Year of DVDs: West Wing, Season 1, Disc 2B

Series: The West Wing
Season: 1
Disc: 2, side B
Episodes: "Take Out the Trash Day", "Take This Sabbath Day", "Celestial Navigation", "20 Hours in L.A."

Although I often take a rather bitter and cynical attitude towards things, deep down I'm an idealist. I truly want to see things better, and am always on the lookout for the "real thing" in politics. It's why I love the filibuster scene in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, why The American President and Dave are two of my favorite movies, and why The West Wing is my favorite TV show of all time.

Being an idealist often means you end up disappointed. This is true of even the Bartlet administration. The show tends to fluctuate like a sine wave between failure and success, and the four episodes on this disc are part of the first downward trend of the series. Little is being accomplished, morale is starting to sink, and the President is starting to feel restless about it all. And to top it all off, Bartlet's daughter is receiving death threats, and a potential Supreme Court justice is doing his damnest to lose his nomination fight.

Fortunately, the mood of these episodes isn't nearly as somber as some of the later down cycles (See: Early Season Five). There is the hilarious first appearance by Joey Lucas, proving once again why it is a bad idea to take an early meeting with a hangover. Leo finds it in his heart to give a poor girl a second chance, despite her almost ruining his career. And above all, Josh not only creates a "secret plan to fight inflation", he is also opposed to it.

In the end, not everything goes as intended. Sometimes you have to take babysteps, and sometimes you just mark time in the mud. There is always another day, and another battle to fight. And eventually, you just gotta let Bartlet be Bartlet.