Day One Hundred and Ninety-two - The West Wing: Season 2, Episode 3, "And the Conservative Talk Show Host Goes Down for the Count!"

I'm going to skip over the two-part premiere of the second season of The West Wing, despite the fact that it was some seriously compelling television that not only dealt with the assassination attempt and the can of worms that opened (considering their real target) but also gave plenty of pre-Bartlett Administration backstory to almost the entire team.

I'm going to skip over the premiere because episode three has one of my favorite scenes in the entirety of the series.

No, not CJ counseling the President over a school board race in his home district, though that was a great moment of "so it goes," and not CJ again mistaking Physicists as Psychics. I'm also not talking about Josh telecommuting from home and Toby trying to sneak in.

I'm talking about Dr. Jenna Jacobs... a prim, conservative talk show host who President Bartlett takes to task for not observing ceremony when he comes to greet them at a special dinner for famous hosts from across the country.

Martin Sheen's delivery of chapter and verse, shoving the rules of Leviticus down her throat is invigorating, even if it is just shooting fish in a barrel. It's petty, it's easy, and still so damned satisfying.

I especially love the hesitant laughter as Bartlett begins to lay it on, but not a peep as the room realizes he's deadly serious and pulling her down a few pegs.

You can see a video of it here, but why not just watch the episode?

I mean, aside from that small bit of devilish glee I take from seeing a Dr.Laura-analog take one on the chin, it's actually a really good episode (most are) both for Bartlett obsessing over his old opponent and for Sam and Toby continuing to try and find a way to make the hate groups pay for their attack, despite so many protections of the Constitution blocking them off... and as well it should.

It's not my favorite episode... not even close... but it still delivers on so many different fronts.

I'm a little bummed that I don't get to talk about a new addition to the cast who joins up next episode, Ainsley Hayes (Emily Proctor)... as I've always had a crush on her and was devastated when Proctor left for CSI:Miami, but I suppose I could always come back to it tomorrow.

Probably shouldn't though... wouldn't want my binge-watching of West Wing to break Couchbound too much. I've done that enough with Dr.Who.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~