Noël (20 Dec. 2000)

Josh speaks to a psychiatrist about the events of the last three weeks: Toby hired musicians for the foyer, an Air Force pilot disobeyed orders, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the White House, and Josh managed to cut his hand quite badly.

Director:

Thomas Schlamme

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator), Aaron Sorkin (teleplay),

Stars:

Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Lowe	...	Sam Seaborn
Dulé Hill	...	Charlie Young
Allison Janney	...	C.J. Cregg
Janel Moloney	...	Donna Moss
Richard Schiff	...	Toby Ziegler
John Spencer	...	Leo McGarry
Bradley Whitford	...	Josh Lyman
Martin Sheen	...	President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet
Adam Arkin	...	Dr. Stanley Keyworth
Paxton Whitehead	...	Bernard Thatch
Gregory Alan Williams	...	Robbie Mosley (as Gregalan Williams)
Gary Carlos Cervantes	...	Bobby (as Gary Cervantes)
Daniel von Bargen	...	Air Force General Ken Shannon
Yo-Yo Ma	...	Himself
Melissa Fitzgerald	...	Carol

Storyline

Leo orders Josh to speak to a trauma psychiatrist, who asks him to review the events of the last three weeks: Toby insisted on having live music in the foyer for Christmas, an Air Force pilot separated from his flight team without explanation, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the White House, and Josh managed to cut his hand quite badly. Also, C.J. looks into a report of a woman freaking out during a tour of the White House.

---

Plot Keywords:

christmas | dead pilot | christmas music | cut hand | siren | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 2000 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 23, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The subplot about the lady who recognizes the painting, although fictional in its particulars, is based on truth in several ways. Bernard, the protocol officer, tells C. J. that the painting was painted by Gustave Caillebotte, who actually was a real nineteenth-century French painter (his most famous painting in an American museum is probably "Paris Street; Rainy Day," which is owned by the Art Institute of Chicago). The Nazi element of this storyline is also based in fact; many pieces of art that had been owned by Jewish families before World War II were looted by the Nazis before their owners had been sent off to concentration camps, as had happened to the lady's family in this episode.

---

Goofs

(at around 45 mins) President Bartlet says, "When I was in tenth grade, me and my friends took my father's Country Squire out on a joyride to Vermont." He should have said, "...my friends and I..." A man of Bartlet's education should not have made such an elementary mistake in English grammar.

---

Quotes

Josh Lyman: I don't need a doctor.
Donna Moss: Are you a doctor?
Josh Lyman: No.
Donna Moss: Then be quiet.

---

Soundtracks

"West Wing Main Title"
(uncredited)
Written by W.G. Snuffy Walden
Performed by Pete Anthony

User Reviews

A powerful, passionate piece of work; The West Wing's most incredible episode

This is it, The West Wing's greatest episode. The previous year's Christmas episode, In Excelsis Deo, was great, and I think the first season is generally my favourite season, but Noël from season 2 outdoes every prior episode of the series. Noël is one of the best works of drama I've seen.

After What Kind of Day Has It Been, where the White House staff is shot at, there were complaints. Was it too cliché? Should a show that finds drama in politics and dialogue and its characters really resort to action? Well, if it was a misstep, this episode alone makes it well worth it. Noël isn't action; it explores the psychological aftermath of the shooting. It focuses on its characters.

As is common for the show, this episode makes very trivial things interesting and kind of funny; here we see the president wanting to sign his Christmas cards, which turns out to be an impossibility. Much of the episode is not trivial, however. Josh, who was hurt the worst in the shooting, is acting increasingly strange; yelling at the president is a dramatic high point of the episode. A pilot Josh was looking into has some parallels with Josh in ways more profound than that they shared the same birthday. This is a dark time for Josh. Luckily, the president and Leo are understanding bosses- Josh isn't the only standout character of the episode.

It's not just the characters and the writing that shine; the Christmas and music themes help the episode along; Josh associates the Christmas music with sirens. This Christmas may not be merry- but it is memorable and moving. 9.4/10