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I'm your calendar, I'm your Google, I'm your Wilson the Volleyball!
– Gary

East Wing is the second episode of the fourth season of the HBO original series Veep. It originally aired on April 19, 2015.

Synopsis[]

Selina welcomes the Israeli Prime Minister, as Gary goes over-budget on the planning of the dinner; Mike changes his appearance; Amy learns someone new is joining the staff.

Plot[]

Mike gives a morning press briefing about Selina’s first state visit from the Israeli Prime Minister. Jonah, Teddy and VP Doyle watch the briefing on TV, and Jonah realizes that Mike has dyed his moustache a brighter shade of orange. Afterwards, Teddy informs Jonah that on his advice to Doyle, Jonah will join Dan in persuading Congressmen to back the Families First Bill. Jonah’s excitement doesn’t last long; as Teddy leaves, he gives Jonah’s balls a quick tap.

The President prepares for the state visit with her staff. Selina tasks Gary with making the state dinner pretty, pointing at a hideous abstract painting and explaining, “i.e., the opposite of that f**king monstrosity. What is that, Picasso’s heavy period?” Selina moves on to discussing her campaign, announcing that she’s bringing Bill Ericsson on as her new Director of Communications. Catherine asks to be a given a “core role” in the administration. Kent fakes a national security issue to get Catherine to leave before informing Selina he’s polled Catherine’s popularity and found that her “likability index is shallow.” 

Gary orders staffers around while decorating for the Israeli Prime Minister’s visit. The décor is already overly extravagant and expensive, but Gary pushes for even more luxury. While looking at a floral centerpiece Gary complains, “Oh my God, did we get these from a homeless man’s grave? They’re molesting my eyes.”

After Selina’s successful press junket with the Israeli PM, Mike and Jim bring word that the painting Selina spoke against earlier was removed, and, as it was the only work by a Native American artist currently on display in the White House, the community is taking it as a slight. In response, Selina causally informs Jim that he should ask Ericsson to issue a statement, as Ericsson is replacing him.

Jonah and Dan meet with Congressman Pierce to discuss Selina’s Families First initiative. Dan strikes a deal with Pierce to bowl at the exclusive White House bowling alley in order to get him on board, but Jonah takes it one step further, promising a game with Selina, plus a photo op -- something he can’t authorize and which is probably impossible to schedule.

The President meets with the Israeli PM to discuss a timetable for peace talks. Trouble arises when the prime minister and Israeli dignitary spot Ben getting notes passed to him, and guess that they’re about the Native American painting. They point out the irony of Selina talking to them about occupation when America occupies “someone else’s continent”.

Guilty and upset, Gary informs Sue and Amy that he’s the one who removed the painting, and what’s worse, the press found out he spent far too much money on the state dinner. They insist he tells Selina, but Selina dismisses him, claiming not to have time to speak with him. Furthermore, she says she needs to acquire more “butt-ugly Native American paintings” because the first one was “removed by some jerk-off with a hairball for a brain.”

Jonah and Dan meet with another member of Congress to discuss Families First, and Jonah insists on taking the reins. When the Congresswoman asks about a contradiction in the bill, Jonah freezes, then invites her to a private screening of Martin Scorsese’s latest film, claiming Scorsese will be in attendance. When the Congresswoman steps away, Dan confronts Jonah about his fib. Jonah insists he needs a staff to keep him informed about White House policy, or he’ll reveal that Dan was behind the Danny Chung torture rumor. Dan takes Amy’s over-enthusiastic staffer, Richard Splett, and makes him Jonah’s assistant, which simultaneously solves his problem with Jonah and leaves Amy in his debt. Richard quickly warms to Jonah, thinking Jonah’s the “coolest guy” he ever met. Jonah, in turn, is thrilled to have someone between him and the “hands-on” Teddy.

Ben, Ericsson and Sue discuss Gary’s extravagant spending for the state dinner and whether or not to inform POTUS. “I didn’t know they made lampshades out of Unobtainium,” Ben remarks. Sue reminds them that Selina has a lot on her plate right now, and it might be a bad idea to add this to her troubles. 

Selina arrives at the gaudy, expensive state dinner, and Ben tells her it was Gary’s doing. Furthermore, Gary is the one who removed the controversial Native American painting. Selina is livid that the press are focusing on the dinner and painting instead of the groundbreaking peace deal she brokered with Israel. 

After the dinner, Selina corners Gary in his office and berates him. She accuses him of having suckered onto her “like a car-window Garfield” and tells him he’s worthless. At the end of her tirade, Gary stands up for himself, asking when Catherine’s birthday is and whose daughter is in rehab in order to prove how much Selina depends on him. “I’m your calendar, I’m your Google, I’m your Wilson the volleyball,” he says, before exploding and begging her to find someone else who would “do what I did” on Labor Day. Selina immediately backs down, acknowledging that Gary is indeed irreplaceable, and the only person she can trust implicitly. Another, more personal, peace deal is tentatively brokered between the two of them.

Quotes[]

Gary: "did we get these from a homeless mans grave? Their molesting my eyes!"
Bill Ericsson: What is Gary doing? Trying to max out America?
Ben: Wow. Who knew they made lampshades out of unobtanium.
Patty: Okay, I will not hear a single bad word said about my friend Gary, but yeah! Yeah, he is out of control!
Ben: Did you see the cost of the dinner?
Bill Ericsson: This'll sting us; make us look decadent and remote.
Ben: Said the Princeton grad in the Valentino tux.
Sue: Does the president need to know she has a lot on her plate right now? No pun intended.
Bill Ericsson: That her bagman spends like a Babylonian king? Yes, I think so!
Ben: Well, you can tell her. She likes you.
Bill Ericsson: And I plan on keeping it that way, so I'll leave it to you.
Ben: Sue, would you like to tell the president?
Sue: Er, no I would not, but thank you for thinking of me.
Ben[to Patty] You have a pretty good relationship with the president don't you? You guys talk—
Patty[faking her phone ringing] Beep-boop-beep-boop. Hello? Yeah? Hi.

Starring[]

Main cast[]

Guest cast[]

Reception[]

This episode received very positive reviews, many highlighting the end fight scene with Gary and Selina. Kate Kulzick of The A.V. Club gave the episode an A.

Timeline[]

It's Selina's 33rd day in office. Selina was sworn in before January 28th (as Selina was giving her mother a White House tour in Kissing Your Sister), so no matter what point in January she was sworn in, her 33rd day in office takes place in February 2016.

Trivia[]

-Filmed September 23 - 26, 2014.

Gallery[]

Behind the Scenes[]

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