Ah, Babbish. He's one of my favorite minor characters, probably because I find Oliver Platt so damn charming.
It is a very good Charlie episode, and Dule Hill does such wonderful work in making it clear how much Charlie doesn't want to be admitting what he is, even though he knows he has to - all without words.
And yet, there was Bartlet, telling his filial figure that he’d better not compromise the truth out of love, or they’d be done. There he was, depite everything, urging Charlie in that way.
It's a very "do as I say, not as I do" kind of scene, isn't it? That's the thing about Bartlet, that he's always striving to be better, and taking everyone in his orbit along with him, even when he stumbles.
CJ’s attitude felt as unwarranted as Bartlet’s had, (the audience might also be a little more geared to view him kindly because we’d seen him having to go through his own version of absorbing the news and then deal with Bartlet’s ‘tude in the previous ep.
I do love the banter between CJ and Babbish, though. "I have never in my life found anything charming." I think having to speak to a lawyer - even your own lawyer - when you know damn well you've done something unethical if not outright illegal, as CJ and Bartlet do, would put anyone on the defensive. Of course, it also just makes for worse tv if everyone is even-tempered and cooperative, but that's the more boring reason.
I also didn’t mind Josh raising the anti-tobacco lawyer’s line about fraud to Leo. It felt like a valid character bit, that he wanted to dicuss it with Leo. In fact, I liked the different way we saw Josh dealing with this, abent seeing him being told by Bartlet.
Yeah, I don't know why they got so salty about that line on the podcast. Of course they'd be sensitive to things like accusations of fraud at that time!
As the podcast raised, it’s an accurate portrayal of a guy who would say he’s not sexist, yet just keeps on proving otherwise.
I know I've said it before, but damn, does Sam's sexism annoy me more on every rewatch. Part of it is exactly that, that there's no way Sam would ever consider himself sexist, and in fact very strenuously objects to that accusation when it comes up. Yet...he is, and not in an entirely benign way. It's aggravating.
I got his broader point about the line they wanted in, athough he lost me as he told us how much he’d been earning and how he felt about paying his ‘fair share’ of taxes then (obviously earning less now, but still clearly sure there’d be hot water whenever he opened his tap).
Not to harp on Sam (okay maybe a little bit), his point isn't even that valid! Wealthier people can afford things like better water heaters or boiling water taps. And I know from experience that actually, police/fire/etc will respond much faster when you live in a wealthier neighborhood, so...be aware of your damn privilege, Sam.
Agreed the Josh & Joey scene is great, one of the best.
Overall, I like the way they’re handling the fallout here and the sense that there is so much more to come, but this was just a little baggier than the previous episode, and one or tow things didn’t quite pay off as much as they were intended to.
tbh the stretch of eps between 17 People and Two Cathedrals has always been my least favorite part of S2. But the payoff is worth it!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2021-07-23 08:06 pm (UTC)It is a very good Charlie episode, and Dule Hill does such wonderful work in making it clear how much Charlie doesn't want to be admitting what he is, even though he knows he has to - all without words.
And yet, there was Bartlet, telling his filial figure that he’d better not compromise the truth out of love, or they’d be done. There he was, depite everything, urging Charlie in that way.
It's a very "do as I say, not as I do" kind of scene, isn't it? That's the thing about Bartlet, that he's always striving to be better, and taking everyone in his orbit along with him, even when he stumbles.
CJ’s attitude felt as unwarranted as Bartlet’s had, (the audience might also be a little more geared to view him kindly because we’d seen him having to go through his own version of absorbing the news and then deal with Bartlet’s ‘tude in the previous ep.
I do love the banter between CJ and Babbish, though. "I have never in my life found anything charming." I think having to speak to a lawyer - even your own lawyer - when you know damn well you've done something unethical if not outright illegal, as CJ and Bartlet do, would put anyone on the defensive. Of course, it also just makes for worse tv if everyone is even-tempered and cooperative, but that's the more boring reason.
I also didn’t mind Josh raising the anti-tobacco lawyer’s line about fraud to Leo. It felt like a valid character bit, that he wanted to dicuss it with Leo. In fact, I liked the different way we saw Josh dealing with this, abent seeing him being told by Bartlet.
Yeah, I don't know why they got so salty about that line on the podcast. Of course they'd be sensitive to things like accusations of fraud at that time!
As the podcast raised, it’s an accurate portrayal of a guy who would say he’s not sexist, yet just keeps on proving otherwise.
I know I've said it before, but damn, does Sam's sexism annoy me more on every rewatch. Part of it is exactly that, that there's no way Sam would ever consider himself sexist, and in fact very strenuously objects to that accusation when it comes up. Yet...he is, and not in an entirely benign way. It's aggravating.
I got his broader point about the line they wanted in, athough he lost me as he told us how much he’d been earning and how he felt about paying his ‘fair share’ of taxes then (obviously earning less now, but still clearly sure there’d be hot water whenever he opened his tap).
Not to harp on Sam (okay maybe a little bit), his point isn't even that valid! Wealthier people can afford things like better water heaters or boiling water taps. And I know from experience that actually, police/fire/etc will respond much faster when you live in a wealthier neighborhood, so...be aware of your damn privilege, Sam.
Agreed the Josh & Joey scene is great, one of the best.
Overall, I like the way they’re handling the fallout here and the sense that there is so much more to come, but this was just a little baggier than the previous episode, and one or tow things didn’t quite pay off as much as they were intended to.
tbh the stretch of eps between 17 People and Two Cathedrals has always been my least favorite part of S2. But the payoff is worth it!