RIP Leo McGarry

We knew it was coming after John Spencer's unfortunate passing but that didn't make it any easier Sunday when his character, Leo McGarry, passed away Sunday on The West Wing.

I'm a big WW fan, and while the show had begun to go downhill even before creator Aaron Sorkin left/was forced to leave, this has been a great season and as we get to the final few episodes I'm starting to realize how much I'm going to miss it. I guess we'll still have Commander-in-Chief, although it's not the same (and where did it go anyway?).

It was a difficult episode, with Leo's passing on the eve of the Matt Santos campaign's victory. I especially feel bad for Josh, who his greatest moment of triumph soured by the loss of his mentor, and father figure. If it wasn't for Leo, Santos would have fired Josh at the DNC's behest like Arnie Vinnick fired Mrs. Tool Time at the RNC's.

I did feel there wasn't enough emotion in the response to his passing though. While perhaps we'll get it next week with the funeral episode, I did feel there was something missing and it didn't hit me until this morning as I listened to my MP3 player on the way to work what it was: the musical sequence.

It was something that Sorkin did so well, and even John Wells did passably at times, overlaying music and cutting the dialogue, and letting the actors emote in response to major events.

There was Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms on the walk to the MS press conference, Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah when CJ's Agent Donovan was shot and killed, the Shakespearean song later that episode as Special Forces killed Shariff, and Lisa Gerard's Sanvean as the Bartletts prayed during Zoe's kidnapping.

Music can really evoke a powerful emotional response and today still when I hear those songs it takes me back to those episodes. Leo deserved a song. Maybe next week.

On a P.S., apperantly Vinnick was going to win, but the writers decided after John's passing that loosing Leo and the election would have been to much for views to take. I have to say, with the show cancelled too, that would have been going out on a down note indeed.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers