I wouldn't be surprised if you don't remember this, because not everyone is as obsessed with the show as I am, but are we all aware that Scandal's Bellamy Young was on an episode of The West Wing ? That's right; her tenure as First Lady Mellie Grant in Scandal wasn't Young's first jaunt into the White House. She had some time beforehand to sneak in and get familiar with the place a few years earlier. Specifically, eight years earlier, in 2004, when she was featured in Season 5, Episode 10 of The West Wing: "The Stormy Present." It wasn't a huge role, so it would've been easy for it to slip through the cracks in your memory, but it did still make an impression in my brain.
Young's character was a North Carolinian lawyer who meets with Josh Lyman about a copy of the Bill of Rights that had been given to the state by George Washington, and then stolen at the end of the Civil War by a Union soldier from Connecticut. It's not the A-plot by any means, but it's an important part of the story, and it's a nice moment for Young to shine.
1. Her Character's Name Was Mary-Lou Meriwether
Real mean move, parents. Wouldn't be surprised if her middle name was Meredith.
2. She Was Blonde
No, seriously. Very, very blonde.
3. She Was No-Nonsense
You might expect a young lawyer meeting with the White House deputy chief of staff to be a little intimidated, but she came in hot, defending her position on the stolen Bill of Rights, arguing fiercely and more than holding her own.
4. President Lassiter Has Passed Away
The main storyline driving this episode was the death of Owen Lassiter, former president of the United States. Young's storyline with the Bill of Rights was a B-plot, highlighting what was going on back at the White House while President Bartlet was away.
5. This Was Also The Beginning Of The Conflict In Riyadh
There are often ties between The West Wing and real life, or times the show seems eerily prescient, and this episode was the beginning of one of them. Violence breaks out in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and the President needs to make a decision about how involved the United States is going to get. Sound familiar?
6. The Episode Also Features John Goodman ...
Since the storyline centers around the death of President Lassiter, all the surviving presidents gather for his funeral. This includes John Goodman, who played Glen Allen Walken, the man who briefly took office when President Bartlet involved the 25th Amendment following his daughter's kidnapping.
7. ... And James Cromwell As A Former President ...
The funeral also features D. Wire Newman, the previous Democratic president before Bartlet.
8. ... And Lost's Terry O'Quinn
And in our final guest star slot, we have future Lost star O'Quinn, who had a seven-episode run on The West Wing as General Nicholas Alexander.
Who else wants a rewatch right about now?
Images: Warner Bros. Television (5); Giphy (3)
