He Shall, from Time to Time

Season 1, Episode 12, Aired
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Episode Summary

Bartlet collapses before his second State of the Union address; Leo publicly admits to his former alcoholism and drug abuse; things get interesting romantically for both Sam and C.J.; Lord John Marbury helps the staff negotiate an agreement between India and Pakistan.
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Fan Episode Reviews (4)

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  • I tried to get up but I fell back down.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By kickdoor, May 06, 2010 Report Abuse
    Started out hilarious with Bartlet killing it in the cold open,

    "I see we're spelling hallowed with a pound sign in the middle of it. The pound sign is silent?"

    "Is it possible I'm taking something called Euthanasia?"
    "Echinacea?"
    "Ahh, that sounds more like it."

    "You don't look so good."
    "Well I'm gazing into the three hundred and twenty first century, man. There's a lot on my mind."

    Things got pretty serious pretty quickly after that though. Nuclear weapons in the control of field commanders is just about the scariest thing I can think of. If one of their encampments got overrun and the general decides its us or them, that's that.

    I thought Stockard Channing gave a brilliant performance when she told Leo about Bartlet's MS. And then Sheen topped her in his scene with Leo(as did John Spencer on his part). And while both scenes were well written(as was the rest of the episode) I really think it was the actors themselves that made it so good. Sheen's delivery on the line, "Because I wanted to be the president," had me close to tears myself. I sometimes forget that Bartlet and Leo have been friends longer than they have been working together, scenes like that are a good reminder.

    "I tried to get up and I fell back down again.
    I know the feeling."

    Excellent episode, my second or third favorite so far.moreless

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  • The plot thickens! Great development of characters and some of their relationships.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By mdehmel, Apr 14, 2009 Report Abuse
    This is the first episode that really develops the relationship between the President and First Lady. We see how much they love one another, and how much Abbey worries about her husband. The bond between them is very strong.
    I also love the scenes where Leo finds out about Jed's MS from Abbey, it shows that not only are Jed and Leo close, but so is Leo and Abbey, and as demonstrated at the very beginning of that scene, apparently so is Abbey and Leo's daughter Mallory. So when Leo goes to Jed about what he knows, we also see how close Leo and Jed really are, even though we've seen peeks into this before, they're conversation really grounds in further that concept. When Jed says how proud he was of Leo for standing up at a press conference to admit of his alcohol and drug addiction and when Leo says that when he was lying on his face in the motel parking lot and Jed was the one he called, we really see not just how far back their friendship goes, but how deep and meaningful it really is.
    We also see how far Josh and Sam are willing to go to stand behind Leo in this episode. All this put together gives us further detail of how close this group of people really are, like family, and in many ways, I believe this core bond is what makes the show what it is in many ways.
    Altogether great episode!moreless

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  • Good Episode of the series.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By CTUBauer24, Sep 11, 2008 Report Abuse
    In the 12th episode of the hit TV show The West Wing. Titled He Shall, from Time to Time. President Bartlet collapses just before his second state of the union address. Chief of staff Leo Publicly admits his former addiction to alcoholic and drugs. Meanwhile The West Wind staff and Lord John Marbury tries negotiate a peace agreement Pakistan and India who are having a conflict. Overall I liked this episode when we see that Bartlet has MS which is a big turn for the TV show that and all of the story lines of the episode where very good this is one of my favorite episodes of The West Wing my overall rating of this episode is 10 out of 10.moreless

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  • "It may not be the worst day of their life, but one of the top five.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Parricida, Nov 13, 2007 Report Abuse
    Leo affair gets out and he does not want any help from others but Josh and Sam feel they own Leo that. Leo is mad about that but her daughter is thankful to Sam and it seems there is something working out between those two.

    President is first feeling not well and laughing about the typos they have made in his speech. Then not much later, he collapse. His wife quickly returns and that makes Leo suspicious who wants to find out what is really the problem and the discovery - it is not the easy one. Everyone has secrets.

    Lord John Marbury is again here, trying to settle down Pakistan and Inda thing and somehow they manage to walk out a deal.

    Quite avarage but this episode has a sparkle.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • CJ Fish Bowl decoration: A podium and two flags (as a reference to the state of the union address.) Edit
    • Bartlet promises Tribby that next year it will be the Surgeon General who stays away from the State of the Union in case it is attacked. This is a goof as the Surgeon General is not part of the Presidential Line of Succession and as such cannot assume Presidential powers. Edit
    • Abby tells the President that she doesn't care if Canada invades Michigan. In the 2004-2005 season, the opposite happens; some hunters from Michigan invade Canada, almost causing a Can-Am military showdown. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • The television show that President Bartlet and Charlie are watching while the President is in bed with the flu is Passions, an NBC soap opera. The woman on-screen (with the severe bun hairstyle) is Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald, portrayed by Eva Tamargo. The woman she is talking to (who at first we can only see the back of) is Ivy (Winthrop) Crane, portrayed by Kim Johnston Ulrich. Edit
    • Awards: Stockard Channing won 2000 Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in this episode in conjunction with "The State Dinner" Edit
    • It's revealed that Bartlet has MS Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Lord John Marbury: Mr. President, for several centuries, my kingdom has ruled India with a stick and carrot. When we had a particular problem with someone, one solution we would try is to make him a maharajah. That's kind of a regional king. We would pay him off with an annual tribute, and in return, he would be loyal to the crown. Leo: Lord Marbury, under our Constitution, our President is not empowered to create maharajahs. Lord John: Yes. Thank you for clearing that up, Leo. Having been educated at Cambridge and the Sorbonne, I am, as you know, exceedingly stupid. Edit
    • President Bartlet (in bed): You know, I was watching a television program before with a sort of a roving moderator who spoke to a seated panel of young women who are having some sort of problems with their boyfriends, apparently because the boyfriends have all slept with the girlfriend's mothers. Then they brought all the boyfriends out and they fought right there on television. Toby, tell me: these people don't vote, do they? Edit
    • Lord John Marbury: It's the price you pay. Leo McGarry: For avoiding a war halfway around the world? Lord John Marbury: For being rich, free and alive all at the same time, and for the criminally negligent behavior of your Congress in not checking the proliferation of nuclear devices. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The Title: "He shall, from time to time,…"

      These are the opening words of the passage in the executive powers section of the Constitution which deals with the State of the Union address. Edit

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