Another uneven episode despite the rather admirable writing qualities of Deborah Cahn.
The goings-on back at the White House are becoming just an irritating episode-filler, especially the whole Wedding fiasco. Quite honestly the preparations leading up to it (this episode with Will in charge), and the wedding itself (next episode), were a complete and unnecessary distraction, not least because there is hardly sufficient backstory for us to really care about the Ellie & her "fruit fly" boyfriend.
And then typically we have the shooting of a black person as its major headline. It goes without saying that most TV dramas, and even some sitcoms, will have similar storylines that will bait an audience to take sides. But in this instance it was just too predictable that the cop would have to be a Latino, thus placing Santos in an uneviable situation.
But this is all nicely packaged with a rather unsatisfactory but predictable speech at the pulpit, which I didn't buy for one moment. It was too much like "Hey, I'm a Latino too, and therefore share your anger/sadness etc." This may have suited lesser TV dramas, but here it just felt awkward.
The only highlight was Josh's two visits to Toby's apartment - a perfect clash of personalities that you just knew would explode in an instant. In fact ever since their fight in the "Drought Conditions" episodes they have never really found any common ground.
And so to here with Santos: Josh convinced him to run for president way back in season 6, and if though Santos said "I'm in", there was never any true conviction in his sentiment; something that Toby picked up on straight away.
And yet Toby forgets how he took cheap pot shots at Russell when he became VP, and was never convinced he was VP material never mind presidential. He also dismissed Hoynes. And with few other noted contenders what was Toby expecting as a challenger to the revered & feared Vinick?
So it came as no surprise that Josh would unravel on Toby, saying how much Santos had matured through the campaign trail. And yet just when you think Josh has won the argument, Toby fires back and asks Josh something like "Look me in the eye and tell me he is up for this?" And Josh simply cannot do so because deep down he knows that Santos never really wanted to be president in the first place, and perhaps still doesn't have the wit or the know how to become one!
The goings-on back at the White House are becoming just an irritating episode-filler, especially the whole Wedding fiasco. Quite honestly the preparations leading up to it (this episode with Will in charge), and the wedding itself (next episode), were a complete and unnecessary distraction, not least because there is hardly sufficient backstory for us to really care about the Ellie & her "fruit fly" boyfriend.
And then typically we have the shooting of a black person as its major headline. It goes without saying that most TV dramas, and even some sitcoms, will have similar storylines that will bait an audience to take sides. But in this instance it was just too predictable that the cop would have to be a Latino, thus placing Santos in an uneviable situation.
But this is all nicely packaged with a rather unsatisfactory but predictable speech at the pulpit, which I didn't buy for one moment. It was too much like "Hey, I'm a Latino too, and therefore share your anger/sadness etc." This may have suited lesser TV dramas, but here it just felt awkward.
The only highlight was Josh's two visits to Toby's apartment - a perfect clash of personalities that you just knew would explode in an instant. In fact ever since their fight in the "Drought Conditions" episodes they have never really found any common ground.
And so to here with Santos: Josh convinced him to run for president way back in season 6, and if though Santos said "I'm in", there was never any true conviction in his sentiment; something that Toby picked up on straight away.
And yet Toby forgets how he took cheap pot shots at Russell when he became VP, and was never convinced he was VP material never mind presidential. He also dismissed Hoynes. And with few other noted contenders what was Toby expecting as a challenger to the revered & feared Vinick?
So it came as no surprise that Josh would unravel on Toby, saying how much Santos had matured through the campaign trail. And yet just when you think Josh has won the argument, Toby fires back and asks Josh something like "Look me in the eye and tell me he is up for this?" And Josh simply cannot do so because deep down he knows that Santos never really wanted to be president in the first place, and perhaps still doesn't have the wit or the know how to become one!