Finding Zoey Bartlet | The West Wing

[@dawnieb.7394]

Anyone else here in Nov. 2024 watching clips to remind themselves of what true patriotism, intelligent rule, and honorable public servants are like before the world falls apart?

[@barbarareinhold4662]

You betcha

[@stewedbeef2918]

Amen. Although this was even a bit of a stretch at the time, we live in a far more cynical world now.

[@mack3685]

lol cope

[@kossttamojaan]

Goodman absolutely owned his role. I would've loved to have seen Glenn Allen Walken a few more times in the series.

[@joemckim1183]

Goodman is awesome in most of the roles he does.

[@Mark-ke1rj]

They actually said they had to pull the character because he was so popular they were worried people would want to see him become president.

[@j.r.6427]

​@@Mark-ke1rjDo you have a source for that?

[@cameron120587]

There is an episode where a former President dies and they collect the President and all former Presidents including Walken to go to the funeral.

[@MattWatts-kv8rh]

Well said.

[@markeewell]

"Thank you sir but I think the nation is best served by seeing only one President at a time." That hit HARD. Masterfully done. Walken really wanted to be President. He knew this was only a temporary assignment, he served honorably, and it still hurt him to have to walk away.

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

But he did it, because an American President should know when his time in office is done.

[@pdeforest]

Funny you should say that …

[@stevelounsbery3481]

Putting the country first!!! Sound familiar! Certainly not Felonious Trump

[@ajmiller2812]

Actually in one of the scenes, he talks to Leo or Jed about how he wouldn’t be able to be elected back to congress for two years, and how he had never wanted to pursue the Oval Office. Either way, it’s honorable to think someone from across the aisle would essentially out their political career on hold for the better of the people

[@Brian-os9qj]

This is what the peaceful transfer of power looks like, CLASSY!

[@fugitiveunknown7806]

Clearly rigged election in favor of proven known nerdy sick liar Jed Bartlet.

[@sadjaxx]

Somebody show this to the cult members.

[@rustybear5125]

@@sadjaxx It still wouldn't work.☹

[@MFH916]

Trump is the opposite of class! He's a loser!

[@jvcyt298]

@@sadjaxx ; They would never watch this, too many Hollywood Jews.

[@BronzeRivet]

Anyone else's heart leap when John Spencer (playing Leo McGarry) takes that sudden inhale when he hears the announcement around 0:40? Phenominal acting.

[@GABISNAIL]

You know a show is great when a five minute clip of it make me cry 5 years on

[@colonelJ77]

Really.... cry?

[@michaelhunt7494]

Cry? From the drama of the episode. Emotional!!

[@weebeedesigns]

Me too. I was so invested in these characters. It comes right back.

[@jamiestewart48]

Abby's reaction on seeing her, that run and shout of Zoey, gets me every time. Outstanding acting.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

It was Leo's asking after Zoey in the brief field briefing and his looking after that gets me the most!

[@googoo-gjoob]

The *GREATEST* show in the _history_ of television.

[@truthseeker7649]

Hands down!!!

[@teecher55]

Democrats wishful dreaming during Bush years!

[@ZATennisFan]

Absolutely without a doubt

[@MikeStrongman]

The fact that a show about a Democrat President showed a Republican as a Patriotic, principled, and intelligent public servant is one of a million reasons why this show is the GOAT. It was a vision of the government functioning the way we all want it to.

[@patricelockertanthony7630]

President Barak Obama, a democrat, did exactly that with Senator McCain. Both honorable men and politicians; they respected the hell out of each other. They demonstrated what politics and political parties COULD be like. Senator McCain’s own party disrespected him because he wouldn’t kowtow to what he knew was wrong in his party. I’m a democrat and I miss him.

[@bkzone8]

Absolutely!

[@jennybeard6341]

Yeah fiction. There are no principled Republicans, just despotic theocrats.

[@kathe4127]

I was often amazed how a liberal cast and writing team (with only a few conservative consultants) created storylines in which Republicans were multi-dimensional characters and Democrats were not always shown in a good light. In contrast to other shows then and now, Republicans were not evil incarnate set upon using every opportunity for their own advantage. Josh tried to force them to admit they were in it for themselves, and showed us more about himself than the other characters. It is a trait I observe in a lot of political operatives, to this day.

[@josephmanno4514]

@@kathe4127 "In contrast to other shows then and now ..." And in tragic contrast to reality now ...

[@MattWatts-kv8rh]

Look at folks putting their country first. Putting each other first. We sure could use this today.

[@robappleby583]

You have it today, just from one side only.

[@Gredddfe]

Not pictured was the squabble between Will and Toby regarding the speech. Will started with something humble like "I'm thankful we have Zoey back but our nation still grieves" and Toby hated it. Toby said it belonged in the version of the speech they'd give if Zoey didn't come back. Then later the president came by and said to Will, "Show me the speech you wrote for if she doesn't come back". Then later tells Will "I modified that speech you gave me" thus telling him that he was right and Toby was wrong about what the tone of the speech needed to be.

[@marcboss6]

Really love how they paid off the nightmare scenario from season 1 after the bar dust-up

[@specialk9424]

I said this before, on another channel. The way Leo asked "Are they all dead?", had the answer been "Two of them are, the third one is alive", Leo's response would have been "I'll fix that."

[@Bazookatone1]

What the guy says "the shooters got 2, the third was asleep when we went in, he tried to reach for a weapon....." I don't hitnk the third one is alive either.

[@Elthenar]

@@Bazookatone1 Yup. Like I said on this same comment on another video, Leo was former military and a father to a daughter. If that guy was alive, Leo would have grabbed the nearest Benelli and went to work

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

@@Bazookatone1 The man is trained to give fully detailed responses, so it was funny to see him just dance around simply saying "yeah we did" and moving on because if he did, Leo would never bother with the details because that's all that matters.

[@dirdib69]

Walken was a nice bit of fake-out. They set it up that he was going to be a problem, but he ends up being an honorable man and a capable president.

[@noahbrown6970]

As much as Arnold Vinick was an awesome character, and the Santos-Russell drama was more than enough, I would've loved to have seen the absolute carnage that would ensue from Walken getting the Republican nomination and then being endorsed by Bartlet. Would've made seasons 6 and 7 absolutely insane!

[@flankspeed]

John Goodman kicked ass 😂

[@terrygracy8345]

They should do What Ifs. For these showz

[@tysons9222]

in what world would bartlet have endorsed a republican for president

[@noahbrown6970]

@@tysons9222 He literally says he would at the end of this clip....

[@tysons9222]

@@noahbrown6970 not for president

[@intorainbowzOG]

He keeps the pen. I love that part.

[@KYExtemper]

I think he was supposed to as kind of a momento. Presidents typically give their pens away when signing bills or other important documents as a thank you to those who have assisted them.

[@jamesjohnston1935]

The one thing never mentioned is that the French Boyfriend probably didnt survive interrogation. Charlie made sure of it.

[@SinkyYT]

John Goodman was the perfect choice for that part.

[@joannakasper5486]

You would think that for the number of times I have watched this show that this would not be the first time I noticed Ellie was on the helicopter with Zoe and her parents, but you would be wrong.

[@npdavis]

Ellie and Elizabeth

[@Comicsluvr]

Still brings tears to my eyes.

[@chitalian22]

So this is how Agent Colson got his start.

[@Gredddfe]

I loved the President Goodman arc.

[@Dan210871]

But Roseanne as an absolutely deranged First Lady would be a disaster!

[@woodelfproductions]

Would love to see the walk to the hill and speaker "confrontation" next!

[@soumy1986]

That's how Fury knew who he needed

[@HKim0072]

I wonder how much that shot cost. Network shows had healthy budgets back then.

[@TheBlfan]

It was one of the reasons why Sorkin left the show...the network started giving him a hard time about the unnecessary spending.

[@joannakasper5486]

Wouldn't have been cheap but for all it's dramatic purpose it's completely unrealistic. No way the Secret Service would have let the First Family go into that chaotic situation. No matter how much the scene seemed to be cleared they would have had no way to know there wasn't a bomb somewhere. They would have taken Zoe to hospital and had the reunion in safety. But it looked good, and this is a tv show after all, so they get a pass. 🙂

[@HKim0072]

@@TheBlfan lol, I think you were subtly saying I'm a scummy NBC executive.

[@CorsetGrace]

I was thinking the saame thing. Two helicopters, a dozen police cars, ambulances and all those extras!

[@Rary.0]

this really is a sitcom these days where both parties can get along

[@Elthenar]

They can, behind closed doors. A lot of what goes on in the media is a show. Look at how close all the ex presidents get, aside from Trump. Once they aren't beholden to their lobbyist and can do and say what they want, they like each other. They are like pepsi and coke, they pretty much sell the same stuff.

[@mikeyj9607]

I had forgot just how John Goodman looked back then and what he looks now ,I happy to see he lost all that weight

[@Pww642]

The show never really resolved who kidnapped her, or why, or how they found her, or why she wasn’t killed, what forces were behind it, or the fallout for her family or the country. They washed their hands of this whole storyline so damned fast.

[@KojinMacJorn]

1) Khundenese Terrorists. 2) Retribution against Jed for what he did to the country. 3) She was taken outside of her school? Or a party? I don't remember the explanation, but it was told. 4) They didn't kill her because she was to be used as a bargaining chip. They were smuggling her out of the country began to Khunda. 5) Trauma and the First Lady not like Jed for a while.

[@JamesSmith-xo3vj]

It was in retaliation for when they killed shareef

[@KojinMacJorn]

@@JamesSmith-xo3vj Yeah, that's also very likely. I always thought it was the Khundaese because that happened shortly before her kidnapping, but yeah... Shareef is also a pretty good idea.

[@scotthartman8993]

Huh ... They explained that very well. How they found her was paying off the Frog BF who drugeed her for them

[@arturkasza3176]

Well, that's what my slightly humorous comment above is about. If Jack Bauer was involved, we would have all this story. But they weren't into a prolonged investigation and field action scenes, "24 hours" style, unfortunately. This ain't that kind of movie.

[@tyyip1829]

If we can't get Barlet to run, then I'm all for Walken in 2024!! He's a much better republican than anyone we have today!

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Bartlett isn't Republican. Bartlett is a Democrat.

[@WidowOfOfficerDavis388]

POTUS Bartlett seeing his daughter alive was so needed😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@katesatriani]

Never liked the way that President Bartlett's wife and some of his daughters iced him out- he is President as well as her father- thought that in spite of their pain and stress that was unfair the way they treated him as if it was personally his fault- they knew better

[@timweaver7826]

Awesome scene

[@ahmetbakisenayl3950]

If you take requests, I really would want you to upload several scenes from the episode in which william ficthner played in. I believe the episode was called “The Supremes”. If you would add the scene where fitchner’s character and Toby discusses, debates the issues, that would be AWESOME! I believe the ability to disagree respectfully is a virtue that we need to be reminded of especially since we are living in a year where quite a lot of elections are happening all over the world

[@shivajishiva8697]

I loved that exchange.

[@dee_dee_place]

Young Adults- When your Parents warn you about something it isn't to hear the sound of their own voices or just to exercise their authority over you. We live in an unexpectedly dangerous world, & when all of us get too close to a situation we tend to think the best even when our own instincts are saying otherwise. Listen to your Parents, what they have to say may very well save your lives one day.

[@Stigvandr]

Good to see that SHIELD was one the scene.

[@galbert117]

0:01 Wait, is that the actor who plays Agent Coulson in the MCU? He was in this show? How did I never notice until now?!

[@MangindDerous]

Yes it is

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

That sure explains how he got the MCU part.

[@pympton]

That man deserved his honeymoon.

[@mikesmith-gk6fy]

Honestly I want a west wing reboot with sam as the president

[@scotthartman8993]

I always wanted to Know who Sam was about to Marry at the end when Josh showed up.. Lori or Mallory.. the COmment about DC would apply to either:)

[@gzsprout]

I've wanted this, too. It's been long enough it would make sense, and there are no shortage of crazy stories to riff off.

[@judycroteau482]

It’s my understanding that Rob Lowe hated his role as Sam and didn’t like working on this show.

[@EmilioReyes_97]

​@@scotthartman8993Imagine it was neither and the woman he intended to marry back in NY

[@EmilioReyes_97]

​@@judycroteau482Not the Role I think, just what his role became. His understanding was his character was supposed to be the center point of the show( it kinda was for many parts) but then Martin Sheen stayed on and the audience ended up loving the whole cast equally. All the cast got higher pay for the shows success and their own popularity, but he wanted more money ( I guess his pay was initially the highest starting out so he wanted to keep the consistency). Eventually he left to fo other things were he could shine more. Maybe there was some animosity, but since he returned for the final season and the anniversary special I doubt it was major.

[@AuntyProton]

Hey it's Phil Coulson!

[@jrcasselman]

Walken would have been right up there with Dwight Eisenhower and Theodore Roosevelt as one of the greatest Republican Presidents.

[@hoffenwurdig1356]

2:09 Ladies and Gentlemen, FBI Hostage Rescue Team. No fanfare. Gone before the echo fades. Human beings who learn from their mistakes and almost always do a superb job.

[@mattep74]

I think they should have had this story for a few more episodes

[@martythetickler]

Man... if I were some stupid bastard who decided to kidnap the child of the most powerful couple in the world... I'd pray for the FBI to get to me before the First Lady did.

[@lyswatkins9321]

DO NOT MESS with a Mama Bear!

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

I would take a "polite conversation" with Trevor Philips before the First Lady found me.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Coulson's past life in the WW!

[@RandallHallKaizenReiki]

Do you suppose the writers broke up Zoey and Charlie just so they could tell this story and not have to kill off Charlie? Charlie would have died trying to protect Zoey during the kidnapping.

[@derrickstorm6976]

She was in the bathroom when they took her, Charlie couldn't have done jack

[@donthoren8079]

Charlie would have never tried to drug her.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

why does Charlie have to die in any scenario? wtf?

[@22espec]

Wait, what did he say? I couldn't understand him in the chopper

[@bridyyc]

I was able to get this ".......domestic disturbance call outside of culverton. Couple got drunk, let her out on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere so she dialed 911 on her cell. unintelligible couldn't find her, she wandered off somewhere to try and get out of the rain....."

[@bridyyc]

and I believe, based on some reading, is that this unknown couple had a fight, the female was left on the side of the road, called 911 and wandered off. The trooper that responded to her 911 call couldn't find her and in searching for her, wandered into a barn where he found the kidnap van, ran the plates and then the world descended upon the area.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

He said.....get to da choppa!

[@michaelmuldowney8]

Did Walken get a Presidential Library ? I also wonder did Fitz have a wife AND a mistress. He mentions Laura here and talks about their honeymoon- but after he died Bartlet goes to visit his widow who he calls Gail !!

[@arturkasza3176]

They might have hired Jack Bauer for this. Might have been just a bit of more exciting. ;)

[@soumy1986]

They had Agent Coulson

[@lionsjourney29]

Except it was not resolved off screen, and Doctor Bartlett was not the same, the West wing nearly cost her her daughters life, and had caused a lot of tension between her and her husband, it was probably gonna take many years of Jeds life, assuming he didn’t die in office, by Season 7 she had noticeable resentment towards her stay in the White House and had decided to used her medical skills in a shelter for woman. Oh and she lost her medical license, albeit willingly She was defiant in her desire to Volunteer even fighting with Leo and points to him that since Zoey’s kidnapping that volunteer work was the one way she could stay true to herself. She would never do anything drastic, would never embarrass her husband with a public feud, would never go back on her marriage she is a 60s raised devout Catholic woman Divorce is a no go

[@bkzone8]

But you never doubt their love for each other... which had to be incredibly strong for her to continue the being the character we always loved and respected.

[@RJSAMCRO]

Here is a question. When Bartlet signed the 25th making the Speaker POTUS, is he recognized as a former president? If Bartlet was lets say the 40th President does that make the Speaker the 41st POTUS? Just curious.

[@TheAlmaward]

Yes. In your hypothetical, Walken would be 41, and Bartlet would be 40 and 42. Coolidge served 2 terms non-consecutively, and he is also counted in that manner.

[@andyh4518]

No - Walken was the acting president. In real life Reagan, W Bush, and Biden have all temporarily transferred power over to their VPs. They weren't former presidents during those few hours.

[@brunowhitehead8105]

Nom Walken was Acting President. Bartlet was still President, just he devolved the powers and duties of the office in line wit the 25th. The show kinda made Walken out to be a former President in one episode, but that's not entirely correct. Bartlet invoked the 25th, he did not resign. Otherwise Walken would've become President. Acting President has all the powers and duties and perks of the job, without actually having it. Walken would've had to resign his seat in the House and as Speaker though.

[@TheAlmaward]

@@brunowhitehead8105 sorry, that is simply incorrect. There's no such thing, Constitutionally, as an "Acting President." You either are, or you aren't. Walken was an actual (albeit fictional) President, period.

[@andyh4518]

@@TheAlmaward The actual text from section 3 of the 25th Amendment. "Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President" So yes, the title is explicitly included because it was vague in the original document.

[@858Bill]

One thing I have yet to hear.... Who were the 3 dead suspects?

[@DrownedInExile]

"Will the First Lady be joining you?" "No. She's convinced herself that I alone, bear responsibility for Zoey's kidnapping. Not the kidnappers, not the trashy French boyfriend, only me. She'll abdicate her role as my wife, run away and take Zoey with her. But no worries, she'll be back in a few episodes and all will be forgotten."

[@derrickstorm6976]

Imagine needing all development to happen on-screen

[@DrownedInExile]

@@derrickstorm6976 Here's what happened on-screen. Abby and Leo had a conversation after this episode, where she explicitly blamed Jed for the kidnapping. Right out of the horse's mouth. Imagine just pretending that major schism just got resolved off-screen.

[@TheMaddJon]

Man the wiring really did go downhill after Sorkin left, season 5 is definitely the low point of the whole show but the opening was very much carried by the drama of Zoe's kidnapping. Kind of overshadowed the drop in writing quality and the character botching which became much more noticeable the longer the season went on

[@MarklovesAngels]

@@TheMaddJon Yes, that's why I stopped watching halfway through five. Not out of any petulant "strike" but out of confusion. Almost immediately, (episode 3), the characters' interactions with each other went backwards two full seasons to arguments and distrust that had been resolved and grown past. Less character growth and more plot driven. I still haven't watched anything but a few clips on youtube.

[@alexanderg1935]

​@@MarklovesAngelsIt's a completely different show after Season 4. Not terrible exactly, but without heart. Even the cinematography is different.

[@Jayhawk84]

I didn't like how they wrapped the kidnapping up. Too abrupt.

[@JWRogersPS]

Too bad there are no longer any honorable republicans, like Walken, who put the needs of country over party or personal power.

[@MarcRabbi1]

This was the end of the show as the fans know it. Sorkin left before this season, and it never recovered.

[@afieldingaf]

Sorkin didn't write part 2 he only wrote part 1

[@ariochiv]

What always bothered me about this episode was that there was never any explanation of who the kidnapper were, why they did it, or even how Zoey was released. The agent says something garbled as the helicopter arrives, but it doesn't seem to explain any of this.

[@Kate-lk6tw]

Yes. There . Was. In Thr episode when Jean Paul awakes

[@ariochiv]

@@Kate-lk6tw There was an explanation of how the drugs got spiked, but that was it.

[@quinnreilly7681]

Who is running this channel? It’s great to see some clips but they seem utterly randomly picked.

[@derrickstorm6976]

That's how all promo channels like this do it

[@jonny-b4954]

Never seen a show channel do anything differently... They're not going to put coherent shorts/clips out that form episodes. They want you to see a good scene and go watch the entire show by signing up for an account on their streaming service. Even though nearly all the streaming services are losing big time money

[@jeffreyjeziorski1480]

It's a good thing that what you are complaining about is FREE.

[@quinnreilly7681]

@@jeffreyjeziorski1480 First of all, I pay for YT premium which helps pay creators. How do you think anyone makes money on here? Second, are you saying you’ve never once had a negative opinion about art unless you directly paid for it? Are you not allowed to critique art at a museum unless you buy it? Ridiculous.

[@quinnreilly7681]

@@jonny-b4954 Yeah my critique isn’t that they aren’t posting full episodes but rather that they’re choosing really random scenes. I was once obsessed with WW and there are tons of amazing scenes. But this channel’s selection is pretty odd. This one for instance contains enormous spoilers for a large season arc. It’s just a weird choice.

[@UnklePeanut]

IMO, Glen Allen Walker was the best president on the show. Walker character was strong enough to beat Barlett, that's the reason Walker never ran.

[@jlee1522]

And after all the great setup and acting and situations, they just find her randomly. No Aaron Sorkin is just so obvious when it happens

[@GBTCO2b]

Wonder what happened to Elisabeth Moss. . . . . . . .

[@quasi19812002]

She's in the spin off show where a male patriarchy including Josh have taken over the US

[@GBTCO2b]

@@quasi19812002 Josh had some form in this regard, until Donna got an office that was bigger than his, in the very final episode. . . . .!

[@lancer525]

@@GBTCO2b You mean this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKOme2htZc90qqssi=PCWP6zJ9NCjs81aO

[@Kate-lk6tw]

Mad Men, The Handmaid’s Tale, the bio pic of Shirley Jackson, she’s been incredibly busy and successful

[@AndyCutright]

Not in a million years does the Secret Service drop him in the middle of field, even surrounded by cops near a suspected terrorist hold out.

[@randyzeitman1354]

Why. They were dead. Why else would they let him land?

[@Kate-lk6tw]

They were all dead

[@Dan210871]

Would it be OK to show my daughter the episodes covering Zoey's abduction if she ever brings home an entitled snotty boyfriend, regardless of his nationality?

[@lyswatkins9321]

:) YES, Dad!!

[@frederalbacon]

1:26 not a single cop turns to acknowledge POTUS walking into their midst? I get that they just saved his daughter, I get that he's not technically POTUS right now, but still, the single most powerful person in the country walks into the area and heads turn.

[@xaenon]

i could forgive them. They're processing a crime scene. they have a job to do and have to be focused on that.

[@andrewemery4272]

So, the President of the United States walks between the police cars and no-one turns to look at him? Really bad direction.

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

I get it being a political drama show about the President and his crew, of course you want the exciting dangerous shit to happen to make interesting setpiece episodes, but when you think about it GODDAMN this political family gets put through the ringer. Permanent illnesses, shootings (where the President isn't even the target but gets hit anyway), kidnappings, lots of tense foreign policy tests, like Jesus Christ, fictional mid-2000's America needs to give the man a break.

[@danchris7179]

Assume Donald Trump in such situation...

[@xaenon]

I'd rather not. I still get the sweats imagining Trump trying to handle 9/11 or a Chernobyl-type event. The man had a meltdown because a reporter asked a question he didn't like.

[@DGNYY27]

Writers totally buried this under the rug and ditched the storyline. Was there a trial? Did Zoey have to testify? Season five was awful.

[@sirfriendzone1228]

They killed all the kidnappers in the rescue.

[@noregretcoyote1808]

It’s just a bit too contrived and sugary. It’s all tugging at strings. Sorkin did it better.

[@sstigger38]

It really stinks, but I ONLY have the first 3 seasons on DVD.... I can never find the final seasons....

[@brokenrecord3523]

You actually believe they care. I wish I still believed that. I know I may be wrong and there are those in the government that really, really do care. I don't think it is the politicians, though.