the last hurrah...

[saturn]

I'll say this first. This episode is just fine but a big part of me doesn't care to spend this much of the THIRD TO LAST EPISODE EVER watching Alan Alda. He did a great job. I'm glad he came on board. Blah, blah, blahcakes. I want Barlett and Toby and CJ and Charlie and Josh and Sam and Donna ALL THE TIME.

Oh, but I love the secret service briefing with the kids! (Though Helen's not doing so well with this transition. I feel the need to announce that I'd be an incredibly accommodating First Lady. With an agenda.)

"I've decided on a VP..." Santos is going to be a bit of a renegade president.

(Is that Miles Drentel as the guy, Jim, with the plans for Vinick?)

Nancy McNally in the cabinet!?! Did I hear that right??? I always liked her a lot. (I once read a really great CJ/Nancy fic that took place just after the events in "The Women of Qumar." Neither here nor there but I should look for the link...)

"Okay, which ones do you want to fire." The "deer in the headlights" thing was okay during the campaign but I want to see the First Lady – excuse me...Helen – embrace this. She's in a lot of trouble if she thinks her husband is going to be able to change his schedule around so easily. But then she rubs his shoulder and agrees to look at a public school and I melt. She's saved my wrath. And her face when she walked into the Oval Office was priceless.

Vinick as VP is absurd but Alan Alda's face was also priceless. Never happen in the real world. Ever. But it's still fun to watch Smits and Alda play it. Oh! Oh! Oh! Secretary of State! That's different and unexpected but it makes more sense. I like - though I'm surprised by it - that Vinick's staff supports this. They know he won't win a Presidential election and this is a valid, important opportunity for him. This scenario would also never happen in the real world - Bob Dole as Clinton's Secretary of State??? - but it sure is fun to see Smits and Alda on screen together.

Good episode but I stand by my initial statement. I want the old guard in these last episodes.

Next week! *sobs* I can't take it. Seven years of memories, indeed.