The West Wing (1999) - 9 questions

Question: Producers are currently unsure as to whether Martin Sheen is returning for another season. Even if he does though, in due course he'll have to be replaced, unless they include a constitutional rewrite into the script giving him 3 terms of office. I've heard reports that in the coming season a few characters will be introduced who might replace him as president. My question is, wouldn't the incoming president have his own principal staff, meaning that the current cast would need to be almost entirely replaced, not just the president?

Answer: The current 'Inside Scoop' is that Bingo Bob would become Prez, keeping at least Will (Joshua Malina) in the show. It could be extrapolated that the producers will offer the main cast to continue with the show, and work out a storyline where Bingo Bob would offer them to stay with him.

Question: This is as good a place to ask as any. In various US TV shows (including this one, and this episode), someone says "I could care less", when they always seem to mean "I couldn't care less", ie. they have no interest in what's going on. Surely if they COULD care less that means they actually care a reasonable amount? Is there any logic to this, or is it just a really annoying innate lack of sense?

Answer: A really annoying innate lack of sense. My friends and family say the same thing all the time, and I'm endlessly trying to correct them. I think people just don't know any better and (ironically) couldn't care less that they're speaking incorrectly.

Question: I don't really understand Josh's comment to Mary Marsh on TV ("Lady, the god you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud."). Could someone please explain it to me?

Answer: It's in reference to the many televangelists and revival ministers usually associated with the right-wing that have been convicted of tax fraud (Jim Bakker and Tamy Faye being a more famous set). Occasionally, the more unscrupulous ministers have bilked millions from believers all in the name of God.

Question: I'm watching all of West Wing in order. I thought I remembered the scene of the drunk Ainsley meeting the president occurring before she's actually introduced to the audience in the TV program and subsequently hired. In which episode does the drunken dancing occur? Thanks for the help.

Answer: We're first introduced to Ainsley in season 2, episode 4, 'In This White House', during Sam's appearance on the show Capital Beat, where as Josh puts it, "Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl (Ainsley)." Then later, during the same episode Leo hires Ainsley. It's not until episode 13, 'Bartlet's Third State of the Union', that it comes to Sam's attention that Ainsley still hasn't met President Bartlet, even after she's been working there a few months. Later in this episode, when Sam goes to Ainsley's office he finds her wearing a White House gym robe (she had sat on the bench's wet paint just as CJ had earlier), drunk, dancing and singing. A moment later President Bartlet shows up at her basement office and that's when Ainsley first meets him. Priceless.

Question: The music heard as the theme tune to the political TV show ("Capital Beat") CJ appears on - is that heard in other US shows? Because here in Britain it's the music for the ITN "News at 10" (or was a while ago, at least). Just curious as to whether it's recognisable in the US.

Answer: As a frequent watcher of the show, I have never heard the tune and thought, "That sounds familiar," so I would guess that it is not a theme song to any other shows (political or otherwise) here in the States.

Question: Right before Toby asks CJ if she wants to come over for Thanksgiving, he calls her Toscanini. What does Toscanini mean?

Answer: Arturo Toscanini (1867 - 1957) was an Italian born conductor who was well known for being authoritarian and a bully. Perhaps this is a reference to CJ's commanding nature?

Question: After Special Agent Donovan is shot and killed, the remainder of the episode is played out over an extremely haunting tune. I think the title may contain the word "Hallelujah." Does anyone know the actual title and the artist?

Answer: Yep, It's called Hallelujah it was written by Leonard Cohen, and performed on this occasion by Jeff Buckley (from his album Grace), although it can also be heard it in Shrek, The O.C. and Scrubs performed by various different artists.

Question: What is the song played at the end of this episode?

Answer: The song is "I don't like mondays", originally recorded by the Boomtown Rats. However, I don't know who the female artist singing it is.

Question: How did they find Zoe and who kidnapped her? At first they said that the Bahii were taking responsibility for it, then Leo tells Will that they never found the Bahii sleepers. Also, the man on the helicopter tells the President and the First Lady that Zoe was dropped off on the side of a road and she called 911 on her cell phone, then, later, on the ground, another man tells the Bartletts that they found her tied up in a closet. What really happened?

Answer: One of the kidnappers was having an argument with his girlfriend and dumped her. She called 911 about Zoe.