Nah, that's actually the worst part. The prose is awkward, the dialogue is stilted, the characters are all unrealistic. The pacing is all fucked to hell (hence all the bitching about the 70 page speech), and, at the end of the day, you can't really put the politics aside. It's about politics. Certainly not at a Dems…

I never liked this episode, and I doubt I do now, but Steve, your comparison of Tal to Bartlet is really interesting. It's no secret that Bartlet is the "Dad" of the show (here's another example for you: Sam's father's affair is revealed right before Bartlet's MS, and Sam's passive-aggressive anger is the same for…

I never liked this episode, and I doubt I do now, but Steve, your comparison of Tal to Bartlet is really interesting. It's no secret that Bartlet is the "Dad" of the show (here's another example for you: Sam's father's affair is revealed right before Bartlet's MS, and Sam's passive-aggressive anger is the same for…

Or at least Sam, who's their go-to TV guy anyway. I mean, one flash of Rob Lowe's smile would shut up half the press room.

Or at least Sam, who's their go-to TV guy anyway. I mean, one flash of Rob Lowe's smile would shut up half the press room.

Nah, it's fine to expect more out of TV. Maybe not necessary, but fine.

Nah, it's fine to expect more out of TV. Maybe not necessary, but fine.

Yeah, at least until the "Dan has a sad" story arc, he was pretty much the moral authority on the show. His opinion of someone was pretty much how we were supposed to think of them.

Yeah, at least until the "Dan has a sad" story arc, he was pretty much the moral authority on the show. His opinion of someone was pretty much how we were supposed to think of them.

I think that Lisa Shereborn on TWW is probably pretty similar to Lisa McCall; when she finally shows up, it turns out that she's not nearly as bad as the Joshes and Dans of the world made her out to be, and that Casey/Sam's condescension had a big role to play, too.

I think that Lisa Shereborn on TWW is probably pretty similar to Lisa McCall; when she finally shows up, it turns out that she's not nearly as bad as the Joshes and Dans of the world made her out to be, and that Casey/Sam's condescension had a big role to play, too.

The problem with the "we're women" thing isn't that it's insulting; it's that it's so patronizing.

The problem with the "we're women" thing isn't that it's insulting; it's that it's so patronizing.

I think we're sometimes a little too willing to psychoanalyze Aaron Sorkin. Don't get me wrong, love him or hate him, he's a fascinating guy, and he certainly puts a lot of himself in his work (he says he never does autobiographies; I feel like he's never done anything ELSE). But when we're getting to "I liked Scene X…

I think we're sometimes a little too willing to psychoanalyze Aaron Sorkin. Don't get me wrong, love him or hate him, he's a fascinating guy, and he certainly puts a lot of himself in his work (he says he never does autobiographies; I feel like he's never done anything ELSE). But when we're getting to "I liked Scene X…

Well, no, he did:

Well, no, he did:

Yeah, not that the "no change" thing was really a conscious choice on Sorkin's part (I think it was borne much more out of the limits of television at the time and a failure of Sorkin's own imagination), but I think the show was stronger for it. At some point, the monumental changes Bartlet brings about lose some…

Yeah, not that the "no change" thing was really a conscious choice on Sorkin's part (I think it was borne much more out of the limits of television at the time and a failure of Sorkin's own imagination), but I think the show was stronger for it. At some point, the monumental changes Bartlet brings about lose some…

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.