The War at Home

Season 2, Episode 14, Aired
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Episode Summary

Bartlet authorizes a special ops team to rescue the five DEA agents only to have them caught in an ambush; C.J. arranges for the host of "Capitol Beat" to have an exclusive interview with the wronged police officer; Toby must deal with Senator Gilette who threatens to make a third party run for president due to the tone of the changes on social security reform; Sam gives Ainsley another chance to meet the President, but she still fails to create a good impression; Josh finally gets the poll results from Joey; Abbey and Bartlet discuss his running for a second term.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (3)

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  • A broken promise.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By kickdoor, Jun 03, 2010 Report Abuse
    Ainsley and Sam's back and forth was still going strong in this episode.

    Ainsley: "And I'm still scared to meet him, but I'll overcome that in order to erase the humiliation that I've brought upon myself and my father."
    Sam: "You are just in your own little Euripides play over there aren't you?"

    I think she actually topped her last embarrassing performance, by inadvertently hiding in a closet when Bartlet comes in.

    The black hawk helicopter getting shot down in Colombia was very upsetting. Bartlet's reaction mirrored that of my own.

    Bartlet: "We weren't prepared for someone to try and outfox us with a stratagem so sophisticated it's an entire generation beyond, 'Hey look, your shoelaces are untied?' Is that how I just lost nine guys, to a damn street gang with a ham radio?"

    In the end, I guess all the satellite phones, GPS tracking devices, and wire taps; don't make much difference if you're still dependent on a person to provide you intel. Bartlet's voice cracking during that scene really brought home how upset he was over the situation. Brilliant acting and writing.

    While I agree with Sam that it doesn't matter if Aguilar is in or out of prison, I still didn't like them releasing him to get the DEA agents back. I just don't see how you can negotiate with them after they shot down the black hawk. Obviously Vietnam 2.0 is a horrible, horrible idea, but I still wish there was another military option. I guess Bartlet was right though,

    Bartlet: "You really gotta ask yourself, what's the point in being a super power anymore?"

    The scene between Bartlet and the first lady, about his MS and reelection, was incredible. Especially Abigail, definitely Stockard Channing's best performance so far.

    I enjoyed the continuation of the polling plot with Josh, Joey, and Donna, especially Joey comparing Josh to the French radical. Though I'm extremely leery about a romantic relationship between Josh and Donna. They're chemistry is so perfect, that it hard for me to think that having them get together wouldn't bring it down in some way. Guess I'll just wait and see what happens though.

    I liked this one a little more than the last episode, but they were both excellent.moreless

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  • A good episode

    8.9
    "Great"
    By Parricida, Sep 06, 2008 Report Abuse
    This is one of those episodes what in one point can really break your heart. And this time I think it was not so much the story what was very thoughtful and those dilemmas president had but more about the acting as Martin Sheen really played marvelously, better than usually. It all looked just so real and somehow so true and the feeling of acting was gone.

    But it was not only hard topic episode all the long. Ainsley was again as crazy as always and added some laughter moments as Josh and Donna did. I specially loved the dialog when Josh was on hold.moreless

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  • Near perfect.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By rb1962, Jul 30, 2007 Report Abuse
    This is one of my favorite episode for a number of reasons. First of all it gives Martin Sheen a chance to do some real acting, and he does it well. The dilemma of the President who has to decide whether or not to employ force in a hostage situation, is handled realistically. When things go wrong, President Bartlet's frustration gives us an idea of the stress in the White House.

    Secondly it shows the complexity of modern day politics, what with polling and pressure groups. Within all of this Sorkin successfully puts some comedy with Ainsley's second attempt at meeting the President. One of the funniest scenes in a drama.

    There is some unintentional irony in the episode as well. A large part of the plot is centered around illegal drugs. How can we fight the cartels? Should we make the drugs legal? A few years later Sorkin got into trouble with the authorities as a result of ... his drug use.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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  • Notes

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    • Additional Credit: Special Thanks: US Coast Guards' Motion Picture & Television Office and Ceremonial Honor Guard

      Edit
    • Awards and Nominations: Stockard Channing was nominated for a 2001 Emmy in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for his performance in this episode and in "Bartlet's Third State of the Union" This episode won the 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series along with several other episodes from the season Nominated for a 2001 Imagen Award in the category of Best Primetime TV Series, Drama Edit

  • Quotes

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    • Ainsley: And I'm still scared to meet him, but I'll overcome that in order to erase the humiliation that I've brought upon myself and my father. Sam: You are just in your own little Euripides play over there aren't you? Edit
    • Bartlet: You really gotta ask yourself, what's the point in being a super power anymore? Edit
    • (Josh is on the phone.) Josh: I'm on hold. I'm on hold. I'm on hold. I'm in some hellish hold world of holding. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Sam: You're just in your own little Euripides play over there, aren't you? Sam: Don't you have to absolve yourself of the humiliation visited on your family and the House of Atreus? In reference to Ainsley's attempt to reverse the dishonor she thinks she brought to her father and family name Sam makes two references to Greek classical tragedy. Euripides (480 B.C.?- 406 B.C.) is considered to be one of the three greatest ancient Greek playwrights. Drawing on Greek mythology, many of his plays dealt with family issues that explode into deep tragedy. The House of Atreus is royal family featured in the Oresteia, a trilogy plays written by Aeschylus. Both Euripides and Aeschylus wrote plays about daughters struggling to resolve the troubling legacies of their fathers. Edit
    • The War at Home, the title of this episode, is also the name of a movie that starred Martin Sheen and was directed by his son Emilio Estevez. Edit

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