The West Wing - S2 E10 - Noel

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#1

The West Wing - S2 E10 - Noel

You need to listen to me. You have to listen to me. I can’t help you, unless you listen to me!

It’s Christmas Eve, and a defensive Josh spends the day in a marathon therapy session with a doctor who works with trauma victims. Josh recounts the escalating instability – identification with a suicidal fighter pilot, impatience with his colleagues and friends, an oversensitivity to music, a blow up in the Oval Office – which led to Donna and Leo arranging for Josh to get help. Meanwhile, the President insists he wants to sign all of his own Christmas cards, until Charlie explains there are far too many. Sam tangles with a representative of the Energy Secretary over remarks advocating the release of some of the strategic oil reserves. CJ enlists the help of a snobby tour guide to get to the bottom of an incident involving a White House tourist and a painting donated by the French government.

#2

Hitting play now. This is a tough episode to watch. Maybe the toughest so far.

#3

Bumping this thread, ready for 9:30

#4

Playing…

#5

A good episode for exercising the ole tear ducts.

I like the mysterious opening. You don’t know what’s going on.

#6

I’ve got my tissues handy. :slight_smile:

Adam Arkin is fantastic in this role.

#7

Toby isn’t what we’d call…jolly. :stuck_out_tongue:

#8

He is. He comes it so strong write off the bat.

So, we already know that Josh relates music to trama because of that bit about his sister from a pevious episode.

#9

I love how they start the flashbacks with the horn quintet and Josh’s uneasiness around it. Brings everything back full circle at the end of the ep.

#10

In that walk-and-talk with CJ, Josh is already starting to zone out. He’s almost on autopilot.

#11

Have you ever listened to the audio commentary on the episode from the DVDs? I think Bradley Whiford is on it. Good stuff.

#12

Yes! And…and I think Whitford talks about that on the commentary, but it’s been a while since I listened to it.

#13

I haven’t yet listened to them. I’ll try it on my next DVD. I’d love to hear their behind the scenes perspectives.

#14

Bernard! I love this guy! He’s the perfect amount of tightass for the job.

#15

Cashman and Berryhill are mentioned often. We eventually meet Berryhill but not Cashman.

#16

Great character. Comes back again in …Season 6 I think?

#17

Wow. Toby’s face there when Josh makes the Freudian slip “Sirens”…Toby knows something is wrong.

#18

The White House is a stressful place so for Josh to look stressed is not unusual. So when CJ talks to him about the photo CJ doesn’t see that Josh is way on edge.

#19

Yeah Josh crossed the line. Bigtime. Leo’s looking at him like he’s about to jump off a bridge. :eek:

#20

This is where I start to get the lump in my throat. In the Oval Office.

Three people who love Josh a lot --the Pres, Leo and Sam…and they know someting is terribly wrong.