From Start to Finish: West Wing Season 1, Eps 5-7

Season 1, Episode 5: "The Crackpots and These Women"

By now the show is in full swing, mixing the light hearted humor with the poignant drama. This episode introduces Big Block of Cheese Day, and takes us into the somewhat troubled world of Josh Lyman. We meet Zoe Bartlet (she's a girl, Charlie) and find out that Toby is not the kid anybody wants called on in class. C.J. learns about Pluie the migrant wolf, and Sam becomes worried about an unidentified object not from a different planet, but from a different time. And everyone enjoys chili and beer. This episode really sets the course for the classic episodes yet to come.

Season 1, Episode 6: "Mr. Willis of Ohio"

This episode is a personal favorite. Capraesque moments, especially when it comes to government, have a way of melting my oftentimes cynical heart, and the scenes with Mr. Willis are certainly in that vein. When the gang goes out to the bar and some asswipes start hassling Zoe, Charlie has a great moment of integrity, and Josh shows what a panic button is useful for. Towards the end, Jed scares Zoe with a nightmare scenario to convince her to take on secret service protection. This was a well done scene, and is a very accurate foreshadow of later events in the series. The show ends with another great ending, as a Congressman makes his first and likely last vote.

Season 1, Episode 7: "The State Dinner"

It's time for a state dinner at the White House, which means Abbey Bartlet makes her debut on the show. All the while a showdown is happening in Idaho, the Teamsters are preparing to strike, and a hurricane is aiming directly for a battle carrier group. Some great Jed moments here, especially when he basically forces the two sides in the labor dispute to settle. He did this, because he can't change the weather, and he can't operate on a wounded federal agent. The Batak-Portuguese-English mixup was a rather funny moment, although it did highlight the tendency for Sorkin to occasionally play C.J. and Donna off as being "silly women". It is rare for Toby to get his comeuppances, but it happens in this episode. The show ends on a down note, highlighting one of the worst parts of a President's job as he talks to a damaged naval ship in the middle of a hurricane.