Two Cathedrals
- Episode aired May 16, 2001
- TV-14
- 43m
As the Haitian army continues their seizure of the American embassy there, Bartlet and the staff prepare for the announcement that Bartlet has M.S. and the President must decide whether or h... Read allAs the Haitian army continues their seizure of the American embassy there, Bartlet and the staff prepare for the announcement that Bartlet has M.S. and the President must decide whether or he will seek re-election. As the funeral for Mrs. Landingham takes place and the announceme... Read allAs the Haitian army continues their seizure of the American embassy there, Bartlet and the staff prepare for the announcement that Bartlet has M.S. and the President must decide whether or he will seek re-election. As the funeral for Mrs. Landingham takes place and the announcement draws nearer, Bartlet thinks back to his past in search of the answer to the question e... Read all
- Dr. Bartlet
- (as Lawrence O'Donnell Jr.)
- Robbie Mosley
- (as Gregalan Williams)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe President's tirade in Latin at the end loosely translates as: "Thank you, Lord. Am I to believe these things from a righteous God, a just God, a wise God? To hell with your punishments! I was your servant, your messenger on the earth; I did my duty. To hell with your punishments! And to hell with you!" The sentences, "Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem", literally translate as "To a cross with your punishments. To a cross with you." So an idiomatic translation of the last might be "Go crucify yourself."
- GoofsThe motorcade passes the National Cathedral on the way from the White House to the State Department. In fact, the State Department is only several blocks from the White House (due west of the Ellipse) while the National Cathedral is more than three miles away. Furthermore, the motorcade appears to pass directly past the front doors of the cathedral at full speed. While there is a paved area in front of the cathedral, the street is almost 200 feet from the entrance and the geography of the cathedral's close wouldn't permit that speed.
- Quotes
President Josiah Bartlet: You're a son of a bitch, You know that? She bought her first new car and You hit her with a drunk driver. What? Was that supposed to be funny? "You can't conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God," says Graham Greene. I don't know whose ass he was kissing there, 'cause I think You're just vindictive. What was Josh Lyman - a warning shot? That was my son. What did I ever do to Yours but praise His glory and praise His Name? There's a tropical storm that's gaining speed and power. They say we haven't had a storm this bad since You took out that tender ship of mine in the North Atlantic last year. Sixty-eight crew. You know what a tender ship does? Fixes the other ships. It doesn't even carry guns. It just goes around, fixes the other ships and delivers the mail. That's all it can do. Gratias tibi ago, Domine
[Thank You, Lord]
President Josiah Bartlet: . Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I've committed many sins. Have I displeased You, You feckless thug? 3.8 million new jobs, that wasn't good?
[scoffs]
President Josiah Bartlet: Bailed out Mexico. Increased foreign trade. Thirty million new acres of land for conservation. Put Mendoza on the bench. We're not fighting a war. I've raised three children. That's not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? Haec credam a Deo pio, a Deo iusto, a Deo scito? Cruciatus in crucem. Trus in terra servus, nuntius fui, officium perfeci. Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem.
[Am I really to believe that these are the actions of a loving God? A just God? A wise God? To Hell with Your punishments. I was Your servant here on Earth. I spread Your word and did Your work. To Hell with Your punishments. To Hell with You!]
President Josiah Bartlet: [deliberately lights a cigarette and grinds it out on the Cathedral floor] You get Hoynes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2001)
There are a lot of storylines to handle in this episode, and if anyone less talented than Aaron Sorkin had been doing this, I'm not sure that they'd have been able to navigate the audience through the episode with such clarity. There are certain things that are being pushed to the sideline to make room for the emotional pull, and without even realizing it, you'll quickly forget everything that isn't related to what the episode conveys to you. The show is built in such a smart way that any storyline can be picked up again, and this episode uses that.
They've never held away from the dramatic elements in this show, and despite its humor, it's so steeped in reality that it can't help but become emotional. The entire service for Mrs. Landingham was beautifully executed and will surely have fans of the show in tears. If that's not going to do the job, then a following scene where Bartlet goes off on God inside the cathedral will get them. They'll at least cheer when Bartlet pulls a boss move at the end and gives a metaphorical middle finger to the man in the sky, leaving me satisfied and pumped.
Sorkin is also good at leaving you frustrated, because he sets a lot of stuff up that he decides not to give to the audience. The ending scene of this episode left me really ecstatic and annoyed, despite the fact that I know what's going to proceed it. He's so good at leaving the audience in a state of wanting more and not feeding them everything. And while that is a bit of a drag sometimes (just go back to the first season's finale), he makes it work very well, especially in this episode, with a little smile and nod.
As always, the acting in this show transcends a lot of other shows of the time. Martin Sheen, especially, has been consistently great as Bartlet, and this episode does serve as his magnum opus as the character. The church scene alone brings a lot of emotions out in him that we've only seen the surface of in other episodes, while a scene towards the end with an old friend shows his ability to restrain himself. I'm not sure how he does it, but Sheen is truly one of those actors who can be everywhere on the spectrum all at once.
"Two Cathedrals" was an emotional rollercoaster and an episode that shows the power of writing, especially when its someone like Aaron Sorkin doing the writing. It takes President Bartlet on the ride of his lifetime and puts him in front of the tough answers, ending the season on a satisfying and really anticipated final note.
- lassegalsgaard
- Jun 27, 2022