What I do object to is the sudden abrupt tonal shift which makes everyone in the West Wing suddenly more suspicious and angry with each other. Especially in light of four seasons of the show showing AND telling us that this isn't how they operate.
I think the only comparable period earlier was at the start of s3 when everyone was mad at the President for the MS thing but repressing it (as Bruno pointed out), but even then we didn't get everyone else treating each other angrier at the same time. (Instead, they vented by being mad at Bruno & Co.)
Re CJ: first of all, I didn't get the impression she thought little of Donna. I do agree she was projecting with the list of to do things, but I doubt it is anything Hoynes-related. Even with the one night stand a decade ago retcon, she never worked for him, so the situations aren't remotely comparable. (The one situation where she has experience of work offering a conflict of interests if you pursue romance is Danny, not Hoynes.) I didn't get the impression she thought Donna was crushing unrequitedly, either. But she did think that Donna's entire professional and emotional life circles around Josh, which, you know, it does. (For myself, I think I would have shipped Josh and Donna retrospectively if they didn't work together, because the banter is cute and they do fit. Or I would have adored their working relationship if they never had romantic subtext, a la Leo and Margaret or the President and Debbie. But both at the same time make me think, kids, get other jobs, then I'll root for you.)
Lastly, I'm sad to hear CJ gets unpopular, since I do love the character. But then, I seem to love other characters on this show you told me are hated by shippers - Andi Wyatt and Amy Gardner - so it sort of becomes a pattern...
no subject
I think the only comparable period earlier was at the start of s3 when everyone was mad at the President for the MS thing but repressing it (as Bruno pointed out), but even then we didn't get everyone else treating each other angrier at the same time. (Instead, they vented by being mad at Bruno & Co.)
Re CJ: first of all, I didn't get the impression she thought little of Donna. I do agree she was projecting with the list of to do things, but I doubt it is anything Hoynes-related. Even with the one night stand a decade ago retcon, she never worked for him, so the situations aren't remotely comparable. (The one situation where she has experience of work offering a conflict of interests if you pursue romance is Danny, not Hoynes.) I didn't get the impression she thought Donna was crushing unrequitedly, either. But she did think that Donna's entire professional and emotional life circles around Josh, which, you know, it does. (For myself, I think I would have shipped Josh and Donna retrospectively if they didn't work together, because the banter is cute and they do fit. Or I would have adored their working relationship if they never had romantic subtext, a la Leo and Margaret or the President and Debbie. But both at the same time make me think, kids, get other jobs, then I'll root for you.)
Lastly, I'm sad to hear CJ gets unpopular, since I do love the character. But then, I seem to love other characters on this show you told me are hated by shippers - Andi Wyatt and Amy Gardner - so it sort of becomes a pattern...