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| After an appeal on a death penalty case is rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, one of the attorneys--a public defender named ]--reaches out to ] for help. The case involves a drug dealer who killed two other dealers and is eligible for capital punishment under a new omnibus crime bill. The court renders its judgment on a Friday, and the execution is to take place at midnight on Monday. The convict's only hope is to have his sentence commuted by ] in the two days before the execution. | After an appeal on a death penalty case is rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, one of the attorneys--a public defender named ]--reaches out to ] for help. The case involves a drug dealer who killed two other dealers and is eligible for capital punishment under a new omnibus crime bill. The court renders its judgment on a Friday, and the execution is to take place at midnight on Monday. The convict's only hope is to have his sentence commuted by ] in the two days before the execution. | ||
| Since Emmerich beat up Sam when they were in high school together, asks very rudely for the President to commute the sentence, and interrupts Sam's plan to leave on a sailing trip with some friends, there is no reason to expect Sam to help him... but he does. In an effort to persuade Toby to help convince the President to commute the sentence, Sam reaches out to the rabbi at Toby's synagogue, who delivers a sermon condemning vengeance. The issue is put before the President, who is deeply ambivalent. | Since Emmerich beat up Sam when they were in high school together, asks very rudely for the President to commute the sentence, and interrupts Sam's plan to leave on a sailing trip with some friends, there is no reason to expect Sam to help him... but he does. In an effort to persuade ] to help convince the President to commute the sentence, Sam reaches out to the rabbi at Toby's synagogue, who delivers a sermon condemning vengeance. The issue is put before the President, who is deeply ambivalent. | ||
| Meanwhile, Josh goes to a bachelor party on Friday night and comes to the White House |
Meanwhile, ] goes to a bachelor party on Friday night and comes to the White House hung over and quite disheveled, only to encounter a very angry woman named ], who upbraids him for cutting her Congressional candidate's funding. Josh is taken aback, not least because in addition to being furious, Joey is also beautiful and deaf. She eventually gets to meet with the President, who asks for her take on the death penalty issue. She says that she doesn't believe in capital punishment and advises him to commute the sentence. The President tells her that the funding was cut because her candidate is a loser, and because the Democrats like having the incumbent, a rabidly anti-immigration sort, in power because he is the devil they know. He advises Joey that if she backs a better candidate, she will receive the support of the White House. | ||
| Joey later tells Josh that she knows her candidate is worthless but that it is hard to find people who will work with her. Josh responds that the President is serious about |
Joey later tells Josh that she knows her candidate is worthless but that it is hard to find people who will work with her. Josh responds that the President is serious about supporting Lucas if she brings forward a better candidate. When she asks if the President has anyone in mind, Josh surprises her with the news that the President thinks she should try a Congressional run herself. | ||
| President Bartlet continues to agonize over the death penalty issue and asks to speak to the Pope for guidance. While he is personally opposed to the death penalty, he recognizes that most Americans support it and does not feel that his personal beliefs can legitimately overrule the wishes of the American public. Leo advises the President that for once, the issue should be the next guy's problem. C.J. expresses no strong views on the issue but does become emotional when she realizes that she will have to talk about the dealer's family after he is executed. | President Bartlet continues to agonize over the death penalty issue and asks to speak to the Pope for guidance. While he is personally opposed to the death penalty, he recognizes that most Americans support it and does not feel that his personal beliefs can legitimately overrule the wishes of the American public. ] advises the President that for once, the issue should be the next guy's problem. ] expresses no strong views on the issue but does become emotional when she realizes that she will have to talk about the dealer's family after he is executed. | ||
| Despite Sam's pained protests, President Bartlet ultimately chooses not to commute the sentence. The President has invited his parish priest from his youth in Manchester to the White House. Bartlet tells the priest that he asked God for guidance but received no response. Angrily, his priest replies that God sent him a rabbi, a Quaker (in the form of Joey Lucas) and a priest. The clock strikes twelve, and both men know that the execution has been carried out. The priest asks if the President would like him to hear his confession, and Bartlet kneels, saying, "bless me father, for I have sinned..." | Despite Sam's pained protests, President Bartlet ultimately chooses not to commute the sentence. The President has invited his parish priest from his youth in Manchester to the White House. In frustration, Bartlet tells the priest that he asked God for guidance but received no response. Angrily, his priest replies that God sent him a rabbi, a Quaker (in the form of Joey Lucas) and a priest. The clock strikes twelve, and both men know that the execution has been carried out. The priest asks if the President would like him to hear his confession, and Bartlet kneels, saying, "bless me father, for I have sinned..." | ||
| ==Title== | ==Title== | ||
Revision as of 06:41, 23 June 2008
Television episode| "Take This Sabbath Day" |
|---|
"Take This Sabbath Day" is the 14th episode of The West Wing.
Plot
After an appeal on a death penalty case is rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, one of the attorneys--a public defender named Noah Emmerich--reaches out to Sam for help. The case involves a drug dealer who killed two other dealers and is eligible for capital punishment under a new omnibus crime bill. The court renders its judgment on a Friday, and the execution is to take place at midnight on Monday. The convict's only hope is to have his sentence commuted by the President in the two days before the execution.
Since Emmerich beat up Sam when they were in high school together, asks very rudely for the President to commute the sentence, and interrupts Sam's plan to leave on a sailing trip with some friends, there is no reason to expect Sam to help him... but he does. In an effort to persuade Toby to help convince the President to commute the sentence, Sam reaches out to the rabbi at Toby's synagogue, who delivers a sermon condemning vengeance. The issue is put before the President, who is deeply ambivalent.
Meanwhile, Josh goes to a bachelor party on Friday night and comes to the White House hung over and quite disheveled, only to encounter a very angry woman named Joey Lucas, who upbraids him for cutting her Congressional candidate's funding. Josh is taken aback, not least because in addition to being furious, Joey is also beautiful and deaf. She eventually gets to meet with the President, who asks for her take on the death penalty issue. She says that she doesn't believe in capital punishment and advises him to commute the sentence. The President tells her that the funding was cut because her candidate is a loser, and because the Democrats like having the incumbent, a rabidly anti-immigration sort, in power because he is the devil they know. He advises Joey that if she backs a better candidate, she will receive the support of the White House.
Joey later tells Josh that she knows her candidate is worthless but that it is hard to find people who will work with her. Josh responds that the President is serious about supporting Lucas if she brings forward a better candidate. When she asks if the President has anyone in mind, Josh surprises her with the news that the President thinks she should try a Congressional run herself.
President Bartlet continues to agonize over the death penalty issue and asks to speak to the Pope for guidance. While he is personally opposed to the death penalty, he recognizes that most Americans support it and does not feel that his personal beliefs can legitimately overrule the wishes of the American public. Leo advises the President that for once, the issue should be the next guy's problem. C.J. expresses no strong views on the issue but does become emotional when she realizes that she will have to talk about the dealer's family after he is executed.
Despite Sam's pained protests, President Bartlet ultimately chooses not to commute the sentence. The President has invited his parish priest from his youth in Manchester to the White House. In frustration, Bartlet tells the priest that he asked God for guidance but received no response. Angrily, his priest replies that God sent him a rabbi, a Quaker (in the form of Joey Lucas) and a priest. The clock strikes twelve, and both men know that the execution has been carried out. The priest asks if the President would like him to hear his confession, and Bartlet kneels, saying, "bless me father, for I have sinned..."
Title
The title of the episode is a reference to the bible, in which God instructs, "Observe/Safeguard the Sabbath day," in the Ten Commandments, Deuteronomy 5:1-22. It references the scene in which Sam explains to Leo, "We don't execute people between sundown Friday and sundown Sunday" because of the Sabbath.
Emmy Awards
- Nominated
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (nominee: Martin Sheen)
Notes
- This is one of only three episodes (the others being the Pilot episode and The Stormy Present) which do not feature a "Previously on The West Wing" segment.
External links
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