When Alan Alda signed on to be a regular cast member of the greatest television show since M*A*S*H, this is the episode of which he dreamed. A towering portrayal of a man who goes from a hair's breath away from the presidency, to nobody. Arnie shuffles around his office, trying to convince his remaining staff (Richardson and Root) that he can win the next presidential election. At a coffee shop, the barista calls him Ernie. And then...thinking he's been called in for a belittling photo op, he is stunned to find the president-elect offering him secretary of state. He struggles with his place in history, and refusing to be a political pawn. Wonderful stuff. Plus a little Butterfield, trying to cope with the incoming first family's wish to have Helen and the kids remain in Texas? As if that's not enough, how about the WW directorial debut of Tim Matheson?
2 Reviews
The Kingmaker but not the King
Sonatine9713 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This episode ranks in my top 5 of all TWW episodes. I suppose it could be classed as a little cheesy, or a sop to moderate Republican viewers who had hoped Vinick would have won the presidency (and if rumours were true, this is what the writers wanted prior to the death of John "Leo" Spencer.)
It was quite sad to see the opening scenes of Vinick picking up the daily newspaper from the top of his stoop while still dressed in his dressing gown. And yet 24 hours earlier he was just a few thousand votes away from being the new president-in-waiting. But now, no one wants to be anywhere near him apart from his closest friends/advisors in Sheila and Bob.
He still goes to work completely in denial: convinced he can win the next nomination in 4 years time if it hadn't been for the nuclear accident in California that he feels lost him the election.
Santos recognises Vinick's talents on foreign policy, and offers him the bipartisan olive branch with the job of Secretary of State. Vinick turns the offer down, suspicious that this could be seen as another trick to set up a Democrat for the post. But eventually, he is won over, not least by the advice of Sheila who tells him he could be a great secretary of state rather than the guy who just didn't know when to quit!
Without question one of Alan Alda's finest roles since his Hawkeye years on MASH.
It was quite sad to see the opening scenes of Vinick picking up the daily newspaper from the top of his stoop while still dressed in his dressing gown. And yet 24 hours earlier he was just a few thousand votes away from being the new president-in-waiting. But now, no one wants to be anywhere near him apart from his closest friends/advisors in Sheila and Bob.
He still goes to work completely in denial: convinced he can win the next nomination in 4 years time if it hadn't been for the nuclear accident in California that he feels lost him the election.
Santos recognises Vinick's talents on foreign policy, and offers him the bipartisan olive branch with the job of Secretary of State. Vinick turns the offer down, suspicious that this could be seen as another trick to set up a Democrat for the post. But eventually, he is won over, not least by the advice of Sheila who tells him he could be a great secretary of state rather than the guy who just didn't know when to quit!
Without question one of Alan Alda's finest roles since his Hawkeye years on MASH.
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