I'm sorry. His replica Oval
Office room and the jars of dirt were, I know, supposed to be very
moving, but I was kind of weirded out. Not to mention, but weren't
we at the Lassiter Presidential Library? Do all past presidents
shack up in their libraries, because if so, maybe I need to look
into renting out my closed stacks, too.
Honestly, my favorite "past president" moment was when Walken was
telling the story about him and Lassiter not being able to find the
bathroom in a restaurant in Beijing.
Personally, I was looking forward to Jed Bartlet's Lincolnalia
Trivia Challenge.
That "CJ starting to change and not knowing Toby was there" thing
was a nice bit of madcap 40's silver screen fun, but wasn't her door
open, too (she closed it behind Toby)?
Speaking of Toby, I think everyone, every now and then, needs to
have a little bit of a nutty, get drunk on Air Force One, wax poetic
about the voyage and/or village of the damned, and sing the theme
song to "M*A*S*H".
Getting back to CJ, though: she doesn't use a firewall? Come on! I
mean, I know Fitz always said the White House computers aren't
secure but -- not even a firewall?!?!
Shouldn't they have saved that DARPA guy for a new Big Block of
Cheese Day episode?
Okay, apparently I've gotten it in my head that I should be
concerned about TWW getting a little too "soap-operaesque", because
for a minute there I was sure that Mallory was going to tell Leo
that she was going to have a baby or something. Instead we learned
his ex is remarrying, which he already knew, and then we bizarrely
focused on his desk chair for a few moments as they left the room.
That was weird. Did I miss something there?
Wouldn't Abbey have been at that funeral, not to mention the other
presidents' wives and families?
Martin Sheen's short on pretty much any given day, but, geesh,
putting him next to James Cromwell, that was almost mean. :)
"Who needs Dante, I'm on my way to hell at 35,000 feet."