West Wing 7.1: "The Ticket"

Written by Debora Cahn
Directed by Christopher Misiano

In which the campaign for Santos/McGarry is launched on the heels of the primary, but concerns over Leo’s past and a situation at the White House throw Josh a few curves…


First, a little background. I didn’t watch the show in first run until the third season, and then because of other commitments, I didn’t watch again until the fifth season began. I’ll admit that I was wary of Sorkin’s typical desire to soapbox through his characters, and coming in late, I didn’t have a feel for why the characters were doing what they were doing. Since then, I’ve seen all the episodes several times over with my wife, who is also a new fan. The DVDs get plenty of mileage in our household!

The point is that I don’t look at this series from the same perspective as someone who was there from the very beginning. I recognize that the show had a very different tone, but I don’t subscribe to the notion that it’s horrible now without Sorkin and his firm handle on where he wanted things to go. If anything, I find it very appropriate that the first term was overseen by one showrunner, and now the second term is under another. Each term has had its general theme, and the second term is darker overall than the first, given that Bartlet’s time in the sun is nearly over.

That’s why I really liked how this episode began. It makes one thing very clear, right from the beginning: this season is about the end of the Bartlet administration. That was clear last season, but this drives it home. (I’m inclined to think that this is also in preparation for this being the final season.) So the emphasis is on the struggle between the old and the new, even more than it was last season. Since the election plot thread was the one I enjoyed the most last season, this is a big plus for me.

One thing I really like about this series is its density. So much is happening, and it’s easy to get caught up in the plot and character details. This episode is no exception. I spent most of the time delving into the interplay between Josh, Santos, and Leo. Everyone is spot on, and it promises to be quite interesting in the episodes to come, especially in terms of Leo’s past history. Leo’s character is getting the “fish out of water” treatment that CJ received last season, and it ought to be equally precarious.

Speaking of CJ, I don’t read spoilers, so I have no idea how this mess with the security leak is going to hash itself out. I have a feeling it’s going to play into some cast restructuring again. I’m glad that the White House is still a vital part of the story, however, because I’m not ready to let go of Bartlet just yet!

Other good things: Josh and Donna’s incredibly awkward conversation, CJ and Danny finally getting together (and spawning, apparently), the hint at where the characters will end up (will this flash forward be a running thing, touching on all the characters over the years?), and Annabeth’s new role as Leo’s hot campaign manager. I love that both Smits and Alda in the credits (on opposite ends of the list, no less!).

Perhaps the most telling thing I can say is this. I forgot to tell my wife that it was starting again, and she only realized it when she saw it come up as “recording” on our TiVo. We were all set to watch something else, but she insisted that we watch this instead. Few shows are that high on her priority list. “Lost” and “BSG” perhaps, but compared to this, well…she preferred to wait on “Desperate Housewives” for another day. A solid opening was all we could have asked for, and that’s what we got.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10