The Great West Wing Rewatch: 3.14 "Hartsfield's Landing"

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Joel:  I love the game of chess. I love everything about it, from it’s game design to its history. So even though the trope of chess being used as a parallel to real world strategy is a well worn one, I fall for it every time. It just works for me. I love the visual of the President and Sam discussing important worldly matters over a board game. Even though phrases like “See the whole board.” are pretty generic ones, I get caught up in the moment and it never fails to impress me. If you don’t get the chess thing, I can’t blame you. It shows up a lot and can easily feel overused and shoehorned in. But sorry, I love it every time any show or movie pulls this one out.
Side note, I also love that chess is considered to be a high class form of warfare, and the chess episode is the same episode to have a prank war in it, a substantially more low brow type of warfare. (The prank war totally worked for me too, as it’s some of the funniest material that The West Wing has pulled off in several episodes).

Chris: And here's the episode in which both Joel and I consider to be the starting point of a potential reboot of sorts of West Wing that needs to happen featuring Sam as the president (With Will Bailey as his VP...we'll meet him next season). It sets up Sam's departure next season as he pursues his own interests outside of the West Wing. I believe Rob Lowe has reached that level of his acting that he could carry a show much like Martin Sheen as Sam would be the smartest guy in the room if he wasn't in the room with President Bartlet.
I also enjoy the dynamic has shifted from a few episodes ago when President Bartlet is at a loss within his own mind while speaking with the therapist and now he's the most self-assured person in the White House and being the coolest guy under pressure.

A good president sees the whole board.

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