Top Favorite "THE WEST WING" Season Two (2000-2001) Episodes

Below is a list of my top favorite episodes from Season Two of NBC's "THE WEST WING". Created by Aaron Sorkin, the series starred Martin Sheen: 



TOP FAVORITE "THE WEST WING" SEASON TWO (2000-2001) EPISODES



1. (2.01) "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part I" - Following the shooting at the Rosslyn, Virginia town hall at the end of Season One, President Jed Bartlett is rushed to hospital. Meanwhile, West Wing staffers field questions on executive authority and the Secret Service protection measures. Flashbacks show how key staff members joined the Bartlet campaign.





2. (2.22) "Two Cathedrals" - A tropical storm approaches Washington D.C., while President Bartlett prepares to disclose to the American public that he has multiple sclerosis (MS). Meanwhile, he wrestles over a crisis in faith during the funeral of his secretary, Dolores Landringham; and his decision over whether to seek re-election.





3. (2.10) "Noël" - Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman is ordered to seek psychiatric help during the Christmas holidays, when his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over being shot during the Rosslyn incident causes him to become increasingly volatile. 





4. (2.20) "The Falls Gonna Kill You" - White House Counsel Oliver Babish questions Press Secretary C.J. Gregg and First Lady Abbey Bartlett about the President's MS cover-up. Also, the staff begins to develop a strategy to deal with the impending MS crisis. 





5. (2.18) "17 People" - White House Communications Director "Toby" Ziegler finally learns about Bartlett's multiple sclerosis, becoming the 17th person to know. While he and the President have a heated argument over the matter, the rest of the staff struggle to punch up the President's speech for the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Top Favorite "THE WEST WING" Season One (1999-2000) Episodes

Below is a list of my top favorite episodes from Season One of NBC's "THE WEST WING". Created by Aaron Sorkin, the series starred Martin Sheen: 


TOP FAVORITE "THE WEST WING" SEASON ONE (1999-2000) EPISODES



1. (1.19) "Let Barlett Be Bartlett" - A leaked memorandum criticizing the Josiah "Jed" Bartlett Administration emphasizes a malaise felt by the staff that they were not getting things done.





2. (1.07) "State Dinner" - A multitude of problems arise while the West Wing staff prepares for a state dinner for the newly-elected president of Indonesia.  Stockard Channing guest-starred 





3. (1.16) "20 Hours in L.A." - During a 20-hours visit to Los Angeles, President Bartlett meets the new bodyguard of his daughter Zoey. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman races to prevent the cancellation of a fund raiser dinner and back in Washington D.C., Chief of Staff Leo McGarry needs Vice-President John Hoynes to break a tie in the U.S. Senate.  Bob Balaban, Marlee Matlin and John DeLancie guest-starred.





4. (1.15) "Celestial Navigation" - During a lecture in Georgetown, Josh recounts a series of small and big incidents, including the arrest of the President's Supreme Court nominee, a Latino judge named Robert Mendoza, who was targeted for "driving while Hispanic" in a Connecticut town.  Edward James Olmos guest-starred.





5. "He Shall, from Time to Time . . ." - When President Barlett collapses from what is believed to be the flu, Leo discovers from First Lady Abigail "Abby" Barlett that the President had been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).  Stockard Channing guest-starred.





Honorable Mention: (1.22) "What Kind of Day It Has Been" - President Barlett deals with a stealth fighter being shot down over Iraq, while the staff helps him prepare for a town meeting in Rosslyn, Virginia.

Top Ten Favorite THANKSGIVING Television Episodes

Below is a list of my favorite television episodes about the Thanksgiving holiday: 


TOP TEN FAVORITE THANKSGIVING TELEVISION EPISODES



1. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - (4.08) "Pangs" - Vampire slayer Buffy Summers deal with a Native American vengeance spirit, the sudden appearance of her nemesis Spike and the preparation of a large holiday meal on Thanksgiving in this hilarious episode.





2. "Friends" - (6.09) "The One Where Ross Got High" - Live-in lovers Monica Geller and Chandler Bing invite her parents for their first Thanksgiving holiday and are shocked to discover that the latter does not like Chandler for reasons that have to do with Monica's brother Ross.





3. "WKRP in Cinncinati" - (1.07) "Turkeys Away" - In this classic episode of the 1970s/80s sitcom, radio station owner Arthur Carlson takes a more hands-on managerial approach by organizing the greatest Thanksgiving promotion in radio history by dropping live turkeys from a helicopter. Hilarious performance by Richard Sanders.





4. "Friends" - (5.08) "The One with All the Thanksgivings" - In this funny episode, the six friends recount their worst Thanksgivings.





5. "Mad Men" - (1.13) "The Wheel" - The marriage of Don and Betty Draper reach a new level following Betty's evaluation of their marriage during the Thanksgiving holiday. And secretary Peggy Olson experiences a professional high and a personal crisis.





6. "Friends" - (3.09) "The One With the Football" - Emotions run high on Thanksgiving when the gang have a game of touch football initiated by Monica and Ross' sibling rivalry, while Chandler and Joey compete over a Dutch model.





7. "How I Met Your Mother" - (3.09) "Slapsgiving" - Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin host their first Thanksgiving dinner as a married couple. Ted Mosby and Robin Scherbatsky are still dealing with the breakup of their relationship and Marshall terrorizes Barney Stinson with the threat of a third slap he is due, thanks to an old bet.





8. "The West Wing" - (3.08) "Shibboleth" - The Thanksgiving holiday draws a group of Chinese Christians claiming religious persecution to the White House. Also Chief of Staff Le McGarry is at loggerheads with his sister over the issue of school prayer.





9. "Seinfeld" - (6.08) "The Mom and Pop Store" - In this classic episode, George Constanza decides to buy a convertible once owned by "Jon Voight"; Cosmo Kramer tries to save a small shoe-repair business, much to Jerry Steinfeld's detriment; and Elaine Benes wins tickets for her boss to participate in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.





10. "Will and Grace" - (7.10-7.11) "Queens For a Day" - Lovers Will Truman and Vince D'Angelo decide to allow their "families" meet for the Thanksgiving holiday at the D'Angelo home with disastrous results.

Top Ten Favorite "WEST WING" Episodes

Below is a list of my ten (10) favorite episodes from the award winning television series, "WEST WING" (1999-2006). Here they are:


TOP TEN FAVORITE "WEST WING" EPISODES



1. (2.01) “In the Shadow of Two Gunmen – Part 1” - In this superb continuation of the Season 1 finale, the Bartlet Administration is in chaos after an assassination attempt on the President. Josh Lyman, C.J. Cregg, Sam Seaborn, and Toby Ziegler flash back to the formation of the Bartlet campaign.





2. (1.19) “Let Bartlet Be Bartlet” - A memo written by Mandy Hampton outlining a strategy to defeat Bartlet for re-election is uncovered by the press, leading to tension between her and the rest of the staff. Chief of Staff Leo McGarry begins to renew the staff and the President's fighting spirit by suggesting they begin taking risks.





3. (4.01) "20 Hours in America - Part I" - Josh, Toby and Josh's assistant Donna Moss are stranded in Indiana when the presidential motorcade leaves a campaign stop without them, leaving Sam to staff the President alone. Leo is informed that Qumar has reopened the investigation into the death of its defense minister, Abdul ibn Shareef.





4. (2.18) "17 People" - Toby is told about the President's multiple sclerosis, becoming the 17th person to know, and he and the President have a heated row over the matter. Meanwhile, the President considers an extensive security alert for the nation's airports, and staffers struggle to punch up a speech the President is set to give at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.





5. (6.13) “King Corn” - The presidential candidates journey to Iowa, where Democrats Vice President Robert Russell and Congressman Matt Santos, and Republican Senator Arnold Vinick, are all told by their handlers that when they appear before the corn growers association they must support subsidies for ethanol as fuel, regardless of their true feelings.





6. (1.06) “Mr. Willis of Ohio” - West Wing staffers court votes for a new census-taking methodology bill and the President's youngest daughter Zoey has an unfortunate encounter in a Georgetown bar.





7. (3.22) “Posse Comitatus” - In this third season finale, Bartlet makes a life-or-death decision regarding a foreign diplomat who is a known terrorist. The flirtation between C.J. and her Secret Service bodyguard, Simon Donovan, is limited by their professional relationship and then cut short by tragedy. Josh defeats influential women's rights activist Amy Gardner in the welfare-bill battle and their relationship is left uncertain. Bartlet meets with his campaign opponent, Governor Robert Ritchie of Florida, at a Catholic fundraiser.





8. (6.02) “The Birnam Wood” - Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at Camp David result in a momentous peace accord. President Bartlet fires White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, who was strongly against the talks. Moments later, Leo suffers a massive heart attack. ("The Birnam Wood" is a reference to the warning given to Macbeth in the Shakespeare play of the same name, in which he is warned that "Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until / Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill / Shall come against him.")





9. (4.21) “Life on Mars” - On his first day at work, new Associate Counsel Joe Quincy uncovers a scandal of mammoth proportions, sending shockwaves through the administration. As he researches the possibility of classified Mars report, he discovers the Vice President John Hoynes' affair with a Washington socialite, and the President must make a decision.





10. (3.13) “Night Five” - Bartlet consults a psychiatrist, Dr. Stanley Keyworth, for a troubling sleep disorder and receives a sobering personal assessment. C.J. lobbies vigorously to help secure the release of a White House reporter who has been taken hostage while on assignment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Toby clashes again with his ex-wife Congresswoman Andrea Wyatt over a speech for the United Nations that takes radical Islam to task.