Type:
Television Show
Year:
2000
Production:
Warner Brothers
Feature:
5/5
DVD:
2/5
Season two of this excellent series starts with the aftermath of the
shooting that ended season one. Watching the episodes the second time
around was just as interesting as the first time. The big subplots of
the season were President Bartlet's MS and having to reveal it to the
staff as well as deciding whether or not President Bartlet is going to
run for re-election.
Episodes
101/102. "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" (Part one and two)
- President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) has been shot though it's not
critical. On the other hand Josh (Bradley Whitford) took a stray bullet
and is fighting for his life.
Half of this two parter deals in flashbacks to the Bartlet Presidential
Campaign when Josh, CJ (Allison Janney), Sam (Rob Lowe) and Donna
(Janel Moloney) joined Leo (John Spencer) and Toby (Richard Schiff) to
help run the campaign. Moloney is promoted to regular cast member.
BONUS: Commentary by Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme with Bradley
Whitford and Janel Moloney (part 1) and Martin Sheen (part 2).
103. "The Midterms" - CJ doesn't know what happened during
the shooting because she blacked out. But she does know someone pushed
her down and wants to find that person.
104. "In This White House" - Ainsley Haynes (Emily
Procter), a young blonde Republican beauty, shows her smarts by beating
up on Sam on live television and is rewarded with a job at the White
House as an assistant counsel.
105. "And It's Surely to Their Credit" - Ainsley spends a
harsh first day in a hostile White House. Sam comes to her rescue.
106. "The Lame Duck Congress" - The White House tries to
find out whether or not it can push a nuclear treaty by calling a
special session of the lame duck Senate which is currently in recess.
107. "The Portland Trip" - Taking place mostly on Air
Force One, Toby and Sam struggle to write an education-policy speech
before they arrive in Portland.
108. "Shibboleth" - Chinese illegal immigrants are
discovered on a freighter. The President has to decide whether or not
to grant political asylum because the immigrants claim to be oppressed
Christians.
109. "Galileo" - The White House prepares for Galileo to
land on Mars.
110. "Noël" - As Christmas approaches Josh has
a breakdown and spends the episode talking to a psychiatrist. (Adam
Arkin).
BONUS: Commentary by Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme and Bradley Whitford.
111. "The Leadership Breakfast" - A friendly
bipartisan breakfast may not be so friendly as Toby insists that the
President should raise some controversial issues during the breakfast.
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112. "The Drop-In" - President Bartlet makes a drop-in change to a
speech Sam has painstakingly written. We realize that Bartlet is
getting ready to run for re-election.
113. "Bartlet's Third State of the Union" - Behind
the scenes as the White House prepares and deals with the aftermath of
the President's State of the Union Address.
114. "The War at Home" - The first lady (Stockard
Channing) is mad because the President has broken his promise to not
run for re-election.
115. "Ellie" - We meet President Bartlet's second
daughter, Ellie (Nina Siemaszko) who does not have a good relationship
with her father.
116. "Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's
Going to Jail" - Sam is asked to secure a post-humous Presidential
Pardon for a man convicted of treason against the United States.
117. "The Stackhouse Filibuster" - An elderly
Senator defies the White House when they don't add any funds for Autism
research in their Family Wellness Act.
118. "17 People" - Toby is told about President
Bartlet's MS.
119. "Bad Moon Rising" - The White House Counsel,
Oliver Babish (Oliver Platt) is brought in on the conspiracy.
120. "The Fall's Gonna Kill You" - All the senior
staffers have been notified. Babish interviews staffers and starts to
set up strategy.
121. "18th and Potomac" - The White House decides to
do a live broadcast in a few days. Tragedy strikes when Mrs Landingham
(Kahtryn Joosten) is killed in a drunk driving accident.
BONUS: Commentary by Aaron Sorkin, Robert Berlinger and Kathryn Joosten
(though only a little bit).
122. "Two Cathedrals" - As the President and
staffers attend Mrs Landingham's funeral, President Bartlet flashbacks
to when he first met Mrs Landingham back when he was in prep school.
Meanwhile nobody knows whether or not President Bartlet will announce
his plans to run for re-election during the press conference after his
MS announcement.
Special Features
Constructing Two Cathedrals - A look back at the events leading up to
the episode as well as how the episode was plotted and shot.
Access Granted - A tour of the White House set.
Gag Order - short gag reel.
Deleted Scenes - about a dozen scenes from throughout the season.
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