OTH: The West Wing- "We Killed Yamamoto" / "Posse Comitatus"

Plus final thoughts on season 3!

Season 3, Episode 20

Aired May 15, 2002

Directed by Thomas Schlamme

Written by Aaron Sorkin

Synopsis: In the Situation Room, President Bartlet and Leo receive information that can prove that Abdul Shareef is a terrorist and want to act right away. The President is still unwilling to do so, although later when Leo receives further evidence, it becomes harder to do so. The President returns to the Situation Room, where they attempt to find a way to arrest Shareef when he next returns to the country. They soon discover that the information Shareef betrayed came from torture, which is inadmissible, meaning that they need to find new methods to bring Shareef to trial. Or rather, that’s what the President believes- Admiral Fitzwallace thinks he can find a way to still taking Shareef out of commission, which he confides in Leo, who doesn’t want to hear about the President’s friend being assassinated, although Fitzwallace’s reasoning makes sense.

Josh’s perfect Sunday with Amy is pushed back, as he needs to head to the office to meet with Congressman Pintero while also scheduling Donna to fly to Bismarck to represent the White House for their campaign to remove the “North” from North Dakota. The Congressman wants to meet with Josh to cut a deal with the White House, helping to push a controversial bill out by adding marriage incentives, a further controversial addition. Most of all to his girlfriend, who starts calling in as many favors as she can to cut the deal. Amy goes so far as to boil Josh’s cell phone and cut the cord from one of his landlines when he tries to fight back. Josh returns to the White House, but later catches up with Amy as he tries to patch things up with her, only to realize that this is basically moot.

While C.J. is growing weary of how long it’s seemingly taking Agent Donovan and the Secret Service to track down her stalker, he allows her the opportunity to use their private gym without his guidance. After meeting up with him following a work out, C.J. asks to be taken to the Secret Service’s shooting range, where the two start to bond while Donovan shows off his shooting skills. They have a nice time as Donovan walks C.J. back to her place, where she attempts to make a move, which he unfortunately has to rebuff.

Another problem that the President has is that a benefit play in New York that he’s scheduled to attend will also be attended by Governor Ritchie, the assumed Republican frontrunner for the upcoming election. He’s advised to cancel the trip, which he’d rather not do. At the same time, President Bartlet is advised to cancel another trip, this time for Shareef’s return to the states, which he’s more willing to do in hopes of not retaliating. Leo talks him into not canceling this trip, as doing so will limit their options, which he agrees with.

Sometimes, even after getting everything you could have ever wanted, you have to deal with responsibility so difficult that it becomes easy to question if it’s all worth it. Sometimes you need to make a decision so difficult, a clear no-one situation however you spin it, that you wish to go back to when you had nothing.

Of course, I’m talking about fighting with your girlfriend, especially when she works in the same field as you. What started off as charming for Josh, that is only proving to be more irritating, is that while he and Amy are on the same team, they have slightly different goals. At the end of the day, Amy is fiercely loyal to her cause (ie women- although notice how most of the issues she brings up and fights for are for mothers, so basically just straight women), while Josh is trying to serve the left as a whole, which includes, but doesn’t entirely revolve around women.

I don’t think The West Wing is trying to paint either Josh or Amy right, as they both are. Amy wants clear, reasonable wins for her coalition, which Josh is in favor of but knows that sometimes you need to balance out one group for another. But try telling that to the person who’s cooking for you, in your shirt and rocking out to Van Morrison.

This is one side of The West Wing that I like best and wish we could have more of, which“We Killed Yamamoto” is light on, focusing more on bigger issues, which the series often struggles with. Still, this is leading to something bigger, which I’m looking forward to.

Season 3, Episode 21

Aired May 22, 2002

Directed by Alex Graves

Written by Aaron Sorkin

Synopsis: President Bartlet’s trip to New York is going according to plan, even with a last-minute hour delay, allowing him to meet with Abdul Shareef. While there’s complications over their planned situation, the Joint Chiefs both agree that this is the only way and encourage the President to keep his distance as much as possible from Shareef.

While C.J. will be attending the President to his New York trip, meaning that his Secret Security will be around, Agent Donovan insists on still joining them, and he wants to talk about their awkward moment at the end of the previous episode, which C.J. shuts down. Things butt to a head later in New York, right before C.J. meets with the President for the play, as they argue about their current situation. The argument is cut short, however, when Donovan receives a call from Agent Butterfield, who confirms that they caught C.J.’s stalker, who was on a train to meet her in New York. This means that Simon’s job is done and the two embrace and plan a date for after the performance.

Simon stops at a Korean bodega for a candy bar and flowers for C.J., but is rebuffed by the cashier. Agent Donovan notices an empty register and puts two and two together, arresting the person he recognizes as the robber. However, there was a second robber, who shoots Simon Donovan down. C.J. receives the call from Agent Butterfield and breaks down, while the news also makes its way to Josh while he and Amy are in the middle of a relationship-ending fight regarding their difference over Josh’s work to get the bill he’s looking into passed. Meanwhile, Leo insists that now is the time for President Bartlet to call for Shareef’s assassination, a move he’s uncomfortable with, but ultimately agrees with. When he heads off to take a smoke break, the President runs into Governor Ritchie, who is late to the play following a Yankees game. The two have a heated discussion, where Ritchie confirms that there’s no love lost for him. As distressing as this moment may seem, the intermission ends with Bartlet’s favorite song being performed as we see Abdul Shareef and his bodyguards gunned down.

In the previous episode, President Bartlet suggests to Charlie that it’s time to look for a replacement for Mrs. Landingham, and Charlie thinks he found the perfect candidate- Debbie Fiderer (Lily Tomlin), a former White House employee who previously recommended Charlie for his position before being laid off. While she’s initially not interested in returning, Charlie is adamant and schedules an interview with President Bartlet. That interview couldn’t go any worse, as she’s heavily medicated and fumbles throughout, but Charlie insists that she tries again. He also convinces the President to give Miss Fiderer another shot, confessing that she lost her job because of him.

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was enacted to limit the federal government from using federal military personnel to deal with domestic policies in the US, which makes for an appropriate title for an episode where President Bartlet is forced to use executive action to shoot down a potential terrorist threat.

The West Wing has had Bartlet grapple with his legacy, his hope to be as ethical a President as possible, alongside the harsh reality that this isn’t always doable, that sometimes a few casualties are needed to save many more lives, and that sometimes he needs to make tough decisions on whose life may be more important. It’s an unenviable position, one I couldn’t imagine taking, but this is meant to be just another say for Jed.

This need is further compounded by real-world issues- the September 11 terrorist attacks changed the world in numerous ways, many of which we’re still grappling with today. While the show first tried to discuss this particular batch of terrorism in the unpopular “Isaac and Ishmael” special, the last few episodes bring the real and frustratingly frequent reality of terrorism to the forefront, both on a large and small scale, and I think both takes are fascinating. With Bartlet’s story, he has to deal with the very real possibility that someone he considered a friend may be using crucial information to the enemy’s advantage, and has to take action. It’s not pleasant, but it’s gripping to watch.

But C.J.’s material is what audiences remember and come back for. Her bonding with Agent Donovan is charming and memorable, right down to his fatal final act of heroism, which Sorkin, director Graves and crew do everything they can to make it happen.

The ending montage set to Jeff Buckley’s legendary “Hallelujah” cover all but goes out of its way to remind audiences of the previous season finale’s unforgettable reliance on Dire Strait’s “Brothers in Arms”, but I don’t think it quite works here. For one, Simon Donovan is no Dolores Landingham, no matter how likable Mark Harmon’s work with the character has been. His death, while unfortunate and framed well, can’t compare to the gut punch of discovering that President Bartlet’s oldest friend has passed, and his explosive rant to his almighty lord over it. Additionally, a corner store off Broadway is no cathedral. One of two, at that.

Still, the loss is massive to C.J., as Allison Janney makes her chemistry with Harmon totally believable. The point comes where it no longer seems like duty that Agent Donovan is the reason that he’s protecting C.J., but rather his own interest in her, and that hits just at their lovely shooting range date. Their time together being cut short by the tragedy that is called life only fits so well for this show’s world. Life also gets in the way of Josh and Amy’s relationship, as they’re unable to make their situation work, but the episode puts a pin on their split to focus on Donovan’s demise, which I think is a wise call.

The third season of The West Wing has done a good job to confirm my belief that Sorkin and crew are better at handling the personal with the major, this finale being no exception. Another notable example of such is how President Bartlet’s brief spat with his opponent, Governor Ritchie, has more impact than any of this week’s political strife. This also allows Sorkin to return to one of his deepest wells, two equally-equipped men being as candid as possible with each other. It’s a lovely moment, allowing us a taste of the next season’s big conflict while delving into both candidates beliefs and their likely campaigns- Ritchie finding Bartlet to be an elitist, out-of-touch liar, while Bartlet considers Ritchie to be a dimwitted dilettante. This is something to sink your teeth into, much more so than our current political strife.

And yes, whenever The West Wing starts losing me, it’s moments like these that I look forward to. Bring the bitchiness on, we’ll need it.

Season 3 Overview:

The West Wing’s third season proved to be another popular candidate at the Emmys, being nominated for a series-best 21 awards and winning four- the show’s third consecutive Outstanding Drama Series, as well as Supporting Acting awards for John Spencer and Stockard Channing, and a successful push for Allison Janney in Lead Acting, not to mention the documentary special winning for Outstanding Special Class Program. This impressive Emmy statistic was matched by a peak in the ratings, with the show landing in the top 10 (right at 10th placed) for its first and only time with a solid 17.2 share, a slight increase from the second season.

Despite these noted elements, as well as further critical acclaim, I do think that the third season did not match the previous year’s high standard. This is still quality television, but it wouldn’t have been my vote for Outstanding Drama that year- with The Sopranos and The Wire out of eligibility (to be fair, the latter never ended up being an awards season darling), Six Feet Under’s first season would have been my pick. While that sounds like I may be going with the fresher choice, but this year feels a little disjointed and lost some of its charm as it started answering to bigger audiences. There’s still high points scattered throughout, but it does feel that Sorkin, who continues to have writing credits for every episode, is stretching himself thin.

Factoring in both special episodes, I’d give The West Wing’s third season a B-, although cutting them out would give it a B, same as the first season, although with a lower overall grade for those keeping score at home. The documentary special is fine, if ultimately a slot killer, but it’s hard to defend “Isaac and Ishmael”’s slapdash nature beyond being a time capsule for one of the most unprecedented moments in American history.

Will season 4 be a return to form? Aaron Sorkin considered it to be at the time, although it’s worth noting that this will be the last season for Sorkin and Schlamme, who leave at the end of the series, as well as Rob Lowe’s Sam Seaborn, who steps out 2/3rds of the way through. A new character will be phased in as Sam is phased out, while the fourth season will also feature the first episodes to have no credited writing features from Sorkin. Not to mention that we’ll see Bartlet’s reelection campaign this season. All of this and more will be discussed throughout.

Presidential Records:

• It’s nice that Mrs. Landingham hasn’t been forgotten, the scene where Jed speaks to her at her joint gravesite is really nice.

• I appreciate that Van Morrison’s Moondance is Amy’s relaxing album of choice. I know many prefer Astral Weeks, but this is my favorite from Morrison.

• “Give me your gun.” “Let me get you a .25 caliber.” “What’s wrong with yours?” “It’s a .357 magnum.” “I’ve heard of that, that’s a good brand.” “… Yes.”

• Meanwhile, I like that Donovan puts his gun in his holster a little too soon and complains about the heat. You’d think he’d be used to that by now.

• Dr. Keyworth returns in the finale, which is nice, he’s a solid character and it’s good that the President is still receiving help.

• There’s a bit in the commentary where Sorkin says that he expects the young boy singing in their performance will probably be in Bad Boys 4 in 20 years. From what I can tell, that didn’t actually happen, although 20 years after recording this commentary, a fourth Bad Boys film did, indeed, release.

• Next Time: Season 4 starts off with yet another two-parter, this time leaving part of the staff stranded in Indiana while the White House deals with the aftermath of Shareef’s death.