TWW 2x22 Two Cathedrals

[delga]

I really don't care what anybody else says about What Kind Of Day Has It Been: Two Cathedrals is the best finale TWW has ever had.

And I'm going to tell you why.

1. It's the second season finale so the writers have to trump the first season which I will always agree was phenomenal. It was tense, it was cleverly structured, it was well written and well directed.
   

   But it was just another day at the office until the shooting.
   

   Two Cathedrals is an episode for the fans. We are watching these characters (that we love) go through an ordeal that is tremendous. And we know it's only the beginning.



2. Mrs. Landingham's exit was beautifully done. Everything from the flashbacks to that final scene when she's talking to Jed was a testament to her character and to Kathryn Joosten's skills as an actress. When Jed is screaming at that empty chair, there is so much passion and so much feeling that we're screaming for more.


3. This episode was the peak of a run of brilliant episodes. From 17 People onwards, TWW joined the big leagues in a huge way. When I first saw the episode, I was fairly new to TWW but even I was struck by the skill of it all. The composition was done with finesse, the scene changes were subtle (the links from present day to memory were barely perceptible and that subtly reeked of class). The acting on all parts was superb and the use of music (I've adored Brothers in Arms since it was used on an S3 episode of Due South; I loved how when the chorus line first come around, Toby, Sam and Josh come together to follow the President out to the motorcade) made the entire experience amazingly poignant.


4. The series had matured by this stage. What Kind Of Day Has It Been had to close off a well-rounded first season; Two Cathedrals was about rewarding the audience for their dedication; it was about showing everyone that this wasn't some docu-drama that mixed politics with humour with drama; it was to show the world that TWW was about intense writing, skilled directing and wonderfully enigmatic acting.


5. The Cathedral. What can I say? The shot from above (when Charlie is reading) was intellectually apt; the camera shots of each of the senior staff were a lovely touch; the focus on each of the assistants (the way Carol, Margaret and Donna were sat together and the camera stayed on the trio, but emphasised each one by blurring over the other two) were a delicate touch as were CJ's tears; Toby, Sam, Josh and Charlie acting as pallbearers was well choreographed and striking.


6. The Latin. Eas in cruceum. This was so fantastic. Martin Sheen was impeccable in his delivery, his presentation. Aaron Sorkin showed the extent of his art by using Latin; showed off how much (and how well) he knows what he's doing. The combination of skill came to a beautiful climax. This has got to be the most powerful scene in modern day drama. Just a classic.

Yes, What Kind Of Day Has It Been was brilliant; it was exactly the right ending for the first season. But we've never had anything as good as Two Cathedrals and it's probably true that we never will.