I don't think that's what really happens here, though. Bartlet doesn't get pushed into this by Abby, Bartlet's the one pushing, really. He might be wrong*, but I don't see that he's doing it just to keep the peace.

We kinda have that; my monthly payment got knocked down by like, $300 since I owe more than my yearly salary.

We kinda have that; my monthly payment got knocked down by like, $300 since I owe more than my yearly salary.

I go back and forth on the turnover issue. It really makes no sense for Sam, CJ, Josh, and Charlie (and probably not for Fitzwallace and Nancy, to the extent we care about them). But for Leo…well, there's two parts to it. Leo's the CoS, and those guys burn out quick, but Leo's also essentially Bartlet's alter ego, the…

I go back and forth on the turnover issue. It really makes no sense for Sam, CJ, Josh, and Charlie (and probably not for Fitzwallace and Nancy, to the extent we care about them). But for Leo…well, there's two parts to it. Leo's the CoS, and those guys burn out quick, but Leo's also essentially Bartlet's alter ego, the…

The guy coming and asking him to do it puts it in front of him.

The guy coming and asking him to do it puts it in front of him.

I dunno, I felt like they were much different beats. For AK, it was a pretty elegant way to tell us that the character died; for Gabby Giffords, it was more of an illustration of the conflict they were under. The graphic was kinda the sword of Damocles or something.

I dunno, I felt like they were much different beats. For AK, it was a pretty elegant way to tell us that the character died; for Gabby Giffords, it was more of an illustration of the conflict they were under. The graphic was kinda the sword of Damocles or something.

@avclub-4b998d4f91cfa1ba080da1777b61939d:disqus I've been reading things just the opposite so far. While Jeremy often made me cringe, I felt like I was supposed to cheer when he ended a speech (Didn't the laugh track do just that a few times?). Whereas so far, every time Will McAvoy finishes speaking, I feel like I'm…

@avclub-4b998d4f91cfa1ba080da1777b61939d:disqus I've been reading things just the opposite so far. While Jeremy often made me cringe, I felt like I was supposed to cheer when he ended a speech (Didn't the laugh track do just that a few times?). Whereas so far, every time Will McAvoy finishes speaking, I feel like I'm…

CJ certainly avoids most of Sorkin's "woman problems", but she's practically the only one, so I think she's just an outlier. My theory is that Alison Janey was a strong enough actress to avoid the sour notes, and that Sorkin quickly lost interest in romantic plots for CJ, anyway.

CJ certainly avoids most of Sorkin's "woman problems", but she's practically the only one, so I think she's just an outlier. My theory is that Alison Janey was a strong enough actress to avoid the sour notes, and that Sorkin quickly lost interest in romantic plots for CJ, anyway.

I had some problems with MLP's performance; she gave her line-readings a bored/distracted air that I don't think worked. BUT, I understand why she was trying to speak Sorkin-ese in a different way (it's becoming clear to me that the best Sorkin actors are the ones who meld their own distinct rhythms with his- Sheen,…

I had some problems with MLP's performance; she gave her line-readings a bored/distracted air that I don't think worked. BUT, I understand why she was trying to speak Sorkin-ese in a different way (it's becoming clear to me that the best Sorkin actors are the ones who meld their own distinct rhythms with his- Sheen,…

I don't think Isaac as Isaac carries any weight, but Isaac Jaffe, Managing Editor of Sports Night, does. He would sorta speak for the "editorial board" of the show (technically speaking, he probably IS the editorial board of the show), so it's kinda like the newspaper's editorial.

I don't think Isaac as Isaac carries any weight, but Isaac Jaffe, Managing Editor of Sports Night, does. He would sorta speak for the "editorial board" of the show (technically speaking, he probably IS the editorial board of the show), so it's kinda like the newspaper's editorial.

"here's the thing: would you play for a university that flew the confederate flag?"

"here's the thing: would you play for a university that flew the confederate flag?"

I think the point is- he can't win in that district, it's too Republican. And if he TRIES in that district, he can't go anywhere else, because the U.S. system has a disdain for changing districts that, as I understand things, is not shared by the U.K. And it's not so much that if he loses once that's it; it's that…