The Great West Wing Rewatch: 1.6 "Mr. Willis of Ohio"

Joel: The Nightmare Scenario speech. I’m not a parent (nor am I the president) and I still get stressed out just thinking about the nightmare scenario speech. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be a parent and know that your child is not only in a fair amount of danger on the daily, but that the danger is directly related to you and your job. Obviously more about this will be addressed in an upcoming season, but for now, just the speech itself is enough to stress me out. The other big moment from this episode is Mr. Willis casting a vote in place of his wife. So much of the show is about beating the other side. Yes, the show does talk about the issues and how one political party is either for or against the issues and why, but there is still a very heavy amount of republicans vs. democrats talk throughout The West Wing, just as I am sure there is in real life. What really resonates from this storyline is a character who casts a vote not because it is best for party, but because he believes that it is best for country. It serves as a nice reminder. With all of these speeches about why this party or that party need to have control, it serves as a nice reminder about what all of these people are actually supposed to be doing in Washington, and what the primary motivations for their actions should be. I’m with Toby, that’s the kind of vote I want to see cast as well.

Alexa: In addition to crafting such a well-developed ensemble of regulars, Aaron Sorkin has a knack for introducing West Wing viewers to idealistic one-off characters that are instantly likable and sincere without being overly saccharine. Mr. Willis is a prime example. In a scene replete with political agendas and deal making, Mr. Willis actually wants to understand the issue at hand and vote his conscience because he believes it’s the right thing to do, not because he expects anything in return. Mr. Willis isn’t a natural politician – he’s filling in for his recently deceased wife – but his thoughtful, moral attitude represents the ideal we wish political leaders would embrace, even if it often feels like we rarely see it in reality. This episode also exposes us to the many personas of Jed Bartlet when he isn’t submerged in his presidential duties – a know-it-all poker player (Did you know the 12 major punctuation marks? Because this professional writer definitely forgot braces, brackets and ellipses.), a sympathetic friend and a worried father who won’t hesitate to drop a terrifying truth bomb on his teenage daughter if it has any chance of keeping her safe. Martin Sheen’s impassioned speech made me want to apologize to my parents for every inconsiderate thing I ever did. I’m sorry, Mom and Dad!

Chris: For the sake of comedy and the reaction it would’ve gotten out of Toby, I really wanted to Mr. Willis to vote against the bill at the very end. But sure enough, Mr. Willis was meant to vote yay. Also, if you’re like me and you’ve watched the series multiple times, you noticed the bit of foreshadowing in a certain leader of the country’s dialogue. I don’t really think it was exactly foreshadowing as Sorkin being inspired by his own dialogue that he decided that it would make for an interesting plotline for a later season. Of course, this is the first episode in the misadventures of Zoe Bartlett. She’s not as bad as Carl from Walking Dead never staying where he’s told to stay but she’s pretty close. We also see a much more up-close look at how President Bartlett goes into rage-mode whenever a family member is targeted for whatever reason. The staff furthers the point that they are the Grammar Nazis of the White House and yet I don’t hate them. Sam is more than willing to share his knowledge of the Census, Toby is firm atop the moral high ground but is humbled to have met and interacted with Mr. Willis and the President is eventually willing to admit that he can’t fix another man’s marriage.

A good president foreshadows later plotlines.