The West Wing: The War at Home Rewatch

January 19, 2017 7:24 AM - Season 2, Episode 14

For all intents and purposes, this is the second half of a two-parter, as we start just a few hours after the State of the Union, and the captured DEA agent situation in Colombia continues. We also see more of the fallout over inviting a cop long ago accused of brutality (Richard Riehle); and Senator Seth Gillette (D-ND) (Ed Begley Jr.) gets mad at Toby for the President's tack to the right.

Over on TWWW, the guys discuss why this episode was even better than "Bartlet's Third State of the Union".

Stockard Channing was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting in a Dramatic Series for this episode (and the previous one), her second Emmy nomination as Abbey Bartlet and seventh overall. She lost to Alison Janney again.

posted by Etrigan (1 comment total)

The episode never stands out on Best Of lists, and I've really never given it its due, but it is really good. So much stuff is layered in here.

And I love the insight into the Bartlet's marriage. I love that they're so fundamentally committed to each other that even when they obviously drive each other nuts, the joy that they get from being together is still there underneath the surface. And like Hrishi says in the podcast, her "I love you too" carries so much.

Sorkin must have had so much fun writing for Sheen and Channing.
posted by dry white toast at 7:58 PM on January 19, 2017