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Twenty-Five

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Twenty-Five
Season: 4
Episode: 23
Written By: Aaron Sorkin
Directed By: Christopher Misiano
Airdate: May 14, 2003
Guest Stars: Mary-Louise Parker
John Goodman
John Amos
Taye Diggs
Michael O'Neill
Anna Deavere Smith
Clark Gregg


In the season finale, a national crisis is thrust on the President on the night of his daughter Zoey's graduation, forcing him to shut down Washington, D.C. as he orders the Fifth Fleet to the Persian Gulf -- all of which prompts Bartlet to consider executive action that would have been unthinkable just hours earlier. In the midst of the administration's greatest challenge, a conflicted Toby still finds time to savor a personal milestone on the best day of his life.

Contents

[edit] Summary

Leo tells the President that Zoey is missing and there is a dead Secret Service Agent at the scene. Wes, at the scene, tells Charlie the same thing. Both of them react with shock and horror. Abbey is inconsolable. Charlie recalls that Zoey had mentioned that she and Jean Paul might have done X. Wes examines Jean Paul and determines that he's been drugged with something much different.

Bartlet and Leo rush to the Situation Room where everything is being put into action. D.C. is effectively shut down and they have to consider whether or not they are actually being attacked by enemies foreign or domestic.

Toby returns to the White House with the news that the twins have been born. He reveals that the boy has been given the name of Andy's grandfather, Huck. Still smarting from Andy's earlier comment that he is too sad, Toby confesses to Leo that he is afraid that he won't love his kids like other fathers do. Later, at the hospital, he finds that he has nothing to worry about when it comes to feeling love for his kids.

Donna receives a fax that is written in Arabic and contains a photo of Zoey. They believe it is from the kidnappers.

The President comes to realize that his feelings as a father may outweigh his concerns as a leader. He orders Leo to put the wheels in motion that will allow him to recuse himself. The staff realizes that, without a VP, this would elevate a Republican to acting President, but all agree that it is the best and most noble idea.

As Glen Allen Walken assumes the presidency, Bartlet leaves the Oval Office.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Starring

[edit] Special Guest Stars

[edit] Guest Starring

[edit] Co-Starring


[edit] Notes

  • In the DVD commentary it is mentioned that the show had to deal with 12 - 16 real babies and their mothers for the scene in "25" where Toby has a private conversation with his newborn twins. [1]
  • In the first season episode Mr. Willis of Ohio, President Bartlet is describing to his daughter Zoey, a so-called "Nightmare Scenario". This scenario, is taken almost word for word, and incorporated into this episode, where Zoey actually does get kidnapped, at a large party, and people are killed in the process.


Below is the speech President Bartlet gave to his daughter in the aforementioned episode:

The nightmare scenario sweetheart, is you getting kidnapped. You go out to a bar or a party in some club, and you get up to go to the restroom. Somebody comes up from behind and puts their hand across your mouth, and whisks you out the back door. You're so petrified, you don't even notice the bodies of a few secret service agents lieing on the ground with bullet holes in their heads. Then your whisked away in a car.

It's a big party with lots of noise and lots of people coming and going. And it's a half hour before someone says: 'Hey, where's Zoey?' Another 15 minutes before the first phone call. It's another hour and a half before anyone even thinks to shutdown all the airports. And now we're off to the races. You're tied to a chair in a cargo shack somewhere in the middle of Uganda.

And I am told; that I have 72 hours, to get Israel to free 460 terrorist prisoners. So i'm on the phone pleading with Ben-ya-bin, and he's saying: 'I'm sorry Mr President; but Israel simply does not negotiate with terrorists, period. It's the only way we can survive. So now we got a new problem: Because this country no longer has a Commander-in-Chief. It has a father who's out of his mind, because his little girl is in a shack somewhere in Uganda with a gun to her head.

[edit] Goofs

[edit] Quotes

Toby Ziegler: I didn’t realize babies come with hats. You guys crack me up. (baby coos) You don’t have jobs. You can’t walk or speak the language. (pulls up a chair next to the bed) You don’t have a dollar in your pockets, but you got yourselves a hat. So, everything’s fine. (baby coos) I don’t wanna alarm you or anything but… I’m dad. (laughs as he look over at Huck) And for you, son, for you, this’ll be the last time I pass the buck, but I think it should be clear from the get-go that it was Mom who named you Huckleberry. I guess she was feeling like life… doesn’t present enough challenges to overcome on its own. (to his daughter) And, honey, you’ve got a name now too. Your mom and I named you after… an incredibly brave… uh… An incredibly brave woman, really not all that much older than you. Your name is Molly. Huck and Molly. So, what do I do? Well, you’re gonna need food and clothes and doctors and dentists and… there’s that. And, should you have any questions along the way, I’m gonna be doin’ stuff like this, (grabs a tissue and wipes Huck’s mouth) Huck, because you’re leaking a little bit out of your mouth there. You’re holding my finger, son? Hey, Molly. Your brother’s holding my hand. Do you wanna hold my hand? (laughs) This isn’t gonna mean anything to you, but… Leo was right. (smiles) Leo was right.


C.J.: Well, the President and the Speaker have to make it clear to the country that there's someone in charge.

JOSH: I'd argue we first have to make it clear to the world that there's someone in charge.

WILL: I'd make it clear to Bahji that there's someone in charge.

Speaker Walken: Franz Ferdinand, who was the nephew of the Austro-Hungarian emperor, was killed by a group called the Black Hand. And because they were a Serbian nationalist society, the empire declared war on Serbia. Then Russia, which was bound by a treaty, was forced to mobilize which meant that Germany had to declare war on Russia. Then France declared war on Germany, and that was World War I. Because the emperor's nephew was killed. Now, I thought you all had some good ideas, but somebody oughta make it clear to the people in this room that someone is in charge.

President Bartlet: Glen, they've been up all night.

Speaker Walken: You're relieved, Mr. President.

[edit] References

"The West Wing" Twenty Five (2003)

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