Auditorium P.A. System

A public address system echoes through the auditorium with a man's voice delivering a precise countdown—two and a half minutes until the live debate begins—hushing the audience into expectant silence. It broadcasts updates on hall reentry and debate timing during tense moments, as Bartlet steels himself backstage, Abbey adjusts his appearance, and Ritchie prepares onstage. The system's stark announcements cut through the crowd's anticipation, marking the pivot from preparation to performance.

2 appearances

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S4E6 · Game On

Auditorium Holds Its Breath

The Auditorium P.A. System functions as the immediate conduit of authority: it broadcasts the two-and-a-half-minute countdown and procedural instructions, converting dispersed noise into enforced silence and signaling the shift to on-air performance.

Before: Idle but ready; faint background murmur in the hall while people take seats.

After: Actively broadcasting the announcement and maintaining a controlled auditory presence that keeps the audience seated and quiet as the debate approaches.

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S4E6 · Game On

Abbey Cuts the Tie — Ritchie Sets the Frame

The auditorium P.A. system provides recorded announcements about reentry and timing, imposing formal constraints and a countdown that heightens the urgency of the backstage ritual.

Before: Operating overhead, broadcasting audience instructions and timing notices.

After: Continues to provide time cues and hall instructions as the debate begins.

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