The West Wing: Trivia, Questions (Here Be Spoilers)

[Fiderer]

Also admiration and swooning. If you haven't watched all 7 seasons, read no further!

Two Cathedrals - have watched it several times and only just realised last night that Mrs Landingham was driving back to the WH as Bartlet wanted to tell her about the MS.

I love the scenes with young Mrs L and Jed.

Why "two" cathedrals though?

I think it's mostly popular in the American south, so Ansley liking it is spot on.

And it's been modernized as I don't remember the can.

Aha tee- that could explain why she is so sad in the mess when they don't have any. Sounds a bit like lilt.

Tee are you from the south? Do you talk like Julia Roberts in Steel Magnolias ? or am i being horribly ignorant and basically assuming that Hugh Grant has a typically British accent? {wrings hands}

No, Olivia, sorry, I'm most recently (nearly 9 years ago now!) from California, but I was born in Massachusetts, grew up in Connecticut, went to school in New York and Iowa. I'm most a damn Yankee!

I went to boarding school with girls who sound like Julia Roberts in Steel Magnolias, does that count?

Oooh a WW thread! Hi everyone

Most people remember the early years of their relationship as a time of wild parties, exciting and romantic nights out, and lots of shagging.

I on the other hand have fond memories of back to back episodes of WW accompanied by long discussions about the nuances of US politics, packets of Marlboro lights and M&Ms. And lots of shagging. Not necessarily at the same time.

Oh how I lived!

Going back to read the whole thread now...

The silliest scene ever is the "fight" between Josh and Toby. Two grown men and nary a punch thrown.

I am on maternity leave and have just watched the entire box set for the first time over a few weeks (it was meant to be for whilst breastfeeding, shame) and I am EMPTY. What is my reason for getting up now, hm? And Leo/Spencer, and the napkin, and babies come with hats, and Bartlet's stick and Abbey's ageing face...it's the end of an era: both the series and my pregnancy (being induced on Monday).

Still, at least when the babies are crying I know I'll be able to calm them with TWW theme music as it's what they've heard most (along with their father's snoring).

Oh my.

One question though. I had SO thought that short skirted intern who stuck around during the budget row/staff being sent home period was going to be the Lewinsky to Bartlet's Clinton...what happened?

Also, though I completely missed the goldfish gags, did anyone notice that wipeboard in Josh's office seemingly never changed? It annoyed me mildly at the beginning: what looked like a useful list of key congress personnel and how they were voting, surely better to have on post its so you could move them around more easily...but then to cap it all I realised the order of the names NEVER CHANGES. Hoyne is always in the penultimate column, two or three from the top. Set accessorisers, shame on you.

I don't remember the short skirted intern....Season 6? Was that the budget cut season?

Not sure of Season number - it's when Bartlet calls the Speaker's bluff and doesn't sign the Budget, so they can't pay the Government staff. She first pops up randomly helping clean up as the discarded pizza boxes start to pile up, and Toby says to someone 'that's a lawsuit waiting to happen...' But then nothing ever does!

Also, Cuba. Leo meets Castro and then..?

Her name was Rina, she was a show-girl... oh hang on, not her.

Marina. Josh asked if she were Greek. "I was born on a boat" She's another of those characters who could have been really irritating but wasn't. Margaret's face when Toby goes on a trip with her is priceless.

Ryan the intern is another one. Josh: "There'll be hell to pay at Agincourt. I've offended the Dauphin."

I don't remember this person at all!

Toby asks her to help him when he's trying to save Social Security. Josh sends Donna to find out what Toby's up to so she starts asking about clothes and make-up, then tells Rina she should never tell anyone what she's working on.

She was also involved in the Ellie thing (the Sesame Street episode!) - she figures out the list came from within the administration.

Is she the one who Ainsley gives the speech to about liking being a woman? And not needing defending?

Oh wait, probably not if she's wearing a short skirt!

Which ep is this?

The Social Security one was Slow News Day (where CJ gets a cabbage).

Don't know which one the trip was in. Think it must have been prep for one of the later State of the Union speeches as Joey was testing audience response. Not v interesting storyline, I seem to remember.

I just looked, it's series 5 and I have no memory of the episode!

Rina was in more than one episode, wasn't she? Didn't Toby take her on a campaign trip when he met up with Joey Lucas? She was a completely random and pointless character, WTF was going on there.

That's good though, Tee! Toby on a roll, Josh politicking (scarily no underlining there, is it a real word?) and a cabbage. What's not to like?

Yes, it's a real word.

It was the 100th ep, actually. So you'd think it would be more memorable!

Yes, she was in 3 or 4 eps, and given the whole Budget veto was lifted straight out of the Clinton era, she was of Greek ancestry to Monica's Hungarian (I think), the names are similar etc I had assumed she was being set up for more art mimicking life and was feeling sad in advance that my opinion of Jed was about to be shattered. Luckily that didn't happen! Maybe they got cold feet...

I am now watching the Bonus discs. The set was HUGE!!! One of Sorkin's biggest regrets apparently was that he couldn't use the young Mrs L in any other episodes. And in the Two Cathedrals the cathedral was filled with real clergy for the filming. Sheen said to one of them 'you know I am about to denounce God in this bit?' and the priest, having read the script, said 'yes, it's going to be fantastic!'

Does it give any reason for killing her off? I've always wondered why they did.

Only on Season 3 of the bonus at the moment so will report back if she's mentioned...it's just odd she was introduced with such an obvious angle and then nothing happened. I can see how other random characters just didn't work/were annoying, but this seemed very much like the start of a huge story arc.

I guess it's possible the actress was no longer available so they decided (thank goodness) to ditch the character.

Blimey, never occurred to me that there could be a larger story arc. I thought it was more of a contrast thing, "not one of us". She was, however, bright and astute. If that was the point of her character, then there wasn't much mileage in it.

I am about to get a proper office for the first time in my working life. I want a gold fish in a bowl I can call Gail and only those people in the know will understand. I also intend on frequently bellowing "What's next?" randomly and am musing over a ball to throw repeatedly up against a wall.

Anyway, gold fish bowls. Has anyone seen one that looks like TWW one? flat sides, etc. It is absolutely essential it looks authentic as I am a bit sad. I can't seem to find one and the all consuming urge to find one has taken over my Friday afternoon.....!

Just finished watching The Stackhouse Filibuster. Another one with sniff.