The Great West Wing Rewatch: 1.3 A Proportional Response

Joel: There is a recurring feeling you get when watching this show. Every couple of episodes a thought will pass through your mind as you watch the events of the show unfold. A thought that is always the same. That thought is “Boy, am I glad that I’m not the president.”

This episode picks up pretty much where the previous one left off with Bartlett and company having to deal with the fallout of the deaths of 58 US military healthcare workers that we learned about at the end of the previous episode. We have seen the respect that the office of the president holds but this is the first time we see the potential power of it as well. We an entire table full of we educated men with years of military experience come up what an appropriate response and we see that all can be changed just because the president says “No, do it this way.” This isn’t even close to the hardest decision that Bartlett will have to deal with in the show. The show makes it very clear that in this case there is a right response and an overblown response. But even still it’s easy to see why Bartlett wants to strike back with full force. He has the ability and the power. There is discussion about how the appropriate response will seem to do very little in actually changing anything. It’s scary how valid some of the points for the all out response are. It’s the first time in the show where I can look at a decision facing the characters and be glad it’s the type of decision that I will never be responsible for making.

Alexa: One of The West Wing’s strongest attributes is its cast, and a few episodes into the season the layers of these characters are starting to emerge. Often my favorite scenes to watch are just two characters who know each other exceptionally well interacting with each other. We see a fair amount of that in this episode between Leo and President Bartlet, as Bartlet struggles with whether to order a proportional response in retaliation for the attack that killed Morris Tolliver and 57 other Americans, or an excessive response fueled by emotion. In the scenes between Leo and President Bartlet, we see just how well these two men know and understand each other. Leo’s initial reaction to the president’s anger is very measured. He treads lightly. But as Bartlet’s frustration escalates throughout the episode, Leo’s response is more forceful. They exchange harsh, honest words before shifting quickly to laughter, in a way only two close friends can. This interaction was one of the earliest indicators for me that The West Wing is truly something special.

This episode also develops and introduces several other key characters. We witness C.J. unapologetically lay down the law to both Josh and Sam to spectacular effect. We meet reporter Danny Concannon, one of my favorite fictional journalists. It’s refreshing to see a journalist character who excels at his job but is also a good person and has his life relatively together, rather than drenched in overused stereotypes. And we’re finally introduced to Charlie Young, who applies for a job as a White House messenger before being recommended as personal aide to the president. In a lot of ways the audience experiences a parallel journey with Charlie – he’s fresh-faced and new to this fast-paced world, as we are, and he’s still learning where he fits in.  He remarks that he’s never felt anything like being in the same room as these leaders and decision makers in action, a feeling Josh assures him won’t dissipate. I can’t help but think the same goes for the viewers who are along for the ride.

Chris: I forget that we’re introduced to 3 important moral compasses for West Wing all in the same episode. First off, there’s Admiral Fitzwallace played by John Amos who brings a sense of calmness to the urgency of every situation his character is linked to. Essentially, whatever advice he gives to the president, it’s usually correct. And then there’s Danny Concannon, a reporter with a personal connection to C.J. and will eventually serve as both an outstanding reporter but a decent person that only has the best intention for the country and the people that run it. And finally, there’s Charlie Young. And sure, the other character mentioned previously are moral compasses, they also sort of pop in and out as the show continues. Charlie is THE moral compass that’s a constant from this point on. President Bartlett gets a few things right in this show but there’s the one decision that was probably the best was hiring Charlie.

Also, this was the first episode C.J. put somebody in their place with the authority of a thousand flames and was the moment I realized I adored Allison Janney. And you guys need to chill, Sam just wants to be friends with a prostitute. There’s no crime against that.

A good president hires a Charlie Young.