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A respected playwright, sure; an accomplished screenwriter, definitely.
And thus, our highly subjective but totally accurate ordering of those episodes, from worst to best.
Throw in some reallllllly on-the-nose expositional dialogue (I love producingSports Night, Dana announces.
How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
I didnt know we could do that.
Did you know we could do that?
And then theres a needle-drop for The Weight, which is unsubtle even by this shows standards.
A Girl Named Pixley (Season 2, Episode 9)
Caseys out with Pixley?
Do you suppose the two of them could be any morewhite?
How did it go?
That inclination isnt necessarily a bad thing it comes together nicely in the second episode, The Apology.
It was just mean!
The Giants Win the Pennant, the Giants Win the Pennant!
(This kind of professional-ladies-be-crazy characterization that would end up coming to an ugly head onThe Newsroom.
The hyper-stylization of the dialogue, from above-TV-average to Sorkinese, takes over at roughly the same rate.
(Theyve also got new, overdue sets for Danas office and Anthonys, the neighborhood bar).
What you been waitin on, McCall?
Does she know that I sold her out?
Dana asks, and its a tough question.
Why arent you laughing at me?
Why arent you mad at me?
Its a good beat, getting at how sensitivity doesnt necessarily mean treating someone differently.
Let me answer that question in four parts with the fourth part first and the third part last.
The second part has five syllables All right, all right, all right!
And then they head off to try and fill the remaining 88 minutes of airtime after the seven-second fight.
Its a great, true, human moment.
Whatd you think I was around here Jeremy, just some gal Friday?
she asks, and theres real edge in that question.
(Lloyd, for the record, should have been a huge star after this show ended.)
The on-air fumbles and goofs are funny, but the serious beats are what stick.
Hes not a greedy actor, so he doesnt make a meal of that moment.
But he takes it.
But this mini-conflict also wraps itself up well; Dans handling of it is especially genuine and heartfelt.
Also, this episode includes a wet turkey falling from a light grid, so its clearly top-20 material.
Its a banner of hatred and separatism.
Its a lot more interesting than that.
Before we go on, do you wanna make any more trashy accusations about me?
Natalie asks, and Jeremy is happy to comply: There are things about you I find unattractive.
There are things about you I dont like.
This one has Isaac ask Casey, How many more questions do I have in my future?
The things you oughta know, Im gonna tell you.
Its a good arc, and Lloyd acts the hell out of it.
The Jeremy-Jenny story here sort of peters out, unfortunately.
The Dan and Casey conflict, however, is rich and sticky.
is legitimately hard to watch.
(She was really good inWill Rogers Follies!)
Natalie: I hate you!
And in the end, Casey was right.
Its your plan, Dan notes, and his partner agrees: I just showed up.
Now, well see what happens.
We are way past the show business is funny stage.
What Kind of Day Has It Been?
And this episode features perhaps the finest acting of the series from both Peter Krause and Felicity Huffman.
Pay attention, he tells his son.
In your lifetime, you will never embarrass me.
Its not gonna happen.
Its just a lovely scene (even if the plinky music is too, too much).
With all thatandGuillaumes gooseflesh-raising return to the show, this is an all-timer of an episode.
Anybody who cant make money offSports Nightshould get out of the moneymaking business.
It was all wishful thinking, sure, but a nice thought nonetheless.
Dana:Natalies my second-in-command, shes the only one I told.
Natalie:Jeremys my boyfriend, hes the only one I told.
Jeremy:I told many, many people.
(Her prompt is telling: Tell me why you like me better than Sally.)
Casey:Youre wearing my shirt, Gordon.
(Pause)
Gordon:I was wondering why it felt so tight.
And the Crimson and Clover pull-away and play-out is awfully good too.
This days got the earmarks, Casey, Dan says.
Rebecca isnt here, Isaac isnt here.
Theres a strangeness about this day.
