Two Cathedrals facts for kids

"Two Cathedrals" is a very important episode of The West Wing. It is the 44th episode overall and the last one of the show's second season. It first aired on May 16, 2001.

In this episode, President Bartlet is dealing with the sad loss of his longtime secretary, Mrs. Landingham. Her funeral is coming up. At the same time, his team is handling a problem in Haiti. They also face questions from members of Congress about the President's health. He recently told everyone that he has multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. Many people think "Two Cathedrals" is one of the best episodes of The West Wing.

Episode Summary

Leo McGarry (played by John Spencer) talks with two members of the Democratic Party. They are worried that hiding President Bartlet's multiple sclerosis (MS) will make it hard for other Democrats to win elections. They ask if the President will try to be re-elected. Leo only tells them to watch a press conference that night.

Preparing for the Announcement

Toby Ziegler (played by Richard Schiff) gets the Mural Room ready for the President's big announcement. Sam Seaborn (played by Rob Lowe) asks if the President is ready. This is so soon after Mrs. Landingham's death in a car accident. Toby explains they have no choice. Despite the funeral, they must tell the public about Bartlet's MS. Toby is offered a new job, but he turns it down. This shows his strong loyalty to the President.

C. J. Cregg (played by Allison Janney) gathers reporters in her office. She shares information about the President's health condition. Josh Lyman (played by Bradley Whitford) gives her notes for a press briefing. It is about a legal case involving tobacco. C.J. tells him that the President's news is so big. Even news about the situation in Haiti will not be the main story.

President Bartlet's Memories

Throughout the day, President Bartlet remembers his early days with Mrs. Landingham. Kirsten Nelson plays her younger self. She was a secretary at the school where he studied. His father was the headmaster there. In one memory, she encourages a young Bartlet (played by Jason Widener). She wants him to talk to his father about unfair pay for women at the school.

Mrs. Landingham sees something special in young Jed. She calls him "a boy king ... blessed with inspiration." She tells him that if he is afraid or lazy, she won't want to know him. He then puts his hands in his pockets and smiles. Mrs. Landingham understands this means he will speak to his father.

A Difficult Decision

Bartlet and his staff go to Mrs. Landingham's funeral. It is held at the National Cathedral. Afterward, Bartlet stays alone in the Cathedral. He speaks in Latin, expressing his anger and sadness. He then lights a cigarette and puts it out on the floor. He angrily says he will not run for President again. "You get Hoynes!" he declares.

Later, in the Oval Office, a storm is happening outside. Bartlet has a vision of Mrs. Landingham (played by Kathryn Joosten). She tells him that if he isn't running because he thinks he won't win, or because it will be too hard, she doesn't want to know him.

The Press Conference

Bartlet and his team then go to the State Department. He is there to give a press conference about his MS. Scenes of his cars driving in the rain are shown. These are mixed with scenes inside the cathedral. There, a janitor finds the cigarette Bartlet put out.

At the press conference, Bartlet ignores advice. He was told to pick a reporter who would not ask about re-election first. Instead, he chooses a reporter who immediately asks if he will seek a second term. Bartlet puts his hands in his pockets, looks away, and smiles. This shows he plans to run for re-election.

Making the Episode

Writing the Story

Writer Aaron Sorkin decided to have Mrs. Landingham die in the show. This was because actress Kathryn Joosten tried out for another TV show. Sorkin wanted to use this challenge to create drama. He said he wanted to push President Bartlet to question his faith in God. Bartlet is a very religious Catholic.

Sorkin explained why the Latin speech in the National Cathedral was in Latin. It was to avoid problems with the TV network, NBC. NBC also did not want a line where Mrs. Landingham calls the President's father a "prick." Sorkin felt it was the right word for the scene.

Choosing the Actors

Casting director Kevin Scott talked about finding actors for younger Bartlet and Mrs. Landingham. He said, "We were looking for Martin Sheen at about 17 and Mrs. Landingham at about 22." He wanted actors who truly seemed like the younger versions of the main actors.

C.J. tells the President to call on Lawrence Altman for the first question. Altman is a medical reporter for The New York Times. An actor plays him, but Lawrence Altman is a real reporter. He has reported on the health of presidents for many years.

Lawrence O'Donnell, who also wrote and produced for The West Wing, played Bartlet's father. He impressed Sorkin and director Thomas Schlamme during a practice reading of the episode. Actress Jane Lynch also appeared as a reporter in the White House Press Room.

Filming Locations

St. Andrew's School in Middletown, Delaware, was used as the boarding school for young Bartlet. This school was also a filming location for the movie Dead Poets Society.

During filming at the National Cathedral, Martin Sheen's character put out a cigarette on the floor. Because of this, the Cathedral later decided not to allow filming inside the building anymore.

Music in the Episode

The episode features the song "Brothers in Arms" by Dire Straits. The show's composer, W. G. Snuffy Walden, said that Sorkin specifically wanted this song. Walden explained that the song fit well because it was about rising above challenges for the good of everyone.

Sorkin later said he had some doubts about using the song. He wondered if he was letting Dire Straits "take away" the ending of the season. But he decided it would work well.

Driving around in my car trying to work on the episode was really the first time I listened to the words and thought 'this is too good to be true. This is gonna really work well.' And on the one hand I felt like, 'am I handing off the end of the second season of The West Wing to Dire Straits and then saying you guys take it away?' And then I thought, or rationalized, no, that this was all gonna be OK.

—Aaron Sorkin, speaking to The West Wing Weekly about "Two Cathedrals"

See also

In Spanish: Dos catedrales para niños