top five tww episodes!?
Ah yes, thank you! Also got asked the same thing by @rustythespider <3 My list’s a bit biased towards Season 2 because I am only up to mid-S3 in my slow rewatch, but I honestly think those three choices won’t be changing! Chronologically and in too much detail: 1. 2x01/2x02 In The Shadow of Two Gunmen - cheating by picking a double ep (I could have picked both parts as two slots tbh)! This honestly contains everything I think I could want from an episode of TV. The pacing especially of the first 15-20 minutes is perfect - the thought of what would happen in the immediate aftermath, the build up to Toby finding Josh, the suspense of waiting for the Bartlets and Leo to catch up and find out too. I love the flashbacks, I love Jed kissing Leo on the cheek, I love getting to see both Josh and Donna meet and also Donna’s immediate reaction to finding out, I love Toby’s conversation with Ron Butterfield. The scene with Jed and Josh in the airport!! I could just list the whole episode and already basically have... 2. 2x10 Noel - I admit my weakness for Josh Lyman makes a whole episode so centered around delicately exploring his psyche an obvious choice but... it’s very good. The Yo-Yo Ma sequence is utterly stunning. In my rewatch I immediately rewatched the episode again. 3. 2x18 17 People - I was floored by this episode the first time I saw it - the confrontations between Toby, Jed and Leo are utterly electric. Of course it also contains that beautiful JD scene. It does break my heart that one of my favourite episodes doesn’t have any CJ in it, but I comfort myself by imagining her getting actual time in Napa with her family, since vacations are far far too rare on the show! 4. 4x22 Commencement - I might reconsider this after getting through Season 4 again (which I think as a total package might be my favourite seasons even though 2 has higher individuals?) but this stood out to me as one I remember finding very powerful. The tension drawn in the last few scenes cutting between everything with the pounding club music is a lot. Plus the proposal with Toby and Andy is also heartbreaking as well. It’s maybe not the most fun and pleasant episode hence I would maybe change my mind if I pinpoint a happier S4 ep to be my fave but it’s really well done. 5. 7x13 The Cold - Now unlike Commencement this one just makes me happy... The first scene is like an instant hit of serotonin (I’ve really trained my body to respond instantly to Bang Bang). I adore the Will/Donna and CJ/Donna scenes, I think the back and forth and the delivery is so good. (”It’s Josh. You’re not cryptic” and “What part tripped you up?” especially). It’s nice seeing the campaign casts back in the White House after everyone being so fragmented. And of course since it’s John Spencer’s last episode, that’s emotional too - as a lucky accident, the last scene he has being a beautiful scene with Jed is truly wonderful. It’s great! So there we go, maybe I’ve forgotten something but that’s my answer today :) Put “top 5” anything in my ask!