S01.E17: Face The Nation

[thewhiteowl]

 

As Elizabeth struggles to hold herself together emotionally following the attack in Iran, she works to prevent an ecological disaster in the Amazon, and prepares for a national television appearance on “Face the Nation.” Also, she and Henry disagree about the level of protection Jason should have at his new school.

 

 

[sinkwriter]

I really liked the build-up for what Elizabeth was going through, and in the end how her husband was there for her and Russell (!) was there for her. I felt it was another strong, powerful episode.

[knitorpurl]

I really liked it as well. It is so true that sometimes you just can not power through even when the life around you demands that you "have to". It felt very real and appropriate to what Elizabeth had experienced. Looks like more peril next week though so hope her counselor is a good one.

[Boundary]

I liked it as well but I felt they underplayed the Face The Nation quite a bit. But it was fitting that she had to settle down a bit before she could handle that question. I'd have loved to see the fallout out (or in this case, the reception) of the interview. This show is surprising me in a good way. Even the dynamic between the kids is wonderful and unforced, the boy has some brilliant comebacks.

[Xantar]

I haven't had PTSD and don't know anybody who has ever had it, so I can't say whether this portrayal was accurate or not. What I can say is that this felt like a sympathetic and unsensationalistic portrayal in which Madam Secretary was treated as an individual suffering from the effects rather than as a mouthpiece for a PSA. That makes it a pretty damn good episode in my book. Excellent work from Tea Leoni, Tim Daly, and Zeljko Ivanek. This could have gotten over the top and maudlin in the wrong hands, but they made it nuanced and three dimensional instead.

[bros402]

Yeah, I don't have PTSD or know anyone with it. But it sure seemed a heck of a lot like my anxiety - and PTSD is an anxiety disorder.

[kwnyc]

SOMEONE's going to put that ep on their Emmy reel...actually a few someones.

 

Though the thing that continues to bother me (amidst all the interesting stuff) is how the staff continues to gossip loudly in public at their favorite bar about what's going on in the office. They either need an office bar, or to go to someone's apartment.

 

Zjelko/Russell continues to develop as a character, and one thing I like about the show is that they make it clear no matter what someone's done yesterday, today is a whole new ballgame and you can lose your job/reputation title. 

 

Also, the natural growth of the devotion of the staff to Bess is good to see: they handled the Ecuador situation AND put a patch on the Chinese ambassador meltdown because they were good and knew what to do.

 

I see from the promo that Professor Doctor Arm Candy (USMC-Ret) is going into action next week. I feel like that's a little convenient/cliche, but we'll see where it goes. Tim Daly has always been a pretty good actor, but he's having some really good moments this season.

[Kromm]

Finally we get someone (and its the Secretary herself) actually SAYING the fact that she's fourth in line for the Presidency.

 

Of course that doesn't usually stop Russell Jackson (about 100th in line--kidding.. actually if SOMEHOW every single Cabinet level Secretary was killed he might be in line after them) from giving her orders in other episodes of the show.

[betsyboo]

I liked all of it. I liked their convo on the couch playing Halo. "Abdul was there. I didn't tell you. I didn't tell anyone."

 

I thought Bess's smackdown of Daisy in the beginning was A DELIGHT. It needs to happen more often. Daisy might have been right about the perception, but dude, know your audience!  "Et tu, Blake."

 

So she was injured in the back and the blood on her hand wasn't from the bodyguard. I liked that Blake knew enough to bring the nurse to her, even tho she'd give him shit for it. I can't remember - did she inherit Blake or did she bring him with her?

[kwnyc]

...just mentioned on the "Good Wife" forum that Alicia was also playing Halo while waiting for election results last night. The Halo folks must have a really good Product Placement team!

[Xantar]

I didn't see The Good Wife, but what Madam Secretary was playing was actually Titanfall.

[buckboard]

Both video games - Titanfall and/or Halo - seemed very out of place on their shows. 

 

Playing a violent shooting game seems an odd way for Elizabeth to deal with  PTSD.  And on The Good Wife the guy who gives Alicia Halo to relax while she is waiting for election results is the fellow who was shot in court with Will and almost died from his wounds?  You'd think he'd be reluctant to have anything to do with gun shooting games.

 

[AncientSand]

This show keeps getting better and better.  I'm plowing through season two of House of Cards at the same time as Madam Secretary and while I still like HOC better, it's not by as much as I would have guessed.  They even have some overlapping story lines.

[Calamity Jane]

I am loving this show, and when it started I really didn't think I would.  So happy to see it hit its stride and just get better and better.  House of Cards is a little dark for me, so I actually prefer this one -- I don't foresee the President shoving a reporter on to the subway tracks, at least I hope not!  They are using the actors really well, the plots are actually believable, and the interactions between characters keep me interested.  Get good actors, writers, and director,  and look what can happen!  It's the exemplar for how to do it right, as State of Affairs is the exemplar for how to do it catastrophically wrong.  

[candall]

I don't have any connections with PTSD either, but if this was accurate, I learned something important.  I thought it manifested primarily as anxiety, but if there's also unreasonable lashing out with periods of general unlikeability that Elizabeth showed, that goes a long way to explaining the marginalization so many soldiers encounter.  Not many people in real life have a support team and resources like hers.

 

Excellent episode.

 

Sidenote:  someone on The Good Wife board mentioned that people suffering from PTSD were occasionally directed by counselors to play the. . .what are they called?. . .personal shooter? video games.

[Netfoot]

First Person Shooter.