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Eppur Si Muove (The West Wing)
Encyclopedia
"Eppur Si Muove" is the sixteenth episode of The West Wing
' s fifth season, and episode 104 from the start. It originally aired on NBC
March 3, 2004. Events centre on a controversy relating to the National Institutes of Health
, involving President Bartlet’s middle daughter Ellie. Written by Alexa Junge
and directed by Llewellyn Wells, the episode contains guest appearances by Michael Gaston
and Cherry Jones
, as well as characters from Sesame Street
.
Barbara Layton (Jones) starts a campaign against publicly funded NIH
projects into sexual diseases
. The attack is based on a list of seemingly useless projects, but by association, her real target becomes the president's daughter Ellie, who is working on a study into the Human papillomavirus
that researched conditions for prostitutes in Puerto Rico. The President is infuriated at having a family member dragged into political battles, and Toby tries to discredit the attack by finding its source. At first the list seems to originate from a far-right group called the "Traditional Values Alliance", but Toby's assistant Rena uncovers an updated list that shows it came from within the administration. Toby immediately suspects the Vice President's office. When confronted, Will takes full responsibility, and assures that the list was compiled purely for internal use and not leaked on purpose. Will suspects that his boss might have leaked the material on purpose, however, and Russell in private agrees he has ties to the Republicans on health issues and notes that having some distance from the President isn't a bad thing for him. Will is left utterly disgusted with the VP.
Meanwhile President Bartlet tries to persuade Ellie to speak to the press to contain the incidence, but Ellie insists she is not as comfortable with the spotlight as the other members of the family. She later watches her mother do a light-hearted appearance on Sesame Street
, to defend her right to practice medicine even after voluntarily giving up her licence. This inspires her to follow her father's advice, and give a passionate public statement about the necessity of a politically independent scientific community.
In parallel storylines, Josh tries to end a deadlock on the appointment of a 6th Circuit federal court
judge. His old friend Eric Hayden (Gaston) has been waiting for a year for confirmation from the Republican-led Congress, and is offered the position of dean of Georgetown
's law school. But Josh suggests making a temporary recess appointment
that will at least put the issue on the agenda. Hayden apparently agrees, but when Josh brings the case before Leo he is told that the federal courts will have to wait, due to the death of a Supreme Court
justice. Josh is surprised that the dead justice is not Chief Justice Roy Ashland but a younger conservative judge named Brady. C.J., meanwhile, tries to make things right with resurfaced college boyfriend Ben, whom she has been forced to ignore due to her workload. But she soon realises she might have come on too strong. Josh’s intern Ryan, it appears, has not showed up for work this day, to Donna's concern and Josh's overt joy.
, leaving the Roman Inquisition
after having recanted his heliocentric theory
of the universe. "Eppur si muove
" – "And yet it moves". The story – as Ellie points out – is probably apocrypha
l, but evidence shows that it was current as early as a decade after Galileo’s trial.
The advocacy group "Traditional Values Alliance" is a thinly veiled version of the real-life "Traditional Values Coalition
" (TVC). TVC sent a letter of protest to NBC producers, reacting to their portrayal on the show. In particular it was the association with a group stating that "The Lord Hates Homosexuals" that provoked the coalition, reading in this an allusion to the controversial anti-gay pastor Fred Phelps
. TVC, the group pointed out in its letter, had clearly distanced itself from Phelps and his methods.
Stockard Channing
, who plays the First Lady, was once a character on Sesame Street herself. From 1969-1974 she could be seen on the show four times as a victim of The Number Painter
.
The restaurant, "1789", that Ben and C.J. planned lunch at is a real restaurant in Washington.
gives it a rating of 7.8; only three of the twenty-two episodes from that season received a poorer rating. On Television Without Pity it has been given a user grade of "B+". Yet the episode did rank number one in its timeslot when originally aired, ahead of ABC
's Kingdom Hospital
and CBS
's The King of Queens
and Everybody Loves Raymond
.
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
March 3, 2004. Events centre on a controversy relating to the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, involving President Bartlet’s middle daughter Ellie. Written by Alexa Junge
Alexa Junge
Alexa Junge is a television writer, producer and screenwriter. She is best known for her work on the series Friends.Four-time Emmy and WGA Award nominee, Junge grew up in Los Angeles, attended Barnard College where she wrote The Columbia Varsity Show with David Rakoff and Jeanine Tesori. Junge...
and directed by Llewellyn Wells, the episode contains guest appearances by Michael Gaston
Michael Gaston
Michael Gaston is an American film and television actor. He played agent Quinn on the show Prison Break. He appeared as Gray Anderson on the CBS drama series Jericho. He also appeared in the first season of The Sopranos as a compulsive gambler in trouble with Tony...
and Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones is an American actress and recipient of the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series and the 2005 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.-Career:...
, as well as characters from Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
.
Plot
Republican CongresswomanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Barbara Layton (Jones) starts a campaign against publicly funded NIH
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
projects into sexual diseases
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
. The attack is based on a list of seemingly useless projects, but by association, her real target becomes the president's daughter Ellie, who is working on a study into the Human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus is a member of the papillomavirus family of viruses that is capable of infecting humans. Like all papillomaviruses, HPVs establish productive infections only in keratinocytes of the skin or mucous membranes...
that researched conditions for prostitutes in Puerto Rico. The President is infuriated at having a family member dragged into political battles, and Toby tries to discredit the attack by finding its source. At first the list seems to originate from a far-right group called the "Traditional Values Alliance", but Toby's assistant Rena uncovers an updated list that shows it came from within the administration. Toby immediately suspects the Vice President's office. When confronted, Will takes full responsibility, and assures that the list was compiled purely for internal use and not leaked on purpose. Will suspects that his boss might have leaked the material on purpose, however, and Russell in private agrees he has ties to the Republicans on health issues and notes that having some distance from the President isn't a bad thing for him. Will is left utterly disgusted with the VP.
Meanwhile President Bartlet tries to persuade Ellie to speak to the press to contain the incidence, but Ellie insists she is not as comfortable with the spotlight as the other members of the family. She later watches her mother do a light-hearted appearance on Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, to defend her right to practice medicine even after voluntarily giving up her licence. This inspires her to follow her father's advice, and give a passionate public statement about the necessity of a politically independent scientific community.
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
judge. His old friend Eric Hayden (Gaston) has been waiting for a year for confirmation from the Republican-led Congress, and is offered the position of dean of Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
's law school. But Josh suggests making a temporary recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
that will at least put the issue on the agenda. Hayden apparently agrees, but when Josh brings the case before Leo he is told that the federal courts will have to wait, due to the death of a Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
justice. Josh is surprised that the dead justice is not Chief Justice Roy Ashland but a younger conservative judge named Brady. C.J., meanwhile, tries to make things right with resurfaced college boyfriend Ben, whom she has been forced to ignore due to her workload. But she soon realises she might have come on too strong. Josh’s intern Ryan, it appears, has not showed up for work this day, to Donna's concern and Josh's overt joy.
Social and cultural references
The title of the episode refers to the president quoting Galileo GalileiGalileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
, leaving the Roman Inquisition
Roman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
after having recanted his heliocentric theory
Heliocentrism
Heliocentrism, or heliocentricism, is the astronomical model in which the Earth and planets revolve around a stationary Sun at the center of the universe. The word comes from the Greek . Historically, heliocentrism was opposed to geocentrism, which placed the Earth at the center...
of the universe. "Eppur si muove
Eppur Si Muove
Eppur si muove is the third full-length album by the German symphonic metal band Haggard. It was released on April 26, 2004 by Drakkar Entertainment....
" – "And yet it moves". The story – as Ellie points out – is probably apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
l, but evidence shows that it was current as early as a decade after Galileo’s trial.
The advocacy group "Traditional Values Alliance" is a thinly veiled version of the real-life "Traditional Values Coalition
Traditional Values Coalition
The Traditional Values Coalition is a conservative Christian organization that represents, by its estimate, over 43,000 Christian churches throughout the United States of America...
" (TVC). TVC sent a letter of protest to NBC producers, reacting to their portrayal on the show. In particular it was the association with a group stating that "The Lord Hates Homosexuals" that provoked the coalition, reading in this an allusion to the controversial anti-gay pastor Fred Phelps
Fred Phelps
Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. is an American pastor heading the Westboro Baptist Church , an independent Baptist church based in Topeka, Kansas...
. TVC, the group pointed out in its letter, had clearly distanced itself from Phelps and his methods.
Stockard Channing
Stockard Channing
Stockard Channing is an American stage, film and television actress. She is known for her portrayal of First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing; for playing Betty Rizzo in the film Grease; and for her role as Ouisa Kittredge in the play Six Degrees of Separation and its...
, who plays the First Lady, was once a character on Sesame Street herself. From 1969-1974 she could be seen on the show four times as a victim of The Number Painter
The Number Painter
The Number Painter, also known as The Mad Painter, was the title character of a series of comedy live-action films produced for the children's television program Sesame Street...
.
The restaurant, "1789", that Ben and C.J. planned lunch at is a real restaurant in Washington.
Reception
TV.comTV.com
TV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
gives it a rating of 7.8; only three of the twenty-two episodes from that season received a poorer rating. On Television Without Pity it has been given a user grade of "B+". Yet the episode did rank number one in its timeslot when originally aired, ahead of ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Kingdom Hospital
Kingdom Hospital
Kingdom Hospital is a thirteen-episode television miniseries based on Lars von Trier's The Kingdom , which was developed by horror writer Stephen King in 2004 for American television...
and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's The King of Queens
The King of Queens
The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
and Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
.
External links
- Eppur Si Muove at NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.com - Eppur Si Muove at The West Wing Episode Guide
- Eppur Si Muove at The West Wing Continuity Guide
- Eppur Si Muove recap at Television Without Pity
- Eppur Si Muove at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Eppur Si Muove at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...