delga | TWW 3x18 17 People

Because I'm lovely (and because I know that these tend to go on some ways) I'm going to hide this behind a cut.

Seriously! I saw bits of The Stackhouse Filibuster and I saw bits of Bad Moon Rising but I didn't see any of 17 People.

Thinking about it now, I'm glad I didn't because I wouldn't have understood any of it at the time and there was absolutely no CJ in the episode at all. Also, The Stackhouse Filibuster ends on a gloriously high note which isn't reproduced in 17 People. (And yes, I'm beginning to get sick of the html code for itallics [sp?]).

It's definitely a good thing I didn't see this episode the first time around. I had absolutely no appreciation for the series and I just wouldn't have got how intense an episode this was. And boy, was it ever. Martin Sheen, John Spencer and Richard Schiff were phenomenal in how they dealt with the scenes (which were only sometimes broken up for the silly side story about punchlines). Schiff especially was amazing and I'm not just saying that because of a personal bias; I'm saying it because he was outstanding. So very very subtle. So very perfect in the minutiae of his actions. And that's really why I love Toby Ziegler - because nothing is obvious. Schiff is so delicate with his character and people have been known to dislike Toby because he's somewhat a grouch (as is the opinion of Speedle who I will admit is more of a grouch than Ziegler but has his own enduring quality. But this isn't about him). Not true! His humour is a dry wit, it's very ironic. It's very intelligent and damn me, but I'm an intellectual snob and intelligence is a good thing.

17 People was a gorgeous, acute and intricate showcase for both Schiff and Ziegler. How much fury, how much pain, how much betrayal did he feel? How much utter frustration and all in the quirk of his lips, his hand on his brow, the sheer loss of words from a man who is eloquence incarnate when it comes to language?

This was just a dream of an episode and I'm so glad that I saw this after I had a chance to fully appreciate the series. I'm very happy about that. And I will always watch this episode in a tense, fraught position because that's how well crafted it was.

/diatribe

In other news, both Spooks (minus Zoe) and WaT (a Viv-meister case!) will be on tonight. Jubilation!