Stephen Tall

In common with most politicos, The West Wing ranks among my all-time favourite TV series, within which the second season finale, Two Cathedrals, is, to my mind, the single best episode.

Mawkish and a little too clever-clever? Probably. But sublimely scripted, directed, and of course acted – not least by Kathryn Joosten, playing the President’s loyal and recently deceased secretary mrs Landingham, who has herself just died.

Every scene in Two Cathedrals is a masterpiece. Here’s just one of them.