West Wing 7.5: "Here Today"

Written by Peter Noah
Directed by Alex Graves

In which Toby faces the consequences of his confession, which ultimately forces Bartlet to make a difficult decision, while Josh begins to realize that the campaign needs a change…


I’ve said a number of times that the leak investigation and Toby’s complicity make sense in terms of the character and the larger theme of the series itself. In essence, this is not just a matter of Bartlet’s slow but inevitable decline from power; it’s also the decline of anyone left to man the ship with him. These are the twilight days of the Bartlet administration, only months away from the end, and things are falling apart. Instead of leaving office with the world a better place and an heir apparent ready to win the election, Bartlet looks to end his second term with scandal and world war.

Some might find it a stretch, but I like to think that Ellie’s very small part in the episode is a symptom of the larger problem faced by the administration. Bartlet is losing his control over nearly everything in his life, not just his health and his legacy. Ellie has always been her own woman, but in earlier years, Bartlet would have had some words. Perhaps he was just being conciliatory, but a lot of the fire seems lost.

Of course, this episode is more about Toby and how his character’s defining traits more or less presaged such an end. Indeed, that’s what I’ve been saying for a few episodes now, and it was repeated more than once in this episode. Toby has always been an idealist with a healthy dose of arrogance, and eventually, it was going to come back to bite him. This is that time, and while it’s sad to see it happen so late in the game, when so much else is stagnating, it would have been too easy to let him go out quietly.

Frankly, anyone who thought that Bartlet should have treated Toby better is letting sentimentality overrule reason and character consistency. Bartlet has been more than patient with Toby over the years, even when Toby has crossed the line in a thousand ways. A less flawed man might have actually learned something about limits, but Toby never did. Bartlet is like the father who must, despite his fervent wishes otherwise, cut loose his son with harshness if there is to ever be a lesson learned.

What struck me last night, as I was watching the episode with typical enjoyment, was how mournful this season really is. I understand that some people were expecting the possibility of a continuance next season, but everything about the series says that this is the end. Every scene in the White House is drenched in darkness (it has been steadily getting worse, I think, or it just seems so). I’m left with such a sense of impending loss and a recognition that it has been coming for quite some time, and it adds a layer of emotional resonance to the story.

Turning for a moment to the campaign trail, things are looking more and more problematic for Josh. He really needs to sit down with Leo and look back at the Bartlet for America campaign and see where things have gone wrong. Josh has never seemed like the best campaign manager in the world, but he really has hit his limit and it shows. Vinick keeps handing him openings, and nothing gets done. I’m sure that Santos will bounce back in the big debate or soon thereafter, but it’s painful watching the campaign founder.

I won’t say I was quite as taken with this episode as the previous installment, but that was largely due to the treatment of the teaser and first act. I didn’t really get into the story until after that, which was probably just a subjective reaction. By the end, I was definitely hooked, and I felt the ending was very strong. The debate over old and new will no doubt wage on.

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

Final Rating: 8/10