The West Wing

My apologies for the lateness of this, I took on the recap at the last minute then real life exploded!

Episode 1 x 06: Mr. Willis of Ohio

Read the transcript here

This is the epic episode of foreshadowing. We have foreshadowing of relationships both professional and personal, foreshadowing of crises both political and personal (wait, the personal is the political, especially on this show!) and even foreshadowing of real life American politics. This episode sets up things that aren't going to come to fruition for years. It's just. That. Good.

(Inaccurate) Blurb from IMDb: In the first of several episodes throughout the series' run that portrays ordinary Americans and how they interact with and ultimately affect the W.H., an Ohio middle school social studies teacher, a widower who has recently filled the brief remaining term of his late wife in the House, joins two other reps to meet with Toby and Mandy about changes to unfair rules in the U.S. Census written into the latest federal budget. The other two, career politicians, are completely resistant to the changes, but Mr. Willis is swayed by a potent argument Toby makes regarding "strict constructionism" (generally conservative and libertarian belief that the U.S. Constitution is not a living document, and must be followed as written, unless officially amended through standard 38-state ratification) and the 14th Amendment. Toby is impressed with the man and his open-mindedness. Elsewhere, Sam tutors C.J. on the finer points of the census. Late in the episode, the staff meets for a late-night poker party.

Summary: ( Read more... )

Questions:

1. The foreshadowing in this episode is patently clear if you've seen what comes after. But on its own, does it seem like this is the beginning of the forging of certain relationship dynamics, especially, amongst Senior Staff?
2. Is the interaction between C.J. and Sam just comedic, or is it troubling?
3. This episode is heavy on policy, and heavy on explanations of policy for the benefit of the audience. How does that come across?