Rewatch: 1x16: 20 Hours in LA

[amadi]

My apologies, this was meant to be posted on Friday. Better late than never? At least my next summary is already written?

Episode 1x16: 20 Hours in LA

Read the Transcript Here

Blurb from IMDb:

President Bartlet is making a whirlwind 20-hour trip to Los Angeles. On the flight he meets Zoey's new bodyguard, who assures him that she will protect his daughter from those who have been sending racist threats. Josh is excited to hear that Joey Lucas will be at the evening's fund raiser, but dismayed to learn that the host is threatening to cancel the party unless the President makes a public statement supporting gay rights. Back in Washington, Leo needs to convince Vice President Hoynes to break a 50-50 tie by voting for an ethanol gas tax.

Summary:( Read more... )

Questions:

1. Josh & Joey: adorable or a little offputting considering how much of an ass he was the only time they met before?
2. Like "Take This Sabbath Day" this was a very politics-heavy episode (as opposed to policy-heavy). Where there was strife and pushback against the realities of the politics of the death penalty in Sabbath Day, did it seem that everyone was just accepting, with a note of cynicism, the realities of polling and fundraising and unpopular positions in this episode, except, perhaps, for John Hoynes?
3. In the ongoing b-plot, is Zoey being cavalier about the need for protection (especially after the terrible scare her father gave her about worst case scenarios) or naive about the realities of being visible to the public?

Fictional Political Tropes on The West Wing

[acrimonyastraea]

EvMaroon wrote a great post for Bitch Blogs about fictional political tropes. Many of these are featured in The West Wing!

(Obviously, there will be spoilers for any and all seasons.)

1. The Evil Vice President Who Can't Wait to Get a Promotion
Check. We got this in spades with Hoynes, who never wanted to be VP in the first place.

2. The Self Sacrificing Secret Service Agent
EvMaroon mentions Mark Harmon, who played Simon Donovan. But there is also Molly, the poor red shirt who dies protecting Zoey, and she doesn't even get much airtime.

3. The Loyal Adviser/Old Friend Who Cuts Corners/Turns Evil
Hmmm, I'm not sure what's meant by cutting corners. Do you think that the last season plot with Toby and the space shuttle counts here? He's not evil, but it is a betrayal.

4. The Long-Suffering Wife
EvMaroon says Mrs. Bartlett has covered this so well that no others can compare. I think so!

5.Power Hungry Politician
I'd count Hoynes here again! There are probably also a lot of guest characters and others who fit, but I can't think of them off the top of my head. Who else is there?

6. The Fake Candidate
I can't think of any in West Wing. Anyone?

7. The Non-White or Female President as Harbinger of Doom
Who knows, maybe the year after Santos is elected there is an epic apocalypse. Somehow I don't think so. This is just one trope WW couldn't cover.

Are there others not covered here? What's your favorite WW trope?