Journal Entry #29: Television

Date: November 27, 2007
Time: 23:46

I didn't almost forget this time, I was kind of putting it off. For once, not only was I unsure of what to write, I wasn't too sure I wanted to write at all.

Like I said a couple of times already, I get really emotional around the holidays, and as such, I tend to feel what I call the “Woman get away from me ‘cause I can’t stand the sight of you” Blues. But I'm going to try and talk about something else in this entry.

I would like to talk about Television, and of the many programs that are my favorites.

There are comedies, dramas, which I guess you could ascribe to almost any program. It's the "sub-genre" that...

Oh forget it. I'll just talk about one show in particular right now, "The West Wing".

When I first heard that there was going to be a television series that took place in the White House, I thought to myself "A show about the White House? Aw man, it's gonna be crap!" And then, I found out that Martin Sheen was going to be playing the President, and I thought to myself, "Aw man, Martin Sheen as the President? It's gonna be full of political rhetoric!"

And then I caught a rerun of an episode on Bravo, and then I caught another episode. It was the second episode that got me hooked. Here's the scenario:

Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) is appearing on an early morning talk show. As he is presenting the view of the Democrat, or the Liberal side, there must be equal time given to the Republicans, or the Conservative side. This is represented by a vivacious young woman named Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter).

The discussion begins and Sam is on a roll, but then the host, played by Ted McGinley asks Ms. Hayes for her opinion. She begins speaking and follows through by basically reading Sam the riot act. She then corrects him on an error in geography, he stated a town as being in Oregon when it was really in California. When they break for a commercial, Sam says, under his breath, "Please don't let anyone be watching." The scene then cuts to the interior of the White House and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman comes barreling into Communications Director Toby Ziegler's office and says, "Toby, come quick, Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl.", to which Toby turns to his assistant, Ginger, and says, "Ginger, get the popcorn." Cut to opening titles.

That scene, the little bit between Josh and Toby made me laugh, and was what got me hooked on the series.

When a character was killed in Season 3, I too, wanted to cry. When they recovered the President's youngest daughter at the beginning of Season 4, I was choked up, but cheering. But when John Spencer, who played White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack in real life, I almost did cry. John Spencer made a lot of his career out of playing character roles, but as Leo, he shined.

There is moment between Josh and Leo from Season 2 that I would like to share. At the end of Season 1, shots were fired at the President and his staff as they left a "Town Hall" meeting. The President and Josh were hit, and Josh almost died. In the Christmas episode of Season 2, we learn that Josh is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and talks with a psychiatrist, played by Adam Arkin. Leo brings him in when Josh yells at the President, IN THE OVAL OFFICE.

Later, after the session is over, Josh sees that Leo had been waiting for him. When Josh suggests that he go and apologize to the President, in hopes of keeping his job, Leo tells him a story.

This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, "Hey, you, can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up, "Father, I'm down in this hole. Can you help me out?" The priest writes a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey, Joe, it's me. Can you help me Out" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are you nuts? Now we're both down here." The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before - and I know the way out."

Leo then tells Josh, "As long as I have a job, you have a job."

Looking back, I don't think anyone else could have delivered those lines in quite the same way as John Spencer.