History Headscratchers / TheWestWing

** As for why we didn't see a scar... well, we probably have to chalk this one up to real life pressures of production; considering how rare it was to see either Josh or Donna outside of anything but a smart suit (or, indeed, anything that would reveal scars on their chests), they probably either forgot all about it over time or decided that trying to remember exactly where Josh or Donna should have a scar on a consistent basis for what would only amount to a handful of shots that weren't expressly intended to show the character's injuries for plot reasons anyway (which in turn would have meant more time for the actors in make-up, which in turn would snowball into how much time they had to shoot the scene(s) in question) just meant more effort with little to show for it; in the latter case, they gambled that most people wouldn't notice anyway and the ones who did just shrug and let it go without it affecting their overall enjoyment. [See also: why Kate Beckett in ''Series/{{Castle}}'' seems to have a magically reappearing/disappearing scar as well.]

* In "Shadow of Two Gunmen, Vol. 1" the first flashback scene seems to indicate Josh is advocating for Hoynes to support cutting Social Security. Is that right? If so, why on earth would a liberal Democrat suggest that?

** In "Shadow of Two Gunmen, Vol. 1" the first flashback scene seems to indicate Josh is advocating for Hoynes to support cutting Social Security. Is that right? If so, why on earth would a liberal Democrat suggest that?

** Throughout the series we mostly see Leo either (a) at the White House, which is already full of Secret Service officials or (b) travelling with the President, who is surrounded by his own Secret Service detail. So it can be presumed that Leo's protection detail, should he have one, is further in the background. As for Leo suddenly getting a detail when he's running for vice president, presidential candidates have been legally required to have a Secret Service protection detail since Bobby Kennedy's assassination in 1969.

** Leo could have waived his protection detail; while the Secret Service is often directed to protect high-ranking cabinet officers like Chief of Staff, only the president and the vice-president are legally ''required'' to be protected by the Secret Service, and Leo seems like the type not to want it if he doesn't have to have it. (Of course, the real answer is because having Leo be shown with regular Secret Service officials would increase the cast, and thus the budget needed to hire people.)

*** Since most of that takes place after the pilot episode, this is probably just a simply continuity error. Although those points aren't particularly conclusive either: it's worth noting that unlike Mallory Zoey is the First Daughter, who Sam would probably come into contact with more both during the campaign and in the White House than Mallory (Mallory's a grown woman with a job who presumably didn't and likely wouldn't have any reason to follow her father all the way around the country during the campaign, unlike Zoey who was probably a dependent at the time); Mallory and Zoey are likely to be family friends through their fathers so would naturally know each other better than the White House staffers would (I imagine that Mallory probably spent a few evenings babysitting Zoey at some point during their lives); C.J. appears to have some prior connection or awareness of Leo that Sam might not have had before he joined the campaign (Toby merely mentioning Leo asking for her is enough to tempt C.J. into joining the campaign, whereas Josh never mentions Leo's name to Sam when approaching him) which might explain how C.J. knows Mallory where Sam doesn't; and most of Sam's work in Communications would probably involve him dealing with the President and his family rather than Leo's. So while it might strain credibility a bit, it nevertheless is possible that Sam just might not have had occasion to cross paths with Mallory or learn that Leo had an adult daughter until fairly late in the day. I mean, I've worked with some people for years and still have no idea whether they have kids or families or whatever. Sometimes it just never comes up.

* The secret service protection of the chief of staff is portrayed very inconsistently during the show. If memory serves we don't see Leo with a protection detail until he's running for vice president (at which point he hasn't been chief of staff for a year), but when CJ gets the job she has to have protection around the clock. Then she's hardly ever seen with any agents guarding her and Donna is able to spend the night in her spare bedroom, the same one in which the on-duty agent is supposed to be sleeping, but at other times she's got a full detail with her. How does that make any bit of sense?

** If I'm just not getting the context then could someone explain it to me? Because what it comes off as is Joe calling out Josh for...whatever about Josh's PTSD episode in ''Noel''. First of all, how the hell would Joe evening know about that? It would be confidential information; and second, what the hell business is it of Joe Quincy's that Josh has PTSD anyway?! His tone and the words he use just bother me. It comes across as out of nowhere victim blaming and it steps way over the line of things you say to anyone, much less to someone you hope will hire you, and all it serves to do is, (IMO) paint Joe as an ignorant {{Jerkass}} offering an unwarranted opinion.

** In his first couple of weeks as Deputy Communications Director, Will Bailey's office is used by junior members of his department as a makeshift bikeshed. But this was no amiable hazing, because after this they all quit, the day before the President was due to unveil his budget. That's right, this group of dedicated public servants quit the day before the President - their President - was about to unveil his budget, and needed their help to do so. They quit jobs working in the very heart of government, because they were annoyed that the job went to an external candidate.

* The first season [[HighClassCallGirl Laurie]] plot always bugged me because prostitution ''is'' [[http://weblinks.westlaw.com/toc/default.aspx?Abbr=dc-st-web&Action=ExpandTree&AP=N63B30510FD7111DB9E7AB1840ED39E65&ItemKey=N63B30510FD7111DB9E7AB1840ED39E65&RP=%2Ftoc%2Fdefault%2Ewl&Service=TOC&RS=WEBL11.10&VR=2.0&SPa=dcc-1000&pbc=DA010192&fragment#N63B30510FD7111DB9E7AB1840ED39E65 in fact illegal in Washington, D.C.]] They continually treat Laurie like a huge victim in the entire affair when she's the one knowingly and repeatedly breaking the law with the non-judgemental acknowledgement of everyone around her. Now, it may be reasonable to assume that the staff and even the local law enforcement choose not to enforce that law against the women of the trade...but when the President finally gets wind of it: he goes out of his way to apologize (again) for the dreadful inconvenience the press has caused her, which is of course entirely Sam's fault; he pledges to throw the weight of the Attorney General's office behind get ting her admitted to the bar after passing her exam, to avoid any complications caused by this unfortunate past, of which she is the victim; and he offers her his personal congratulations while brimming with pride at the obstacles this young woman has overcome. I'm not saying she should've been vilified, or that it wasn't reasonable for Sam to see her as a person rather than a hooker, but...really?

*** You never get a good look at Josh shirtless. The first thing he does when he wakes up is put his undershirt back on, so you never see his scar. Read into it what you want about Josh's psyche, the "real" reason is probably so the makeup crew didn't have to apply the scar to Bradley Witford's chest.

* The secret service protection of the chief of staff is portrayed very inconsistently during the show. If memory serves we don't see Leo with a protection detail until he's running for vice president (at which point he hasn't been chief of staff for a year), but when CJ gets the job she has to have protection around the clock. Then she's hardly ever seen with any agents guarding her and Donna is able to spend the nigth in her spare bedorom, the same one in which the on-duty agent is supposed to be sleeping, but at other times she's got a full detail with her. How does that make any bit of sense?

* Fandom headscratcher--what does it mean when a ''Series/TheWestWing'' fanfiction is labeled "ESF"?

* Fandom headscratcher--what does it mean when a ''Series/WestWing'' fanfiction is labeled "ESF"?

** It was the 1990s when Gail was introduced, and if memory serves people were a bit less concerned about this sort of thing when it came to goldfish back then. Plus, these people work at the White House -- they generally have other things to think about than proper goldfish care.

** ''Is'' it that rare and unusual a phrase? This troper recalls hearing and using it plenty of times before being exposed to it on the show. We might be dealing with cultural-language differences here.

** It was the 1990s when Gail was introduced, and if memory serves people were a bit less concerned about this sort of thing when it came to goldfish. Plus, these people work at the White House -- they generally have other things to think about than proper goldfish care.

* Gail, [=CJ=]'s goldfish: You don't have to be a PETA crazy to understand that [[http://www.petguide.com/blog/fish/cute-but-deadly-the-truth-about-fish-bowls/ it's extremely bad for their health to keep goldfish in a bowl]]. Gail could live to be ''forty'' if properly cared for. People being what they are on this show, someone (Danny?) will have told [=CJ=] by now (maybe someone clued him in if he went back to the pet shop). Therefore, in or near her office, there is a large well-appointed aquarium where Gail spends most of her time, probably with other fish. She is only in the bowl on [=CJ=]'s desk during office hours. (She will get too big for the bowl eventually, so some kind of aquarium will be needed anyhow.)

** The bar is in Georgetown, a college town. There are plenty of bars in college towns that allow 18-20 year olds in but don't serve them alcohol. The headscratcher in this case is that they specifically show her ordering a drink, which would still be illegal, whether it was for her or not.

*** Since most of that takes place after the pilot episode, this is probably just a simply continuity error. Although it's worth noting that unlike Mallory Zoey is the First Daughter, who Sam would probably come into contact with more both during the campaign and in the White House than Mallory (Mallory's a grown woman with a job who presumably didn't follow her father all the way around the country during the campaign, unlike Zoey who was probably a dependent at the time), Mallory and Zoey are likely to be family friends through their fathers so would naturally know each other better than the White House staffers would, C.J. appears to have some prior connection or awareness of Leo that Sam might not have (Toby merely mentioning Leo asking for her is enough to tempt C.J. into joining the campaign, whereas Josh never mentions Leo's name to Sam when approaching him) which might explain how C.J. knows Mallory, and most of Sam's work in Communications would probably involve him dealing with the President and his family rather than Leo's. So while it might strain credibility a bit, it nevertheless is possible that Sam just might not have had occasion to cross paths with Mallory or learn that Leo had an adult daughter until fairly late in the day. I mean, I've worked with some people for years and still have no idea whether they have kids or families or whatever. Sometimes it just never comes up.

** It is perhaps worth noting that when Lionel is ranting and raving and waving his cricket bat threateningly, he is in fact heading towards ''Leo's'' office, not the President, which is where most of the ranting and ensuing conversation takes place. When he finally enters the Oval Office he is, if not exactly ''calm'', then hardly acting in a threatening or overtly aggressive manner. Also worth noting that Tribbey at no point ever threatens the President (he says "I will kill ''people'' today, Leo!" and never refers to the President in a violent or threatening manner). Which, granted, doesn't mean the issue goes away, but he's hardly acting like a complete maniac who needs to be taken down right this second around the President.