# What is your Favorite West Wing Moment?



## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Now that it's over I thought it would be fun to reflect on favorite scenes from this terrific show.
I have several but I'l only name 2.
First:
Bartlett screaming at God in the National Cathedral at Mrs. Landingham's funeral.
Second:
The discussion of sexism and harrasment with Sam, Ainsley Hayes, Charlie, and the temp. Charlie's "hello" always cracks me up. Also did Ainsley ever find a decent muffin and a Fresca in the WW mess?


----------



## FuzzyDolly (Dec 29, 2002)

So many moments. Way too many to list them all, but here are a few...

Bartlet giving Charlie the knife at Thanksgiving.
Danny giving CJ the goldfish.
The whole Issac & Ishmeal episode
Sam's line to Mallory about accidentally sleeping with a prostitute.
The whole story line from 20 hours in America with Josh, Donna, and Toby getting left behind.


There are many many more, but I'll save room for someone else.


Least Favorite moment? That happened on Sunday May 14, 2006 at 8:59 PM EST.


----------



## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I loved that the goldfish was still on CJ's desk in the finale.


----------



## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

Mine in no particular order:

Bartlett yelling at God in the National Cathedral
Ainsley dancing in her "office" and getting caught by Bartlett
Ainsley walking into Leo's closet by mistake
The scene when Oliver Platt fires the two guys for harrassing Ainsley
Sam's line to Mallory about accidentally sleeping with a prostitute
Just about any interaction between Bartlett & Charlie
Just about any scene with Amy (Josh's girlfirend)


----------



## culprit622 (Aug 18, 2005)

From the pilot:

Now, get your fat asses out of my White House!


----------



## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

Forgot one on my list...

When Bartlett let the Dr Laura-like character have it at the radio broadcasters meeting!


----------



## dilorc (Feb 13, 2002)

When CJ has Root Canal.

- Josh making here say Foggy Bottom just to hear her mumble Foggy Bottom
- Josh briefing the press and talking about the Presidents "Secret Plan to fight inflation"


----------



## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

Moments or episodes I will remember about each character

POTUS- Sitting with Josh at the airport after Josh's fathers death.
Leo- Big Block of Cheese Day
CJ- The Jackel
Josh and Toby- Getting left behind on the Campaign trail (Great episode)
Donna- Flashback to how she got her job with Josh
Sam- Playing chess with the president
Charlie- anytime he was stuck listening to the president go on about some strange fact/story (the way the two of them interacted was some of the best moments in the show)


----------



## Carfan (Aug 9, 2003)

Josh and Sam lighting the fire in the non-functional fireplace.

"Now this is team work."
'It really is!"


----------



## IndyTom (Mar 9, 2004)

Ainsley schooling Sam on the "Face the Nation" type show.


----------



## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

People joking with Josh on voting day (Bartlett re-election) about messing up their ballots (turned out to be Toby screwing with Josh)

Toby's day at the protest with the officer assigned to protect him. Classic Toby.


----------



## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

Leo and Lord John Marbury!


----------



## Mikkel_Knight (Aug 6, 2002)

Bartlett yelling at God...

Bartlett's interation with Ainsley "They won't let me smoke in the White House, but she can go to the bathroom in your closet"

Josh & Donna finally kissing

Bartlett calling 1-800-Butterball and having to convince the person that he actually was the PotUS


----------



## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I thought Bartlett called butterball and put on a fake persona.


----------



## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

Leo pointing out mistakes in the NY Times crossword puzzle


----------



## Philosofy (Feb 21, 2000)

Bartlett giving Charlie the Paul Revere knife.
Bartlett calling Donna's old teacher.
From the first show: when Bartlett walks in the room quoting the first commandment.

And wasn't it Sam that fired the two sexual harrassers?


----------



## aintnosin (Jun 25, 2003)

Philosofy said:


> Bartlett giving Charlie the Paul Revere knife.
> Bartlett calling Donna's old teacher.
> From the first show: when Bartlett walks in the room quoting the first commandment.
> 
> And wasn't it Sam that fired the two sexual harrassers?


Sam, yes, but with the support of John Larroquette, not Oliver Platt.


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

Count me among those who loved the scene with Bartlett yelling at God, but I thought the entire final 15 minutes of that episode were classic storymaking.

Some more:

--Charlie being schooled by the conservative Supreme Court justice nominee on Affirmative Action.
--Bartlett and Josh taking a walk during the budget shutdown

There are others that have already been mentioned.


----------



## kpurcell (Jul 13, 2005)

One of my favorite scenes was when they Chinese immigrants were trying to get to America and they brougt the one into the White House so Bartlett could "judge" whether they were real and he said Shibboleth. Then Bartlett talks about them going missing.


----------



## mrpantstm (Jan 25, 2005)

Seasons 1-4.


----------



## rondotcom (Feb 13, 2005)

FuzzyDolly said:


> The whole story line from 20 hours in America with Josh, Donna, and Toby getting left behind.


Bartlett; I swear if Donna wasn't with them, they'd have to buy a house!


----------



## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

aintnosin said:


> Sam, yes, but with the support of John Larroquette, not Oliver Platt.


Yes, I stand corrected!

Sam fired them and they said that he didn't have the power to do it or something like that. Then JL walks in lets them know that Sam can do that.

On another note, I am sitting here reading everybody's favorite moments and laughing as I can picture each and every scene! Man, what a great show! Almost every scene is quotable or memorable!


----------



## reliant76 (Feb 14, 2003)

Can't believe no one's mentioned the episode Noel yet. I love the entire hour(and will drop whatever I'm doing if I happen to catch it on Bravo), but my favorite moment is when Josh comes out of his session with the Stanley the psychologist and Leo's sitting in the hall. Leo tells him the joke about the 2 guys in the well and says as long as he's got a job, Josh has a job. Gets me every time.

Bernard's (the stuffy curator-type) scenes with CJ crack me up too.


----------



## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

I liked the scene from Mr Willis of Ohio about the census and "whole persons".


----------



## Michelle5150 (Nov 16, 2004)

reliant76 said:


> Leo tells him the joke about the 2 guys in the well and says as long as he's got a job, Josh has a job. Gets me every time.


I was just going to post that. That's my favorite moment in the entire series. And if it wasn't an emotional enough moment before, it sure is now.

And then Bartlett telling "Dr Laura" off.

Gonna miss this show.


----------



## marrone (Oct 11, 2001)

One I can remember at the moment...

Josh: (mumbling something about going to the airport for his much-needed vacation)
Santos: I'd drive you myself if it didn't involve a motorcade.

-Mike


----------



## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

The one where Donna becomes a Canadian citizen and is not allowed to the party.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

It's in Life on Mars, the episode where Joe Quincy, the newbie Republican assistant White House Counsel is hazed on his first day in the WW. I loved Ainsley Hayes, but this episode made up for her leaving in a way I didn't think was possible. The whole show is full of one choice WW moment after another.

There's Joe being shown to his office in the steam pipe trunk distribution venue.
There's the "a lawyer is a shyster" ("I already made him say it") joke
There's the "who do I talk to in order to reach the Vice President" question which makes CJ say "You're the VP's lawyer, Joe. You call him."

But my very favorite scene in the whole episode:

Joe asks CJ to call the gossip columnist and ask if the columnist is the person who tipped the science reporter. While the gossip columnist is on the phone, Joe hands CJ a series of things which the camera shows us:


his legal pad with notes about stories being leaked
the newspaper article with the gossip columnist talking about so-and-so's new tell-all book
the White House phone records with the line items for the calls between the author of the tell-all book and the Vice President

CJ's reaction shot, and the tone in her voice when she says "I have to go" and abruptly hangs up the phone.

The seemingly random dumb newbie task that Joe was set in the beginning of the episode has caused a chain reaction which will end in the resignation of the Vice President. And it's clear that Joe feels just as badly about it as CJ does.

The storyboarding on that scene, the music, the blocking, the acting, all superb. So despite really liking many many other moments in WW over the years, this episode and this scene is my absolute favorite WW moment of all time.

Jan


----------



## jgerry (Aug 29, 2001)

So many good choices here... I agree on the Leo/Josh moment where Leo tells him "as long as I have a job, you have a job." Great moment.

My favorite? When Bartlet **WALKS** to the Hill (with entourage, of course) and the Republicans he went to talk to can't get it together and make him wait outside... Then Josh has the brilliant idea for their whole crew to just get up and walk out.

"Bartlet walks to the Hill and republicans refuse to talk to him."

Great press, great spin, great WW stuff! No one makes the president wait!!


----------



## phluffhead (Sep 14, 2004)

1. Bartlett yells at God
2. Bartlett calls Donna's high school teacher
3. Leo gives Pres. Bartlett For America napkin
4. First time Josh meets Joey Lucas completely hung over
5. Bartlett invites staff to residence for chili while 1st lady is away
6. Bartlett walks to the Hill to stick it to the Speaker
7. Bartlett gives Charlie carving knife
8. Santos speech at the convention "I am a member of the Democratic Party"
9. Toby and Sam driving around Conneticut going to bail Mendoza out of jail
10. CJ needs emergency root canal surgery.


----------



## Carfan (Aug 9, 2003)

Bartlet about Ainslie - 

"I can't smoke in the White House but she can pee in Leo's closet?"


----------



## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

flyers088 said:


> The one where Donna becomes a Canadian citizen and is not allowed to the party.


That episode is worth rewatching, if only for Bartlet's reaction when the band finishes playing O Canada.


----------



## TiVangelist (Aug 28, 2000)

The Thanksgiving episode where CJ has to pick a turkey to be pardoned. The scenes of the turkeys in her office are very funny, and she says that one is more photogenic than the other. And then Bartlett pays for the other turkey so it won't get eaten. The reaction of the guy from the turkey farm is hilarious throughout.


----------



## mjh (Dec 19, 2002)

I'm sure that this is going to be an odd response, but my favorite WW moment is when Agent Butterfield informs Leo that Zoey was missing, and the walk/run from the sitroom to the residence.

The intensity of that moment was built up during the entire episode and escalated during the last 10 minutes. It was probably the most engrossed and engaged I think I've ever been watching TV. The whole episode is just a non-stop roller coaster. From Toby getting rejected by ... aw crap I forgot her name, to the emotional roller coaster with Charlie & Zoey's relationship, to Amy asking Donna whether or not she was in love with Josh, to the CJ/Danny "Madras Research Project".

It is easily my favorite WW episide. It's (probably) my favorite hour of any TV show, period. Not because I liked what was happening in the storyline, but because the intensity of the show made me forget I was watching TV. It was incredible.

_Edit:_ The name of that episode is "Commencement"
_Edit:_ Andie! Geez, that was driving me crazy. Hat tip to ArizonaAmy


----------



## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

The dialog between Josh and Donna regading a DVD player she wanted to buy..

Love that girl. :up:


----------



## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

reliant76 said:


> Can't believe no one's mentioned the episode Noel yet. I love the entire hour(and will drop whatever I'm doing if I happen to catch it on Bravo), but my favorite moment is when Josh comes out of his session with the Stanley the psychologist and Leo's sitting in the hall. Leo tells him the joke about the 2 guys in the well and says as long as he's got a job, Josh has a job. Gets me every time.
> 
> Bernard's (the stuffy curator-type) scenes with CJ crack me up too.


My TiVo actually caught an episode of the "Ellen DeGeneres" show last week. Why? In addition to my West Wing season pass, I had also setup a ARWL (title "West Wing") for it to pick up re-runs on two different local TV stations.

Well, this show had the whole cast. I pressume it was taped within the past week or so. They showed show clips, plus some clips of cast members on as guests on previous "Ellen" shows. One of the clips they showed was the one you meniton. Good stuff. Damn good stuff.


----------



## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

The scene that always comes to mind is when Bartlett is shot, and they show the VP talking to some people about who cares what, and then the secret service basically busts the door down and tackles the VP and gets him the hell out of there, fearing some sort of plot.

That's the kind of scene I love the WW for, the ones where you get to see really really inside workings of the White House and administration.

Another one I liked is when Bartlett hired Charlie to be his body man, when Charlie was there to work in the mail room or similar.

-smak-


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

smak said:


> The scene that always comes to mind is when Bartlett is shot, and they show the VP talking to some people about who cares what, and then the secret service basically busts the door down and tackles the VP and gets him the hell out of there, fearing some sort of plot.
> 
> That's the kind of scene I love the WW for, the ones where you get to see really really inside workings of the White House and administration.
> 
> ...


Actually, for some reason I remmeber what he was doing. He was meeting with - I believe - the women's basketball team from USC (?) who had just won the national title.

One of the best lines in that show:

Doctor: Sir, do you have any medical conditions.
Bartlett: Well, I've been shot.


----------



## sonpham (Nov 5, 2003)

markz said:


> Forgot one on my list...
> 
> When Bartlett let the Dr Laura-like character have it at the radio broadcasters meeting!


Definitely one of my favorites as well. As others have mentioned (in no particular order):

Charlie and the Paul Revere carving knife
Sam firing the two staffers
Ainsley dancing then meeting the President

Here are a few others that I enjoyed that I don't remember reading so far:

"Stackhouse Filibuster," pretty much the entire episode, but particularly Josh breaking in his new shoes... hilarious

I thought someone would mention this scene during "Mr. Willis of Ohio": Charlie coming to the aid of Zoey at the bar, which then involves Sam, Josh and finally the Secret Service.

I can't remember the episode title, but it was the opening scene. Everyone is boarding Air Force One, the President comes on board and chats a bit here and there... then picks up the phone, tells the pilot that he's ready and the scene fades and we hear the engines roaring on.


----------



## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

The cancellation news


----------



## KaCHING64 (May 16, 2006)

Great thread...

Favorite moments:
1. Sam to Mallory: "This is bad on so many levels." After disclosing his encounter with a prostitute to her.
2. Sam and Toby driving to pick up the supreme court justice nominee after he'd been arrested in Vermont.
3. Bartlett passing the heirloon carving knife to Charlie.
4. Charlie making CJ his ***** by removing the screws from her desk.
5. Just about any scene with John Larroquette or Oliver Platt.
6. Sam firing the staffers who harrassed Ainsley.
7. CJ's woot canal; Josh's press conference (Secret pan to fight inflation)
8. Mr. Willis of Ohio
9. CJ receiving her goldfish
10. Charlie's job interview

Least favorite moments:
1. Aaron Sorkin leaves the show
2. The Jackal
3. Mrs. Landingham's death

Chris


----------



## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

jsmeeker said:


> My TiVo actually caught an episode of the "Ellen DeGeneres" show last week. Why? In addition to my West Wing season pass, I had also setup a ARWL (title "West Wing") for it to pick up re-runs on two different local TV stations.
> 
> Well, this show had the whole cast. I pressume it was taped within the past week or so. They showed show clips, plus some clips of cast members on as guests on previous "Ellen" shows. One of the clips they showed was the one you meniton. Good stuff. Damn good stuff.


If anybody's interested, this episode of Ellen is replaying this Friday at 1:00 am on Oxygen.


----------



## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

I think it is time to relive the series! Maybe over the summer.

I have seen all the episode but only once each so I have lots of these moments to relive.

The first one that popped into mind was him ripping the radio lady for not standing when he entered the room.

Another that comes to mind as getting to me, and I don't remember the setup, was all the staff reaffirming themselves to the president with the line



> I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.


----------



## kpurcell (Jul 13, 2005)

phluffhead said:


> 1. Bartlett yells at God


While I honestly did not like that moment at all, I did love it when Mrs. Landingham's "ghost" comes back and scolds him and said, "God, Jed. Then I don't even wanna know ya" or something very close to that. Then he marches it and said, "Yeah, and I'm gonna win" to the big question of whether he will run again!! Another great WW moment the likes of which you will never see on any other show.


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

Maui said:


> I think it is time to relive the series! Maybe over the summer.
> 
> I have seen all the episode but only once each so I have lots of these moments to relive.
> 
> ...


If I remember correctly, it had to do with the President revealing to his staff that he had lied about having MS and all of them reaffirming their allegiance to Bartlett.


----------



## barrettd (Jun 14, 2003)

A few moments that come to mind:

When the President is going to get his picture taken with the old man who's had his picture taken before several world crises, and Charlie and Bartlett have a very funny conversation at the window before calling it off.

I can't remember the episode, but I remember a scene where Charlie and, I think, Zoey, were standing outside Josh's office. Charlie has the line, "I work with the smartest people in the country" and in the background we see Josh sit down in a chair that's not there, falling to the floor. At least I think that's how it went. I haven't seen that scene too often.

When Moira Kelly wasn't renewed.

Any scene that involved Danny. Busfield was great on this show.

"Posse Comitatus", the whole episode, but mainly the last part of the episode. The sequence that takes place over Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" gets me every time.

The Christmas episode where Toby gets the homeless man a full military burial was pretty powerful.

Toby and Charlie getting in a fight protecting Andy's honor in San Diego and the subsequent booking/bail out/phone calls.

I also enjoyed a lot of the ones already posted: Josh, Toby and Donna getting left behind, Josh's press conference (actually I liked most of Josh's stuff), Sam meeting Mallory for the first time, etc.


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

Every new post leaves a smile on my face. There are so many episodes that left me wanting to say, "Sign me up to serve my president." Of course, once the previews showed up, I had a realization that our presidents were either Bill Clinton or Dubbya, so I might as well just keep watching reruns.

One that just recently hit me was the episode where Charlie tries to track down the author of a letter written to the President, and it turns out he was writing it to President Roosevelt. So Charlie tracks down the author - who wrote it when he was a child - and invites him to meet Bartlett.


----------



## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

wow tuff one, but one of my favorites was when Charlie called for Leo they were talking about ( pres daughter's) college application, and Charlie was trying to let Leo know that he knew about the Presidents medical condition.


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

TIVO_GUY_HERE said:


> wow tuff one, but one of my favorites was when Charlie called for Leo they were talking about ( pres daughter's) college application, and Charlie was trying to let Leo know that he knew about the Presidents medical condition.


THat was another good one. The haunted look on Charlie's face was much like the Matthew Perry character mentioned earlier when he brought down the VP. Such secondary things that seem so minor wind up changing the world.


----------



## coolpenguin (Apr 26, 2004)

Jonathan_S said:


> I liked the scene from Mr Willis of Ohio about the census and "whole persons".


Best episode EVER!


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

David Platt said:


> If anybody's interested, this episode of Ellen is replaying this Friday at 1:00 am on Oxygen.


Thanks, David!

Jan


----------



## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

David Platt said:


> If anybody's interested, this episode of Ellen is replaying this Friday at 1:00 am on Oxygen.


Thanks! I looked on BT but didn't see it! Now I have it setup!


----------



## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

KaCHING64 said:


> Great thread...
> 5. Just about any scene with John Larroquette or Oliver Platt.


The tape recorder that wouldn't stop recording. And so Oliver Platt (it was him wasn't it?) gaveled it to pieces when the President started revealing his MS cover-up.


----------



## sonpham (Nov 5, 2003)

serumgard said:


> One that just recently hit me was the episode where Charlie tries to track down the author of a letter written to the President, and it turns out he was writing it to President Roosevelt. So Charlie tracks down the author - who wrote it when he was a child - and invites him to meet Bartlett.


I was justing trying to recall this episode as I was reading these posts. It's definitely one of my favorites.


----------



## aintnosin (Jun 25, 2003)

I love the last scene in "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet":

Everyone says, "I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States."


----------



## Boot (Mar 15, 2000)

I've said it before, in different contexts and in different threads, but my favorite moment would be the end of Two Cathedrals, with the rain storm, Bartlet standing in the rain and putting his hands in his pockets, and Leo saying "Watch this". Brothers In Arms playing in the background. Intense.



Aaron Sorkin said:


> _Thanks for your great words on the finale. I loved writing it and it was so much fun to shoot. Martin [Sheen] started crying during the table read and it just got better from there. I think Tommy [Schlamme] absolutely came out of himself. "Brothers in Arms" is a song that's haunted me since the first time I heard it 15 years ago, and I relished the chance to write it into a script. Kirsten (Delores) was a gift, and it makes me sad that we can't use her again... I never intended it as a cliffhanger. Young Mrs. L. tells us that putting his hands in his pockets means "You're gonna do it. We're in." Nor was Mrs. Landingham coming into the Oval Office meant to be a ghost. We went to the wide shot where Bartlet's talking and she's not there to make it clear that Bartlet's talking to himself... and trying to find the best part of himself the way she would have._


----------



## aintnosin (Jun 25, 2003)

And...

Joey Lucas barging in on a badly hung over Josh, who was dressed in fishing waders while his clothes were being laundered.

When Bartlet visits Josh at the Airport during the first campaign after his father died.

Pilot: When Bartlet tells off the religious conservatives who were trying to get Josh fired.

When Toby tells Bartlet that he named his daughter after the SS agent who was killed when Zoey was kidnapped.

"Hey, Norma Rae!"


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

The first episode I saw was the first ep of season 2, In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part 1. It was a perfect place to start because it showed how most of the characters came to be working in the WW and really got me hooked on the characters right from the beginning.

However, my favorite episode by far is Noel. It's already been mentioned a couple of times. It's incredibly powerful, with Toby helping the dead homeless veteran, Josh dealing with post traumatic stress disorder, Yo Yo Ma's cello playing, the aforementioned conversation between Josh and Leo, etc. Despite this probably being the most emotional episode of the series (at least for me), it's also got my favorite comedy segment:


> CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY
> C.J. and a woman are walking in the hall.
> 
> WOMAN: C.J.
> ...


----------



## Mr2sday (Jul 8, 2005)

coolpenguin said:


> Best episode EVER!


This was regarding Mr. Willis of Ohio. This is my favorite as well. It's interesting that several of us have mentioned that episode. I even wrote a paper on it for a film class.

"There is one fruit..."


----------



## Ekims (Oct 18, 2002)

I can't believe no one has mentioned the scene where Josh tries to hug Leo. Maybe not my favorite, but brings a smile to my face everytime I think about it...


----------



## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

Wow I do not know where to begin.

So many great episodes and scenes. Alot of my favorites have been mentioned.

Here are some others that I have loved.

--Josh responding to the ppl in a internet chat forum about him. And unleashing their wrath by doing so.

--Donna trying to make things right for Sam with some lady at a dinner accidently leaves her underwear there.

--CJ laying the smack down on a "news" reporter during a briefing.

--Bartlett informing the other presidential canidate of the death of "Agent Gibbs" and the lunk saying "crime...oh boy" and Bartlett telling him THAT is when he decided to kick his asterix.

--I love the episode "_Mr. Willis of Ohio_" and I see it was mentioned here many times but I am surprised no one mentioned the scene with Bartlet and Zoey about the secret service.

*******************************************************************
After Zoey is accosted by guys in a bar, Bartlet tries to tell her just how dangerous the situation is,

"_Look, the Secret Service......_"

"_The Secret Service should worry about you getting shot_," Zoey says. 
_ 
"They ARE worried about me getting shot. I'm worried about me getting shot. But that is nothing compared to how terrified we are of YOU. You scare the hell out of the Secret Service Zoey, and you scare the hell out of me too. My getting killed would be bad enough, but that is not the nightmare scenario. *The nightmare scenario, sweetheart, is you getting kidnapped! You go out to a bar or a party in some club and you get up and you go to the restroom and somebody comes from behind and puts his hand across your mouth and drags you out the back door. You're so petrified you don't even notice the bodies of a few Secret Service agents laying on the ground with bullet holes in their heads.* Then you're driven away in the car. It's a big party with lots of noise and lots of people coming and going, and it's a half hour before someone says: 'Hey, where's Zoey?' It's another fifteen minutes before the first phone call. It's another hour and a half before anyone even THINKS to shut down all the airports! Now we're off to the races! You're tied to a chair in a cargo shack somewhere in the middle of Uganda and I am told that I have 72 hours to get Israel to free 460 imprisoned terrorists. So I'm on the phone pleading with Ben Yamin and he's saying: 'I'm sorry, Mr. President, but Israel simply does not negotiate with terrorists, period, it's the only way we can survive.' So now we got a new problem because this country no longer has a Commander-in-chief, but a father going out of his mind because his little girl is in a shack somewhere in the middle of Uganda with a gun to her head! Do you get it?!"_
****************************************************************

Awhile back I caught this ep on Bravo and was like 'H0LY $#!T'. It opened my eyes to the foundation of Zoeys kidnapping that took place later. (still wished Charlie decked Frenchie.)


----------



## reliant76 (Feb 14, 2003)

Snappa77 said:


> Awhile back I caught this ep on Bravo and was like 'H0LY $#!T'. It opened my eyes to the foundation of Zoeys kidnapping that took place later. (still wished Charlie decked Frenchie.)


Bartlett actually refered to this when he was sitting on the staircase with Leo after Zoey was actually kidnapped. I didn't put 2 and 2 together until the next time I saw the earlier episode. I don't think they had planned it out from the beginning, but it was great continuity.



Snappa77 said:


> --Bartlett informing the other presidential canidate of the death of "Agent Gibbs" and the lunk saying "crime...oh boy" and Bartlett telling him THAT is when he decided to kick his asterix.


Even better was their debate! From the first minutes of the episode (betting on when Toby would freak out) I knew it would be good. And Bartlett's opening salvo was some of the best writing of the show:



> GOVERNOR ROBERT RITCHIE: My view of this is simple: we don't need a Federal Department of Education telling us our children have to learn Esperanto, they have to learn Eskimo poetry. Let the states decide, let the communities decide on health care, on education, on lower taxes, not higher taxes. Now, he's going to throw a big word at you - "unfunded mandate." He's going to say if Washington lets the states do it, it's an unfunded mandate.
> But what he doesn't like is the federal government losing power. But I call it the ingenuity of the American people.
> 
> MODERATOR: President Bartlet, you have 60 seconds for a question and an answer.
> ...


----------



## Mikkel_Knight (Aug 6, 2002)

Boot said:


> I've said it before, in different contexts and in different threads, but my favorite moment would be the end of Two Cathedrals, with the rain storm, Bartlet standing in the rain and putting his hands in his pockets, and Leo saying "Watch this". Brothers In Arms playing in the background. Intense.


Ah, yes... another INCREDIBLE episode (and scene)


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

Boot said:


> I've said it before, in different contexts and in different threads, but my favorite moment would be the end of Two Cathedrals, with the rain storm, Bartlet standing in the rain and putting his hands in his pockets, and Leo saying "Watch this". Brothers In Arms playing in the background. Intense.


Absolutely incredible. I actually was at the National Cathedral the following weekend, and the one thing that sort of bothered me about the episode was that they implied the motorcade drove in front of the Cathedral, which is borderline impossible since the Cathedral is somewhat out of the way.

Doesn't change the episode - it was an absolutely classic episode. The last 15 minutes was one of the greatest sequences in television history.


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

How about the time Bartlet "accidentally" said something while the camera was on but was supposed to be off. It ignited a big controversy about the intelligence of Gov. Ritchie and everyone thought it was a huge gaffe, but as it played out it turned out to be a good thing and then it is revealed that Bartlet did it on purpose all along.


----------



## jgriffithslaw (Dec 7, 2004)

I liked the Big Block of Cheese Day where CJ meets with the cartographers who tell her that all the maps we have are wrong, then shows her what a map of the world is supposed to look like and it freaks her out.


----------



## Idearat (Nov 26, 2000)

devdogaz said:


> How about the time Bartlet "accidentally" said something while the camera was on but was supposed to be off. It ignited a big controversy about the intelligence of Gov. Ritchie and everyone thought it was a huge gaffe, but as it played out it turned out to be a good thing and then it is revealed that Bartlet did it on purpose all along.


_I think we might be talking about a .22 caliber mind in a .357 magnum world._


----------



## Idearat (Nov 26, 2000)

jgriffithslaw said:


> I liked the Big Block of Cheese Day where CJ meets with the cartographers who tell her that all the maps we have are wrong, then shows her what a map of the world is supposed to look like and it freaks her out.


I'd had that same map hanging in my office for years. It really does give you a different perspective than the ones we're all used to seeing. ( Such as Greenland not being larger than Africa )

http://www.petersmap.com/table.html


----------



## flyers088 (Apr 19, 2005)

From 20 hours in America

Sam's answering machine: Hi it's Sam. I'm sleeping for a few hours right now so you can leave a message or if you really need me you can shout at the machine and I'll wake up. Beep

Josh: SAAAAMMMMMM!!!!!!!!


----------



## latenight (May 5, 2005)

Wow, I cant possibly put them in any order but these are just a few of the scenes that stand out in my mind.

Game On - This was the debate episode where Bartlett was running for re-election. This showed the best of the Bartlett character. 

The Short List - Bartlett telling Almos that he was going to be named to the Supreme Court. 

Posse Comitatus-This was the episode where CJ's Secret Service Agent (Mark Harmon) was shot. Bartlett tells Ritchie while attending the same play what happened to which he responded "Crime.. man.. I dont know" and then Bartlett told him that he should remember that quote because thats when he decided to kick his ass. Also in this episode they sent the presidencial motorcade to drive down the FDR drive so Ritchie would be late for the play.. Classic West Wing.

The Supremes - The scene with Lang debating with Mulready

Privateers - most of the episode was weak but I will always laugh at the I'm Mary Coatsworth Hay (or whatever that old ladys name was) that wanted to keep Zoe out because their relative was a pirate (scratch that .. a privateer) 

Evidence of Things Not Seen - This was the episode where the WW was under lockdown. I loved Matthew Perrys interview with Josh. 

Red Haven On Fire - Another weak episode most of the way but I loved Will and the interns. I dont know it was this episode or the next but when asked how to demonsrate how much gas was being used by a SUV commercial one of the intern suggested they tow Saudis. Also loved the end where Will took what the interns created and made them good. 
Will had such potencial. He was decent in the the last 1/2 season but he was so wasted on this show.


----------



## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

latenight said:


> Privateers - most of the episode was weak but I will always laugh at the I'm Mary Coatsworth Hay (or whatever that old ladys name was) that wanted to keep Zoe out because their relative was a pirate (scratch that .. a privateer)


Was that the scene where the woman declares, "I'm Mary Coatsworth Hay!" and C.J. breaks out in hysterical laughter?


----------



## latenight (May 5, 2005)

1 more. 

The episode where Charlie finds a letter that was addressed to a former president, tracks him down and brings him to the White House to meet the President. The scene where the man asks for a picture with Charlie was great.


----------



## latenight (May 5, 2005)

serumgard said:


> Was that the scene where the woman declares, "I'm Mary Coatsworth Hay!" and C.J. breaks out in hysterical laughter?


thats the one.. fantastic scene


----------



## lpamelaa (May 3, 2004)

So many of my favoite scenes were already described above. How about a couple of my favorite recent lines from the show. 

CJ: I'm well aware that I'm living the first line of my obituary.

And the classic line below in my sig.


----------



## Satchel (Dec 8, 2001)

When Oliver Platt smashed the tape recorder with a gavel after Bartlett admitted possible felony actions.

When Bartlett was on the way to the press conference after Mrs. Landingham's funeral with the Dire Straits song Brothers In Arms playing in the background

When Toby had too much to drink on AirForce Once on the way to the ex-president's funeral


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

latenight said:


> Evidence of Things Not Seen - This was the episode where the WW was under lockdown. I loved Matthew Perrys interview with Josh.


"You're a Republican!"

I loved all the stuff with Joe Quincy. "Life on Mars" had my favorite stuff, but the interview was classic.

Jan


----------



## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Just thought of another
That exchange in the Situation room between Leo and Fitzwallace regarding shampoo. Right after some pretty intense talk about taking out Shariff.


----------



## dtivouser (Feb 10, 2004)

I loved the speech San wrote for POTUS after the high school tragedy... 'Heaven is full of angels tonight...'


----------



## FuzzyDolly (Dec 29, 2002)

I almost forgot about Plooey the Wolf!


----------



## Denise_Z (Apr 3, 2006)

I have two.

The first took place just after Josh and Sam lit the fire in the non-functional fireplace. When someone (don't remember if it was either of them or Charlie) knocked on the president's door and when he it was opened told the president said something like, "You remember when you said you didn't want to be disturbed unless the building was fire?"

And

In the last episode when the president blamed inauguration day on Adams, Jefferson and Franklin. That moment proved beyond any doubt that John Wells knows nothing about what's in the constitution. (See post in this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4094604#post4094604 for details). Not a good thing when you're writing a show about government.


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Denise_Z said:


> In the last episode when the president blamed inauguration day on Adams, Jefferson and Franklin. That moment proved beyond any doubt that John Wells knows nothing about what's in the constitution. (See post in this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4094604#post4094604 for details). Not a good thing when you're writing a show about government.


Did John Wells write that episode? I kind of doubt it. I'm not sure if he wrote any episodes. He is just the producer. IMDB doesn't list the writer for that ep, but I'd be very surprised if Wells had anything to do with it. In fact, someone like Wells probably has so many things going on and so many producers under him that he might not even read the script before it's finalized.


----------



## Denise_Z (Apr 3, 2006)

Yes I believe he did. In fact I'm almost sure of it because after that particular scene I backed up the recording to see exactly that.


----------



## Neenahboy (Apr 8, 2004)

When the staff gathered in Ainsley's office and sang "For He Is An Englishman"

When Bartlet called the Butterball Hotline

All of "20 Hours in America" ("What the...we CHANGED TIME ZONES?!")

Bartlet yelling at God (specifically the end of that scene where he extinguishes a cigarette butt on the floor of the cathedral and walks out in disgust)

The very last line of the series

Boy, this reminiscing makes me want to buy the series and watch it again (I saw it all through a combo of Netflix and other means).


----------



## Mr. Soze (Nov 2, 2002)

kpurcell said:


> One of my favorite scenes was when they Chinese immigrants were trying to get to America and they brougt the one into the White House so Bartlett could "judge" whether they were real and he said Shibboleth. Then Bartlett talks about them going missing.


+1

The other one that jumped to mind was the goldfish episode.


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

flyers088 said:


> The one where Donna becomes a Canadian citizen and is not allowed to the party.


And then_ is_ allowed into the party, and Josh tells her there that she can gain her U.S. citizenship easily, and the first lady responds that she wishes that Josh had said something earlier--at which point the military band breaks into a glorious rendition of "Oh, Canada" amidst the brandishing of huge Canadian flags.


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

As this threads shows, there just is so much in the series that is glorious, at every corner. I smile at each reference.

Some furthers:

-- Just about every scene between Martin Sheen and Stockard Channing--loved it when, with a truly demonic grin, she cuts his tie in half seconds before his presidential debate, to get his adrenaline going (and he, then, slaps her fanny, to her delight).
-- Just about every scene between Jimmy Smits and Teri Polo, including their loving banter together right before they are publicly introduced and he is sworn in as president, in which she mentions that a high school classmate had stolen a boy that she had been interested in, for prom (she thinks that the girl had put out) and the almost-president responds that he thinks that his wife has won out, in the end. I so wish the series had continued on, with them in it.
-- Just about every scene between Allison Janney and Mark Harmon.
-- Just about every scene between Allison Janney and Timothy Busfield, including the gut-wrenching one in the second-to-last (?) episode in which CJ doesn't know what to do with her future or how to do it and they almost break up but then stay together, Danny telling CJ that he'll train her on how to be in a couple, her having said that she missed having learned how to do that--I repeat that scene every time I watch the episode, and get teary-eyed.


----------



## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

I can't believe I missed this thread until now, but it would be hard to match Sheen's entrance line "I am the Lord, thy God."


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Wil said:


> I can't believe I missed this thread until now, but it would be hard to match Sheen's entrance line "I am the Lord, thy God."


Definitely one of the top-5 entrances for a television character. Martin Sheen earned his ~$100k/episode then-pay for that one.


----------



## tlc (May 30, 2002)

It's been a long time, but I still remember the flashbacks showing the characters getting on the Bartlett train.

Toby waking up when Bartlett says "Yeah, I screwed you on that one." at a town hall.

CJ walking into the pool and this exchange:
Toby Ziegler  : Come join the campaign. 
 C.J. Cregg  : How much does it pay? 
 Toby Ziegler  : How much were you making before? 
 C.J. Cregg  : Five hundred thousand a year. 
 Toby Ziegler  : This pays six hundred dollars a week. 
 C.J. Cregg  : So this is less. 

Sam's Josh's look-at-my-bad-poker-face face.


----------



## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Ya gotta go outside and turn around and spit.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

not all time favorite, but it sticks in my head..

CJ and Annabeth Schott (Kristin Chenoweth's character) doing the hall-walk discussion thing.. CJ says (approx) "I can't believe we're the same species".

(CJ's a giant, and Kristin's tiny.)


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

mattack said:


> not all time favorite, but it sticks in my head..
> 
> CJ and Annabeth Schott (Kristin Chenoweth's character) doing the hall-walk discussion thing.. CJ says (approx) "I can't believe we're the same species".
> 
> (CJ's a giant, and Kristin's tiny.)


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

One of oh so many (from each episode):

In Season 7, C.J. Craig tells Kate Harper that Doug Westin, the president's son-in-law, is having an affair with his family's nanny. Kate's response: 


> He should die. The bastard should just be dead.


----------



## Saturn_V (Jun 2, 2007)

I love it when Martin Sheen and Richard Schiff are in a room together with no one else. Yes, TWW went to the "Toby and Jed Bartlet yelling at each other" scene so many times, it's almost a trope. But I never got sick of it.

S5E12: "Slow News Day", Toby has the come-to-Jesus moment with the Presiden t, about to be outed by the WSJ on a bungled attempt to save Social Security.

*President Bartlet:* I want this back in the cardboard box it came in. I don't want to see you or talk to you 'til that's done. 'No way' is not an acceptable answer. 'I tried' is no longer an option. You started this thing, and you're gonna damn well going to finish it with either a blue ribbon or a great big deafening silence.

damn if doesn't put the fear of losing your job and every other job hereafter.


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Danny's de facto proposal to C.J. in Season 7, in discussing each of their futures:


> So, if I'm gonna jump off the cliff, and you're gonna get pushed off the cliff, why don't we hold hands on the way down? [Her beeper goes off.]


Yes, say yes!


----------



## jilter (Oct 4, 2002)

Gunnyman said:


> Now that it's over I thought it would be fun to reflect on favorite scenes from this terrific show.
> I have several but I'l only name 2.
> First:
> Bartlett screaming at God in the National Cathedral at Mrs. Landingham's funeral.
> ...


I loved when Mary Louise Parker came to the show and those eps had me falling in love with her (my husband accepted it.). I was never able to get into Weeds though.


----------



## ThePennyDropped (Jul 5, 2006)

jilter said:


> I loved when Mary Louise Parker came to the show and those eps had me falling in love with her (my husband accepted it.). I was never able to get into Weeds though.


That's funny, because I didn't really know Mary Louise Parker before she joined The West Wing, and I instantly hated her character (and maybe the actress) and lost some of my interest in the show while she was on it, something that's never happened to me before.


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Season 1, Episode 7, "The State Dinner."

The episode ends in a static-y wire conversation between Pres. Bartlet in the White House and a young seaman, Signalman Third Class Harold Lewis (played by Jeff Williams), on a Navy support ship caught in a surprise hurricane, off the East Coast. The fright in the seaman's voice is just spell-binding, as is the president's attempt to be there for him. I've seen this episode many times, and it gets to me each time; the direction is superb, with agonizing pauses, and the supporting music is haunting. The scene ends without resolution, the president simply telling the frightened seaman that he's going to stay on with him.


----------



## RickyL (Sep 13, 2004)

I love when Bartlet lays into the talk radio host who goes by Dr.


----------



## crcraig41us (Apr 7, 2007)

Season 2, espisode "Bad Moon Rising". Charlie has just clued in Leo that the Bartlets may have omitted the President's MS diagnosis on Zoe's college application, suggesting a conspiracy to conceal it. Bartlet approaches Charlie (who looks very worried) on the portico and talks to him.

<Skipping several lines>

"We won't discuss this any more for the time being. It'll be public soon enough. And the more conversations you have with me, the more lawyers you're gonna have to talk to, and they bill in an hour what you take home in a week, so we won't discuss it except to say this:

You're gonna be subpoenaed. I'm confident in your loyalty to me. I'm confident in your love for me. If you lie to protect me, if you lie just once, if you lie just a little, if you lie 'cause you can't stand what's happening to me and the people making it happen, if you ever, *ever* lie... you're finished with me, you understand?"

For me, this kind of epitomizes what I always enjoyed about the show. It's the idealist's version of the White House, where, yes, there was politics, but the characters pretty much always behaved honorably.


----------



## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

crcraig41us said:


> Season 2, espisode "Bad Moon Rising". Charlie has just clued in Leo that the Bartlets may have omitted the President's MS diagnosis on Zoe's college application, suggesting a conspiracy to conceal it. Bartlet approaches Charlie (who looks very worried) on the portico and talks to him.
> 
> <Skipping several lines>
> 
> ...


I think that's why I keep on re-watching the episodes--I feel uplifted by their often-humanity and their often-nobility. Oh, and artists of all types (music, writing, editing, videography, directing, acting, et al.) at the top of their games.


----------

