17 People

Season 2, Episode 18, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

Toby, suspicious that there's something going on with the President, finds out about Bartlet's MS and informs Leo of the legal ramifications; Josh and Donna disagree about the date of their "anniversary"; Sam and Ainsley argue about the necessity of the ERA; staffers struggle to punch-up the speech the President will give at the White House Correspondents Dinner.moreless
9.3
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Superb
130 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Watch Online

Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy
VUDU
Buy/Rent

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

See All

  • Riddle me this

    7.5
    "Good"
    By iceman333_us, Jan 09, 2011 Report Abuse
    A great episode, but the timeline does not add up. In the Stackhouse filibuster, Josh is going to Florida to take in NY Mets spring training, so it has to be March. Six Days later Toby finds out about Jed\\\'s illness. That would make it Thursday, with a holiday weekend coming up. The only holiday in April is Easter and that is the 15th. Can anyone explain this to me?

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 2

  • What was discovered in six days and twenty-three minutes.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By kickdoor, Jun 09, 2010 Report Abuse
    Brilliant cold open. Toby's paranoia building up slowly throughout the week, offset by the steady rhythm of the ball bouncing, was an excellent piece of television. Toby's incredible performance continued throughout the episode, in his scenes with Bartlet and Leo.

    I don't often relate to Toby, so it was interesting to see him as the voice of all my own concerns. Toby's indignation was definitely righteous in my opinion. As terrible as deceiving the voters is, I think think keeping it from the staff is even worse. Leo, Josh, CJ, Toby, and Sam deserved to know that the man they were working so hard to get elected, had what could easily and without warning become a crippling and career ending disease. When Bartlet said he wouldn't apologize, I was close to losing it, and was fuming until he did actually say he was sorry, which was moving enough to earn him some points back with me, if not Toby.

    The scenes in the Oval obviously out shined what was going on in the rest of the West Wing, but there was still some great moments. Particularly Josh and Donna's storyline. I couldn't believe she went back to Dr. Feelgood after Josh hired her. I think she deserves the "snarking" Josh gives her every April with the flowers. Their moment near the end of the episode, in Josh's office, was a nice way to wrap up the storyline.

    Josh: "I'm just saying if you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for a beer."
    Donna: "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for red lights."

    Though Sam & Ainsley continued to give Josh & Donna a run for their money in the best onscreen chemistry title.

    Sam: "You're adorable."
    Ainsley: "Yet ill adored."
    Sam: "Go figure."

    Sam: "We're not making fun of the host."
    Ainsley: "Who are we making fun of?"
    Everyone: "Republicans!"

    9.5/10, the MS/reelection plot provided some amazing dramatic moments, while the other scenes added some excellent comic relief.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • Learning secrets..

    9.4
    "Superb"
    By Parricida, Sep 07, 2008 Report Abuse
    This episode really had that amazing sad and very hard tune and somehow the storyline when they tried to turn not funny speech into funny was almost like symbolic - they tried to turn funny a episode what was so serious.. and it all worked together so well.

    First and mostly Toby learning about president's condition and the affects it has had. I think noone else before thought that way. The reasons he had and when he accused Leo making decisions turning Pakistan crises.. It was all just amazing acting on that part.

    Then was the other storyline of people with that speech. And for me the best part was Donna when she said that if Josh would be in hospital, she would not stop for red lights. It was just so beautifully said.

    So, it was really beautiful episode.. very thoughtful...moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 0

  • A major turning point in the story arc of President Bartlett's MS.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Mark_Brian, May 06, 2007 Report Abuse
    One of the most dramatic and gripping episodes of The West Wing, with some superb performances and excellent writing. It's dark, ominous, full of recriminations and a key episode in the history of the show. Interestingly, it manages to stand out with a minimum of cast appearing - Alison Janney's CJ being the most notable absentee.

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • One of my all time favorites.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By cookaberry, Jul 06, 2006 Report Abuse
    There is no part of this episode that I didn't love. Toby was... it's hard to describe him, but Richard Schiff did an amazing job. Toby was just Toby, and I'm glad he finally found out about it. Plus I loved all the senior staff people gathering around trying to make it funny, if only CJ was there. Josh and Donna were amazing together, I loved there whole thing! And then Sam was great talking about the ERA, and Ainsley is probably the only person I could ever listen to and actually hear and accept her point as valid against the ERA. I just loved this episode so much, I am sure to watch it many times. The perfect mix of angst, sweetness, hilarity and so much more! GO WW!moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • When Toby refers to the shooting in Rosslyn, VA, he mentions it took place "last May" while in the episode "The Midterms," the shooting was clearly indicated to have taken place in August. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Awards and Nominations: Richard Schiff was nominated for an Emmy in 2001 in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in this episode and in "The Leadership Breakfast" Won 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series Edit
    • The 17 people are: 1 The First Lady 2 Elizabeth 'Liz' Bartlet-Westin 3 Eleanor 'Ellie' Bartlet 4 Zoey Bartlet 5 the President's brother, John 6 Dr. Herman Virkram 7 Vice President John Hoynes 8 Admiral Fitzwallace 9 Leo McGarry 10 Dr. David Lee, the anesthesiologist at GW 11 Toby 12-16 other doctors and radiologists 17 and President Bartlet. Edit
    • This episode has the smallest number of guest stars of any episode of the West Wing, with only Emily Procter in addition to the regulars. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Sam: You're adorable. Ainsley: Yet ill adored. Sam: Go figure. Edit
    • Sam: I flat out guarantee you that if men were biologically responsible for procreation, there'd be paid family leave in every Fortune 500. Ainsley: Sam, if men were biologically responsible for procreation, they'd fall down and die at the first sonogram. Edit
    • Toby : Leo said you had an attack last year. Bartlet : Huh? Toby : Leo said you had an attack last year. Bartlet : Yeah. Toby : Couple of nights before the State of the Union. Bartlet : Yeah. Toby : Wasn't that also the night you saw satellite pictures of India moving on Kashmir? Bartlet : Yeah. Toby : India and Pakistan were staring each other down and control of some nuclear weapons had been put into field. Bartlet : Yeah. Toby : So in the middle of a-- I don't know what you call it. Bartlet : An episode. Toby : You were in the Situation Room as commander in chief. Bartlet : I know. I can't believe we're all still here. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Toby: Maybe, I thought, it was an Eisenhower-Nixon ... Toby refers to the Republican Party's dilemma at the end of President Eisenhower's first term. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack, but recovered enough to run again in 1956. Some Republicans feared that his health problem might cause independent voters to defect to the Democratic candidate, out of concern that Vice-President Nixon might take over one day. They suggested that Eisenhower drop Nixon from the ticket and choose someone more widely acceptable. Eisenhower refused to do so. Edit
    • Donna: Knock knock. Who's there?Sam and his prostitute friend. This is an allusion to season one, when Sam was dating Laurie, a call girl. Edit
    • Josh: Hey, Ado Annie, I sent you flowers!

      Ado Annie was a character from Oklahoma!. She was engaged to a man named Will but she continued to flirt with other men and it made Will jealous. Edit

Show Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch The West Wing Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 2 Episodes

See All
Ep 22
Two Cathedrals
Ep 21
18th and Potomac
Ep 20
The Fall's Gonna Kill You
Ep 19
Bad Moon Rising
Ep 18
17 People
Ep 17
The Stackhouse Filibuster
Ep 16
Somebody's Going to Emerge...
Ep 15
Ellie
Ep 14
The War at Home
Ep 13
Bartlet's Third State of t...
Ep 12
The Drop In
Ep 11
The Leadership Breakfast
Ep 10
Noël
Ep 9
Galileo
Ep 8
Shibboleth
Ep 7
The Portland Trip
Ep 6
The Lame Duck Congress
Ep 5
And It's Surely to Their C...
Ep 4
In This White House
Ep 3
The Midterms
Ep 2
In the Shadow of Two Gunme...
Ep 2
In the Shadow of Two Gunme...
Ep 1
In the Shadow of Two Gunme...

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use