# West Wing - Giant Asteroid **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075 "2004-12-16T02:22:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/1 "2004-12-16T02:22:07Z")
The West Wing has officially jumped the shark and then had sex with its dead carcass. A giant asteroid is 48 (46 now) hours from hitting the Earth. Oh dear lord. ---
**Author:** ![JDeMobray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/2 "2004-12-16T02:49:51Z")
My roommate points out that if the actual jumping of the shark is 1.0, this would be around a 5.4 on the “Jump The Shark” scale. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/3 "2004-12-16T02:59:52Z")
At least it missed the Earth. I thought it might be cliffhanger for next week. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/4 "2004-12-16T03:01:03Z")
I gave up on the show when Zoey was kidnapped, but something about the OP made we turn on and watch the last half hour. Within minutes, I was rooting for the asteroid to put everyone out of their misery. I only really liked the first season, but even the worst episodes under Sorkin was far better than this thing could ever hope for. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/5 "2004-12-16T03:03:22Z")
My own personal gauge (long before the concept of “Jump the Shark” was introduced) is “the Chimp episode”. Many fine shows, while suffering a creative decline, have resorted to bringing in a chimp for an episode. Although I have not seen a chimp in “The West Wing” (some wags would suggest truth is indeed stranger than fiction) I can say with all certainty that, even having not seen this episode yet, a Giant Asteroid does make me pine for a chimp. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/6 "2004-12-16T03:11:57Z")
You know, the more I watch the new episodes, the more I enjoy the reruns on Bravo. There’s only one thing that could save this show at this point: NBC has to go groveling back to Aaron Sorkin. John Wells does not need to be allowed to touch the creative side of anything from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/7 "2004-12-16T03:12:54Z")
Next on the West Wing: The asteroid turns around and hits the Earth. Everyone in the chain of succession is killed except the President who is in stuck China because of an MS attack. The MS attack is so bad that the President signs a letter giving over his power. CJ not knowing if a human can take over gives power to a chimp. A subplot involves the White House Band writing lyrics for “Hail to the Chimp.” [www.upcomingwestwing.com](http://www.upcomingwestwing.com) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/8 "2004-12-16T04:52:49Z")
The asteroid was bad. Donna quitting was bad. The way that handled the asteroid story and the Donna quitting story were bad. But the paralysis storyline is mixed. The parallel themes of “Jed is losing control” is way too obvious (yes, you’ve made a metaphor - we get it). But Martin Sheen’s a good actor and he was able to make it work somewhat. Bringing Leo back was a nice touch. The growing election stroyline is the only one that really looks promising. Hopefully, they won’t blow it as they go along. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/9 "2004-12-16T05:01:37Z")
LALALALALALALALALALA The West Wing was taken off the air years ago. It is not on now. You are just trying to spoil my memories of a great show. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/10 "2004-12-16T05:06:08Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > LALALALALALALALALALA > > The West Wing was taken off the air years ago. It is not on now. You are just trying to spoil my memories of a great show. Yeah, I don’t know what you guys are talking about. There have only been three seasons of The West Wing. They’re releasing them straight to DVD and I don’t know anything about this “Aaron Sorkin left the show” nonsense or anything about an asteroid. Honestly, sometimes you people are just silly. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/11 "2004-12-16T06:49:09Z")
In a very special West Wing, President Bartlett delivers a touching eulogy to Bonzo, the former costar of an unnamed ex-president. Hilarity ensues as an asteroid craters the planned burial site. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/12 "2004-12-16T14:37:47Z")
Ignoring the asteroid bit, this was a solid episode. Sure, it’s not as good as it was under Sorkin, but it’s still good entertainment, and better than 95% of the rest of the crap on TV. The writing for Toby, Josh, Will and Jeb were all right on target. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/13 "2004-12-16T14:39:59Z")
I missed the episode- did Toby, C.J., Leo and Zoey go up in a shuttle to drill a hole in the asteroid and blow it up? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/14 "2004-12-16T14:43:49Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I missed the episode- did Toby, C.J., Leo and Zoey go up in a shuttle to drill a hole in the asteroid and blow it up? No, the shuttle was manned by Blossom, Rerun, Joey and the Fonz. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/15 "2004-12-16T14:44:51Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > No, the shuttle was manned by Blossom, Rerun, Joey and the Fonz. Oops, forgot, the driver was the Bear (from BJ and the Bear fame). Either that or Lancelot Link, secret Chimp. I always get those two confused. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/16 "2004-12-16T14:45:24Z")
So now the blonde NSC assistant speaks conversational Chinese? What’s that, her third language? Hell, maybe she’ll be the one to re-invent the telephone. The President is having a major medical crisis at the end of the episode, and the door is shut in the COS’s face? Since when does the Treasury Department hire goons for Presidential protection? Curtis is _way_ too big to be an agent. Did we really need a stereotype at the desk for Donna’s replacement? Yes, Donna is irreplaceable to Josh - we get it. Do government security rules really allow for fired employees (Leo) and obviously unbalanced astronomers to wander through the White House and into the Situation Room on a whim? How big will the shitrain be when the DNC learns that Josh and Leo are jumping ship from the Candidate Apparent to work for a two-term Congressman from Texas? One thing I did like - Barlett taking control at the end of the negotiations. Wracked with pain, distracted by the possibility that he’ll never finish this term, he gets what he came for through sheer force of will. That was definitely Jed Barlett. ---
**Author:** ![MMI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@MMI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MMI)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/17 "2004-12-16T15:27:04Z")
Curtis is Charlie’s replacement. ---
**Author:** ![brix11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@brix11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brix11)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/18 "2004-12-16T15:36:33Z")
I somewhat agree with Munch here. There was more in this episode that I liked than I disliked. Of course, I did miss the first 15 minutes. The asteroid bit was shit, but the way Donna left was credible, given the way Josh acts. The summit scenes were handled well, and Martin Sheen gave a good performance. Can anyone tell me why the Surgeon General was there? Please tell me it wasn’t because the show’s writers expected us to believe that the SG actually dispenses medical treatment to the Prez. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/19 "2004-12-16T15:53:31Z")
Well, I was flipping back and forth between TWW, Lost, and that Nanny show on Fox (and wasn’t that mom an idiot!). I came in on the scene when Jeb falls in the bathroom and has the “I’m not in the room!” moment. Man, can Martin Sheen deliver a line. He’s so good! But it must suck to be any one of that talented group of actors and have to present this schlock, locked in by contracts as it only gets worse and worse… ---
**Author:** ![SilentButDeftly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@SilentButDeftly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SilentButDeftly)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075/20 "2004-12-16T16:06:15Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > Do government security rules really allow for fired employees (Leo) and obviously unbalanced astronomers to wander through the White House and into the Situation Room on a whim? This is what I was wondering – also, I know Josh is Deputy COS, but I’m virtually certain that’s the first time we’ve seen him enter the Sit Room, let alone use handprint identification to get in. Would he have that kind of clearance? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-wing-giant-asteroid/280075.md?page=2)