The Warfare of Genghis Khan

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“The Warfare of Genghis Khan”
The West Wing episode
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 101
Written by Peter Noah
Directed by Bill D'Elia
Guest stars Armin Mueller-Stahl
Gary Cole
Jay Mohr
Anna Deavere Smith
Terry O'Quinn
Steve Ryan
Christina Chang
Renee Estevez
Thomas Kopache
Ryan Cutrona
Christopher Maher
Production no. 176063
Original airdate February 11, 2004
Season 5 episodes
  1. 7A WF 83429
  2. The Dogs of War
  3. Jefferson Lives
  4. Han
  5. Constituency of One
  6. Disaster Relief
  7. Separation of Powers
  8. Shutdown
  9. Abu el Banat
  10. The Stormy Present
  11. The Benign Prerogative
  12. Slow News Day
  13. The Warfare of Genghis Khan
  14. An Khe
  15. Full Disclosure
  16. Eppur Si Muove
  17. The Supremes
  18. Access
  19. Talking Points
  20. No Exit
  21. Gaza
  22. Memorial Day
List of The West Wing episodes

"The Warfare of Genghis Khan" is the 101st The West Wing episode and 13th of the fifth season. It originally aired on NBC February 1, 2004.[1] Events circle around the detection of a nuclear detonation over the Indian Ocean. Written by Peter Noah and directed by Bill D'Elia, the episode contains guest appearances by Christopher Maher and Christina Chang. It also introduces to the series Armin Mueller-Stahl as Israeli Prime Minister Efraim 'Eli' Zahavy, and gives a first, short glimpse of Jay Mohr as conservative talk-show host Taylor Reid.[2]

Contents

[edit] Plot

When the flash of a secret nuclear detonation is detected over the Indian Ocean, President Bartlet calls upon his people to investigate which nation now has the atomic bomb — and since conventional thinking favors Iran, Bartlet orders bombers into the air to destroy that nation's most likely uranium-enriched targets. Meanwhile, Josh chides NASA personnel on the future of space exploration — until he is introduced to an attractive female administrator. C.J. fumes when a combative television talk-show host, Taylor Reid, denigrates her on the air, and Will discloses to Vice President Russell that Russell is considered a buffoon by the White House staff. However, it is Russell whose smarts come to keep the President from bombing the wrong country. In light of the international situation, Toby wonders why they don't utilize the U.N. in times like this.[1][2][3]

[edit] Social and cultural references

The nuclear test plotline may be based on the 1979 Vela Incident, in which a flash was detected in the South Atlantic Ocean that was suspected to be an Israeli or a South African nuclear test.[4]

[edit] Reception

TV.com gives the episode a rating of 7.8;[5] which is about average for season five.[6] On Television Without Pity it has been given a grade "A-".[3] As of May 26, 2007, IMDb rates the episode 7.1 with twenty-three votes.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Warfare of Genghis Khan. NBC.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.
  2. ^ a b The Warfare of Genghis Khan. The West Wing Episode Guide. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.
  3. ^ a b The Warfare of Genghis Khan. Television Without Pity. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.
  4. ^ Jeffrey Richelson, Spying on the Bomb: American Nuclear Intelligence from Nazi Germany to Iran and North Korea (New York: W. W. Norton, 2006), chapter seven, "The Double Flash: The Vela Incidence, September 1979", pp. 283-316.
  5. ^ The Warfare of Genghis Khan. TV.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.
  6. ^ Season 5. TV.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  7. ^ The Warfare of Genghis Khan. IMDb. Retrieved on 2007-05-26.

[edit] External links