Great cold open. Sam's idea for the pilgrim detective show and him, Josh, and Toby putting the turkeys in CJ's office both had me rolling. I also loved Charlie and Bartlet's hunt for the perfect carving knife.
Bartlet: "This is an American knife?"
Charlie: "Yes."
Bartlet: "No German knives for us."
(five seconds later)
Bartlet: "No. You know what we need?"
Charlie: "A German knife?"
Bartlet: "Yeah."
Bartlet giving Charlie his family's knife was pretty moving(Charlie should have given him a coin though). I love how Bartlet could have given him the knife at Christmas but did it when Charlie wouldn't have expected a gift, classic Bartlet.
I could have gone the rest of the series without hearing Mary Marsh's holier-than-thou rhetoric. Her just shrugging off a man threatening to blow up a theater full of people, just because the play was blasphemous, is just about the most disgusting thing I can imagine someone doing. Though I do enjoy watching the West Wingers shredding her.
Sam: "So you're committed to religious freedom for all people unless you don't like what they have to say? Don't look now but I think the playwright's headed to China."
Josh: "Mary, I swear to God, you're not gonna get anywhere in this building by threatening me."
The scenes about Leo's sister and school prayer were well done. I'm atheist, but I've never had a problem with school prayer. I can definitely see Toby's point about it being just another way to single kids out, but it was never a problem at the schools I went to. It was nice though that even when I don't fully agree with them on an issue, I can still enjoy the show.
The plot with the Chinese refugees was probably the best part of the episode. Bartlet's scene with Josh at the end was excellent(and I was glad to hear he didn't let them stay only because they were Christians).
Bartlet: "You think I would've sent him back if he'd failed Catechism? Let me tell you something; we can be the world's policeman, we can be the world's bank, the world's factory, the world's farm. What does it mean if we're not also... They made it to the new world, Josh. You know what I get to do now? I get to proclaim a national day of thanksgiving. This is a great job."
They came right back with great episode, after the so-so last one.moreless
EDIT
Episode Summary
Toby encourages the President to appoint Leo's controversial sister to a national education post, against Leo's objections; Bartlet must decide what the do with 83 Chinese citizens who stowed away on a freighter ship and seek asylum on the grounds of religious persecution; CJ has to decide which one of two turkeys the President should "pardon" but then tries to save the other from the chopping block; Charlie is tasked with buying the President a new carving knife which is not as easy as it sounds.moreless
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Martin Sheen
President Jed Bartlet
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Dule Hill
Charlie Young
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Allison Janney
Claudia Jean "C.J." Cregg
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA- Title: Shibboleth is any language usage indicative of one's social or regional origin, or more broadly, any practice that identifies members of a group. Edit
- Ironically enough, Toby tortured history when he complained about torturing history. Jamestown was incorporated in 1607, which was the seventeenth century, rather than the sixteenth, as Toby claimed. Edit
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Notes
ADD NOTES- Music: At the end of the episode we hear a little bit of the song "We Gather Together" by The Cedarmont Kids. The song is from the album School Days. Edit
- Awards and Nominations: This episode was a 2001 Emmy Award Nominee for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Also the winner, in conjunction with several other episodes, of the 2001 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Edit
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES- Sam: So you're committed to religious freedom for all people unless you don't like what they have to say? Don't look now but I think the playwright's headed to China. Edit
- Josh: So the guy passed the test, huh? Bartlet: You think I would've sent him back if he'd failed Catechism? Let me tell you something; we can be the world's policeman, we can be the world's bank, the world's factory, the world's farm. What does it mean if we're not also... They made it to the new world, Josh. You know what I get to do now? I get to proclaim a national day of thanksgiving. This is a great job. Edit
- C.J. (Attempting to get the attention of Bartlet): I'm gonna step out there and begin the singing and lute playing. Bartlet: (Paying little attention) Whatever. Edit
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Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS- Josh: I was just flipping a nickel in my office - sixteen times it came up tails. This may well be a nod to Tom Stoppard's play - and later film - in which a flipped coin repeatedly defies the laws of probability. Edit
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