Regarding my Sports Night list the other day, the Champion of the West was quick to point out that I had neglected to put in anything from "The Sword of Orion," his choice for best episode. I didn't put the episode on the list because, unlike Major League Baseball, I tried to focus on scenes and moments rather than entire episodes (had I done a top 10 episode list, "The Sword of Orion" would have ranked no lower than 2).

As for not putting any of the scenes from that episode on the list, I think it's one of those things where the whole is greater than the sum of their parts. Not that the parts are bad; the entire end, showing Dan trying to not get a game result to his surprise night out (well, in, I suppose) probably should have made the list. Such is the problem with this show; I could probably identify at least five other worthy moments.

The title of the episode comes from a sailboat that sank during a race that acts as a metaphor for Jeremy's parents, who are divorcing. It's done much better here than in season 2, where Natalie transposes handing a tape over to the police with her having to return Jeremy's stuff after they break up.

The email also contained a link to the "Smoky" script, so here's the dialog I wanted to quote for the number seven entry from my list:

DAN: What were you just doing?
CASEY: Nothing.
DAN: You were flirting with Sally.
CASEY: I wasn't conscious of it.
DAN: Conscious or not, you were doing it.
CASEY: Was Sally flirting with me?
DAN: Yes indeed she was.
CASEY: I missed the whole thing.
DAN: Thank God I got here when I did.
CASEY: I'm not gonna go out with Sally.
DAN: You don't have to go out with her, she was strippin' down right here.
CASEY: We were talking about women's college basketball.
DAN: Casey. Please. I'm not other people.
CASEY: I know.
DAN: And I know I said it was time, but just to be clear, it's not time for that. It's not time to dally with Sally.
CASEY: "To dally with Sally?"
DAN: That was an unfortunate rhyme, but still --
CASEY: What's your problem with Sally?
DAN: Look at her, Casey. I don't think she's of this world.
CASEY: You don't think she's of this world?
DAN: I do not.
CASEY: What world do you think she's of?
DAN: She scares me, Casey. She's too good looking. Nobody's that good looking. I'm not that good looking.
CASEY: You really think she was flirting with me?
DAN: And her beauty comes from a very strange place, have you noticed that?
CASEY: The places her beauty comes from weren't all that strange to me. I can identify almost all of them.
DAN: Don't do it, Casey, she's got an agenda.
CASEY: You think she wants a job on Sports Night?
DAN: No, I think she wants to rule all of Metropolis.
CASEY: You've seen the job she does on West Coast Update. She's a very skilled producer.
DAN: Of course she's skilled, she's Satan's handmaiden!
CASEY: She's not Satan's handmaiden.
DAN: On the entire planet, have you ever seen anyone with eyes like that? She's a Steppford Producer!
CASEY: I say she's a very nice person.
DAN: I say she has no reflection!

Josh Charles gives the last line this great emphasis, like Sally really is a threat to all mankind. Then again, Dan probably does think that.