I re-watched the first episode of the West Wing just now

[RockRaven]

4. Something that annoys me about that first episode is that Toby, in a heated argument

Last edited Tue Aug 11, 2020, 12:07 PM - Edit history (1)

with some Xian fundies, correctly rebukes them that the "honor thy father (and thy mother)" commandment is NOT the first one, as some old flabby white jerk is babbling about. But he calls it a number (third) which doesn't match any list I've ever seen, and the last time I saw that rerun I checked on Wikipedia to be sure I wasn't crazy. Indeed, Wikipedia gives eight different numbering permutations by various sects/traditions, and the filial piety one is only ever 4th or 5th. And number 3 is only ever the name-in-vain or Sabbath one.

It's overshadowed because it is the lead in line for President Bartlett's big entrance and his own smackdown of the fundies, but that is one of those details that you've got to get right, imo. You can't have a protagonist character be righteously indignant about other people's idiocy while also being wrong (any least not with never having it acknowledged or paid off in some way) -- in the introductory episode!

Other than that, it is one of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite series. That was a great cast, and so well written compared to its contemporaries.