Favorite Christmas Shows Countdown: #12 The West Wing

#12: The West Wing: In Excelsis Deo

The first three seasons of The West Wing were some amazing television. By the time the fourth season rolled around the show began to show cracks, and after that it was all downhill. I suppose it might have been around the time the show decided it was cute to supply commentary on current events without presenting both sides views. Well, that and making the show more like a cheesy soap opera rather than great television. It was such a pity, because, as the early years of the show indicate, showing all sides, and transcending the pitfalls of other shows fall into, was one of its many virtues.

However, I believe that the greatness of The West Wing in its early years cannot be understated, and this was never more clear than in that first season episode, In Excelsis Deo. The West Wing made many of its Christmas themed episodes memorable, but I always return to this first one each year. I suppose when the bar is set so high, it’s hard to overcome it.

The problem with including television shows (especially modern, American television shows) on a list like this is that it’s hard to just jump into the show without the benefit of those which preceded it. If you weren’t familiar with the characters or the plot up till that point, there are a few instances in this episode where you might be lost. Still though, it does include some great moments.

The episode opens with the Bartlett White House getting ready for Christmas and you see the walk and talk segments that were a staple of The West Wing. During this, White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff) gets a call from the DC police that a homeless man died at the Korean War memorial. Toby doesn’t know why the cops are talking to him until he goes to the memorial and finds out that this homeless man was wearing a coat he gave to Goodwill and it had Toby’s business card in it. Toby is affected by this, and throughout the whole episode he makes efforts to learn more about the man.

Elsewhere, there are several subplots. President Bartlett (Martin Sheen) meets with children who are visiting The White House, as well as takes time to go shopping at a rare book store with no press in tow, much to the chagrin of White House Media consultant Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly). White House Press Secretary C.J. Craig (Allison Janney) spends the episode fending off advances from reporter Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) because he has a crush on her. Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) and Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) are working on a strategy to help Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer) from having to go public about his past drug and alcohol addictions, and Bartlett’s personal secretary, Mrs. Landingham reveals to Presidential Aid Charlie Young that her twin boys were both killed on Christmas Eve during the Vietnam War.

Most of these events transpire in typical West Wing fashion. Toby eventually learns that the homeless man was a veteran of the Korean War, who won the Purple Heart. He cannot believe that in a country like the United States, how someone who served with such distinction can end up like this. He finds the man’s brother, who is also homeless, and, using the President’s name, arranges it so that the man can have a military burial with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery. The president is annoyed at first and confronts Toby about it.

President Bartlett: Toby, If we start pulling strings like this don't you think every homeless veteran will come out of the woodwork?

Toby Ziegler: I can only hope so, sir.

What follows can only be described as one of the most powerful and moving moments in television up till that time.

The episode was filmed in corporation with Arlington National Cemetery and was shot actually on location. The members of the honor guard were all serving Marines whose job was to do what was portrayed on film and the whole funeral was done as it actually is. You just don’t see this on television these days, which is why this episode is so special.

This year, I’m reminded about it a bit more than usual because my late grandfather’s birthday would have been on Monday. He was a World War II veteran who served in India, and while I miss him, I appreciate the significance of the ending all the more and how it treats veterans who pass on. It’s not a perfect episode, and drags at times during the subplots, but still the ending makes up for the rest. It is classic Christmas television.

Countdown To Christmas: Favorite Shows List

You hear Christmas countdowns all month long. You’ve got ABC Family’s Countdown to Christmas, and I’m sure Ryan Seacrest will be doing a countdown of sorts, or perhaps several before the month's over. So I figured why shouldn’t I get in on all the fun and do a Christmas themed countdown? I had a lot of fun last summer reviewing my top five favorite films on this blog so I figured I’d do the same for Christmas. So, from today until the day before Christmas Eve, I’ll review my top twelve favorite Christmas movies, episodes, and specials.

(You know, twelve days of Christmas… when you think about it, it just made sense)

Like last summer, I’ll list each film, what makes them a favorite, and why and rank them in the order I’ll place them in the season. Like all lists, it’s naturally subjective, but it’s just how I roll.

Honorable Mention: Elf (2003)

I figured that I would start the list with one that just didn’t make it, but I still like for many reasons. The Will Ferrell comedy Elf is a modern Christmas classic, albeit not a perfect one, but it contains much of the humor, heart, and large story that all Christmas classics have.

Elf is the story of Buddy Hobbs, an orphan who is climbs into Santa’s bag of toys while Santa is at an orphanage. Santa discovers Buddy after he returns to the North Pole and while he believes he should take him home, opts instead to raise the child under the guidance of the head Elf, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart). 

As Buddy grows up he comes to realize that he isn’t like all the other Elves and that he doesn’t know why. He learns then about his backstory and goes to New York City to find his real family. However, Buddy’s gentle nature and innocence, based on the environment in which he was raised, pales in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the big city and Buddy finds himself in some unfortunate situations.

He eventually finds his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan) who isn’t the best of fathers in the world. The elder Hobbs is a publisher who spends too much time in the office and not enough time in the life of his other son, Michael. Walter, at first doesn’t believe that Buddy is his son, as the guy is a total loon, but after running a DNA screening, he learns the truth. 

Needless to say it doesn’t sit well. Buddy, at one point, is mistaken for an employee of Gimbals Department store and while he “works” there he meets a stunning young woman, Jovi (Zooey Deschanel) who is somewhat cynical from her time in the city, but she is attracted to Buddy’s sense of innocence and wonder, a stark contrast to other men in her life.

The plot then moves into Buddy trying to live in the real world and the hilarity and consequences that ensure from introducing such a person to this environment.

The movie works on many levels. For one, it’s a chance to see Will Ferrell play that overgrown man child that he inhibits in all of his films. The difference though, is that here it works in a way that isn’t at all pathetic. The film is cast well, with Ferrell, Caan, and Ed Asner as Santa Claus. Peter Billingsby, of A Christmas Story fame also makes a cameo, and the scenes are quite memorable.

The reason I place it as an honorable mention, rather than one of the top twelve is that the movie does fall off the edge toward the end. When viewing it, you can tell that the writers wrote many great and wonderful scenes, but when it came time to mesh all together, they got to end and didn’t know where to go. So they pulled the ending together as more of an afterthought. This may not have actually happened, but that’s the way it is viewed, and the movie suffers for it.

But nevertheless, Elf is a great, incredibly funny Christmas comedy that deserves a viewing each year. Worthy of anyone’s Christmas favorites list.

Wild Night at "Wild Nights"

Last night, I had the opportunity to see an extraordinary show of lights. Down at the Columbus Zoo, the display of Christmas lights that the zoo puts up every year was impressive, as were the displays that went along with it. If you get a chance to do so this year, I highly recommend it.

I haven’t been to the zoo since I was a kid, perhaps five or six, so needless to say it has changed much since that time. For what it’s worth, I didn’t see much of the zoo itself last night either because it was dark, but I was impressed with the display of lights.

They call it “Wild Nights” which makes sense given the subject and locale, and it lives up to it’s name. When you first arrive, the pond at the front is strung with the most impressive shades of white lights and every so often, a music show begins and the lights move in sync with the music, much as in a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert. It’s impressive to see how all the parts move together in unison to the music and to see the different themes throughout the zoo.

But, honestly, the best part of the whole night was seeing the people who were there. Older folks, teens, and young children walking around in awe of the lights and the animals. One of my pleasures in life is watching children in awe of nature. In the aquarium they would stare at the manatees, and were excited to see the penguins swimming around. They would spot a koala bear in a tree or a bear sleeping in a cave and would just be in awe at the sight. Those moments of pure curiosity, interest, and excitement all rolled into one look are the best moments anyone could ask for.

I mean seriously, who doesn't like manatees?

I had to laugh because at one moment we were resting outside a shop and a family walked by. The youngest saw the shop and asked his dad if they could go in. Dad, of course, wanted to keep moving because he knew that if they didn’t, his wallet would be getting thinner, so he made a conscious effort to change the subject quickly and pointed to another animal display that was around the corner. A Hallmark moment if there ever was one.

If you get a chance this year, check out the Wild Nights at the Columbus Zoo. It’s well worth the price, and you can’t put a price on the memories.

A Happy Birthday To Someone Special!

In spite of everything that I have going on in my world, time must be spent on the things that are important, and this year, I have decided to do it a different way. I want to wish my mother, Janet Flinn, a happy birthday today.

I won’t say what year mother was born, so I’ll let you figure it out. Let’s just day she was born three days after Marty McFly returned to the future. It’s a fact that we often point out when watching the film, and while I hope mother doesn’t care too much about it, somehow I think that she might.

My mother has always been a rock of sorts for me. I have a tendency to be pompous and full of crap on many of my views of the world, and she has this amazing ability to cut right through the bullshit and get to the heart of the matter. It’s amazing really, but I have never met anyone else who has such a clear view of the world and how it operates.

Mother is also quite practical. We always joke that people we know can find easy ways and hard ways to do something, and generally they’ll pick the hard way, but mother has a way of knowing and understanding how things work, and what the best way of achieving a task would happen to be. She is a puzzle master. This is no joke, and while I’ve never played my mother in chess, I have to think that she would clean up in it.

I'm not kidding, she can pack anything, and everything

From packing a car, or organizing a room, my mother has this amazing ability to see the space, and the things needed packed, and fit them in such a way that is the most practical and makes the most sense, and more often than not, fit all materials into the space, after everyone else had given up. This is a talent that I have personally noticed that she has no equal to, at least in my world.

I'll also say, as one who has seen it many times over the years, no one can give the evil eye like mom can.

My mother’s cooking has always been basic. While she doesn’t come to the standards of my Grandma she isn’t really a novice either. When we were younger, she took it upon herself to ensure that all of us knew how to cook and clean, because she saw it as a way to make sure we were self-sufficient. And I’ll say this; NO ONE can make potato salad as good as my mother can.

A rare quiet moment

Everybody I talk to has good things to say about my mother. Granted, my presence rather biases that assessment, but even so, the nature of the comments tells me that it must be truth. While my mother has views and opinions, and when asked, will express them, she generally wants to know what’s going on in your world, and how your life is going. Everyone I’ve ever talked with has told me how nice she is to them, and I’ve always tried (but honestly, not always succeeded) to emulate that.

You’ll notice that I haven’t posted many pictures of mother. She is rather self-conscious of her image, but also, more often than not, she is the one behind the camera taking the pictures. In our family photo albums, there are tons of shots of my brother, sister, and Dad, but not as many of mother. It’s just life, and I’m sure that’s the same for many of you.

At any rate, I just want to say that I love my mother, as many do, and I wish her the very best birthday that she can have. Here’s hoping to many, many more.

Do We Really Know What We Want In A President?

Throughout this entire election season, I have heard, time and time again, how many people are ready to just chuck the whole field into the river. “There’s just no one good in the race this year.” Or “They both are horrible, the better of who cares.” or my favorite “I don’t want to elect a Republican or Democrat; I want to elect an American”.

Statements like these are inevitably followed by someone usually wondering where the great people of yesteryear are today. Where is this generations Lincoln, Washington, King, Kennedy, or Roosevelt? We quickly forget how none of those great leaders were considered great in their own time, and how this feeling we have about the national mood is really one of our own making.

Greatness is never really appreciated in its own time, but at the same time, it is usually bestowed on those who have a revisionist view on history. In school, we are taught about the greatness of Washington, as a war leader, while his achievements as President are usually glossed over. We forget that even as a war leader, George Washington was at best a mediocre military commander, who lost more battles than he won. He just happened to win the right ones (a prime example of the phrase “Lose the battle but win the war”)

The election of Lincoln caused the country to split in two. As a result, a bloody Civil War was fought, and would forever change the cultural landscape of the country. The war, and the disagreements were about more than slavery, or property, and Lincoln himself didn’t begin the war in a crusade to abolish slavery, much to the chagrin of many staunch abolitionists. Lincoln wanted to preserve the country, but when he realized the country needed to fundamentally change, he gave the country the guidance it needed to make those changes. It cost him enormous political clout and capital (which we forget today) and ultimately cost him his own life.

I mean really ask yourself if someone in a wheelchair could be elected President in today's political climate

Ask yourself, could a man like FDR or Lincoln be elected today? I remember talking with friends and reading my twitter feed during the debates and many people would obsess over Mitt Romney’s smirk, or Barack Obama’s frown, as if those were the only determining factors. Never mind what each of the candidates said or the substance of their positions. Their confidence, or charisma, real or imagined, seemed to sway the mood.

This was quickly followed by the hacks in the media who would also obsess over these minute details to the point of exhaustion and the public would eat up every word. We know more, demand perfection, and pounce on any flaw in the other side, and trumpet it from the mountaintops on and on, to the point where we’ve made the public cynical about the process. We act like every success or failure is a live or die situation that we forget that these are human beings, dedicated to an impossible task, trying to make the lives of all of us spectators in the stands better. We’ve made it a sport, at the expense of our own realities.

Neither Mitt Romney, or Barack Obama will fundamentally change the American landscape, as others before have done, and none of them alone could have done it. Lincoln, FDR, and Washington all had success in military campaigns to help them, as did JFK. Lyndon Johnson and Nixon, by contrast did not, and are considered inferior today, in spite of Johnson passing the civil rights act and Nixon opening up trade with China (both of which continue to be major forces determining American life as we know it today)

We bought into this news cycle, we obsess over the small details, and we pick and prod our candidates to the point where they are no longer human, but rather competing robots looking for the slightest edge. The reason we think no one good exists any more, is because we make more out of the flaws, and the character based on those flaws rather than the greatness that lies beneath.

I encourage all to vote next week, for whomever you wish. The fact remains that history is made by those who show up, and not by those who sit out. There are two major candidates (among others no doubt) both of which are true Americans, and both are excellent choices for the office of President of the United States. However, understand that no one looks like Lincoln, JFK, FDR, or Washington when they come in the door. Only after they are gone can we really appreciate what they were able to achieve.

Sometimes I just wonder "Why bother?"

Generally speaking, I don’t like airing out my frustrations online. Yes I’ll leave the occasional snarky comment or insight, but I usually refrain from anything of substance simply because frankly, my frustrations are mine, and mine alone. I don’t like burdening others with them. But sometimes, situations arise where I just cannot help myself.

This particular situation involves the way I conduct my radio show. I have been working in radio for around 11 years and have hosted my own show for the past six years. For the most part, my show has been an exact carbon copy of everyone else who works at the radio station. Devoid of any sort of feature or outstanding characteristic that sets it apart and perhaps might make someone want to tune in.

About a year ago, I decided I had enough and wanted to bring a bit of life into the show, and by extension, the radio station. Not much, mind you, but try some new things, or a different way of saying things that might set my show apart from everyone else. It’s an effort to be different, sure, but also an effort to breath a bit of life into the programming that we offer, because I am of the opinion that this is needed.

However when I’ve done this, my efforts have been met with criticism much akin to what you would expect from individuals who don’t like change. “You need to tone it down” or “Why would you do something different than everyone else? It isn’t uniform, and makes us sound bad.”

Forgive me for trying to stand out a bit, but I always thought that if every show or newscast were exactly the same, no one would care what they watched. Apparently I was wrong.

Really, what brought this on was I heard recently that people in our community took exception to the way I delivered the news. Not so much the content itself, but my method of delivery. It was also brought to my attention that those to have this wonderful insight also, apparently, don’t understand the difference between me or the station itself. It isn’t “Andrew Flinn sounds bad.” It’s “That Kenton radio station sounds bad” and because of their failure to know the difference, I am told that I need to refine my delivery.

Look, I get protocol and procedure, and for the most part, I agree with it. But a person also needs to have a bit of personality, however slight, in order to make something their own. Otherwise they are doing nothing except copying someone else. Apparently I am the only one in the community who thinks this.

So, to that end, I will refrain from my attempts to distinguish myself or my show from everyone else. I will do my job as I am required to, and go out of my way to make sure I deliver the news in the exact same manner as everyone else, because apparently, that’s what this community wants. More of the same, and no personality.

I am sorry if anyone has been offended by anything I have done or have tried to do, but I only wanted to make the show sound different, and hopefully, better. Apparently, I was wrong, and it will never happen again.

It's been awhile.

As I looked over it I noticed that it’s been well over a month since I last posted anything here. I haven’t died (or been fired, contrary to popular belief) but I have had so much work to do in the last month, that when I would stop a minute to try to think about what to write about, I wouldn’t be able to because, mentally, I have been spent.

Boomer understands all too well.

It’s been a busy month. To top it all off, I have a major project at Findlay that I need to complete in the next few weeks. It’s an assessment project designed to showcase, and apply, most of what I’ve learned in the last couple of years. The bitch, is that I haven’t been able to devote as much time to it as I would like to, so in the next week or so, I’m going to dig in a bit and see what I can come up with.

Tell you the truth; I’m not certain how that’s going to work out. The faculty at the University, who reviews these things, all seems to have differing views as to how they should be compiled, or rather, the majority of the faculty, and one other member seem to have differing views. Given the fact that she is my advisor (not on this project, but in general) and seems to always put herself in a position to determine the eventual outcome on these things, I really don’t know what to expect, other than it’s going to suck.

Dad showing one of the kids the ropes, so to speak.

Any rate, today was a pretty good day all considered. The weather was nice, and we took the teams out for the Soil & Water Conservation District Forestry Field Day. Basically, we offer hay wagon rides through the woods and a forester gives a quick talk about how to maintain your forest if you should have one. It’s not a major event, but it always brings out a crowd. There’s also a cookout, cider, wood carvings, and other kids games so it’s a great fall event, and the weather today was perfect.

Hitching, transporting, and driving draft horses isn’t easy, so when I got back I had a moment to relax a bit.

This week is going to be long, much like last week, but hopefully I’ll make some progress on my work. I’ll try not to take as long to write next time, and hopefully then I’ll have more to discuss.