Shibboleth (22 Nov. 2000)

Dozens of Chinese stowaways are discovered in a container ship in California; Toby looks to pick a fight over school prayer with a recess appointment; Thanksgiving at the White House sees C.J. in charge of turkeys and Charlie looking for the ultimate carving knife.

Director:

Laura Innes

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
F. William Parker	...	Rev. Al Caldwell
Annie Corley	...	Mary Marsh
Deborah Hedwall	...	Josephine McGarry
Kathryn Joosten	...	Mrs. Landingham
NiCole Robinson	...	Margaret
Sam Anderson	...	John LaSalle
Henry O	...	Jhin Wei

Storyline

A container ship is caught attempting to smuggle nearly a hundred people from China into California. Toby urges the President to appoint Leo's outspoken sister to a position in the Department of Education as a way of starting a battle over school prayer. C.J. discovers that she is expected to arrange White House Thanksgiving ceremonies which include the traditional Presidential turkey pardoning. The President sends Charlie on a seemingly endless mission to find the ultimate carving knife.

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Plot Keywords:

school prayer | carving knife | reference to paul revere | turkey the bird | pardon | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 November 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:

41 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shibboleth is used in modern parlance to mean any language usage that signifies a social or regional origin. The use originates from a story in the biblical book of Judges, in which one clan rooted out spies from another clan by asking them to say the Hebrew word, which both clans pronounced differently. The actual meaning of the Hebrew word is "an ear of grain."

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Goofs

When Donna tells the guys that the turkeys have arrived, she points off to her right. In the next shot, the turkeys are to her left.

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Quotes

[Josh and Caldwell are talking, and Toby walks by]
Rev. Al Caldwell: Good morning, Toby.
Toby Ziegler: Good morning, Reverend.
Rev. Al Caldwell: You look determined.
Toby Ziegler: I am, sir.
Rev. Al Caldwell: Good boy.

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

The runner-up gets eaten

The most embarrassingly awfully-written moment in show history...a moment so masturbatory, a barf bag should come with the season 2 DVD extras. Religious refugees from China are given a test of faith by Bartlet, and the way they pass is so contrived...well, to make an in-reference, even high school girls don't write this badly. A damn shame too, because the episode also features a run of dialogue that is perhaps the most multi- scene, non-stop funny in the history of the show, as C.J. tries to get the president to pardon a turkey (hm, make your own parallels...). Sorkin's worst beside his best. Jed has Charlie running around in the search for the "perfect" carving knife...then, in one of the most poignant scenes in show history, reveals the reason: he's giving his family knife (a present from Paul Revere) to Charlie.