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The West Wing thread

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Post by Colin Hicks Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:29 am

Just for Sheringham. And me Smile.

Best non-"genre" show ever. Yay or nay?
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Post by Sid Seadevil Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:32 am

Doc Filth wrote:Just for Sheringham. And me Smile.

Best non-"genre" show ever. Yay or nay?
Certainly in the very top of the best category. A series that simply repays multiple reviewings in spades.
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Post by sheringham Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:35 am

I love it with all my heart.

Ringo (AKA Toby) is my hero.
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Post by Colin Hicks Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:37 am

I like Toby, but I'm much more of a Bartlett, Leo, Josh and CJ fan.
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Post by Sid Seadevil Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:49 am

Doc Filth wrote:I like Toby, but I'm much more of a Bartlett, Leo, Josh and CJ fan.
Josh, CJ and Toby - the perfect trinity of over-lapping dialogue practitioners.

*although Sam wasn't exactly a slouch at it either*
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Post by Zoltar Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:13 pm

Doc Filth wrote:Just for Sheringham. And me Smile.

Best non-"genre" show ever. Yay or nay?
Excellent series, though I lost touch with it somewhat after Sorkin left.
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Post by Sid Seadevil Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:20 am

Zoltar wrote:
Doc Filth wrote:Just for Sheringham. And me Smile.

Best non-"genre" show ever. Yay or nay?
Excellent series, though I lost touch with it somewhat after Sorkin left.
Yes, same here. Although I plan on doing a mammoth "catch-up" session before too long. I freely admit I was more than a bit miffed by Sorkin's being unceremoniously forced out.
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Post by sheringham Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:03 am

Series 5 is a bit 'meh'. Except for 'The Supremes'. And the explosive end of season finale. Series 6 picks up a bit and gets properly good once Josh resigns to go and work for Santos. The last 3 or 4 episodes are as good as most of TWW ever was. Series 7 is great, in the main. Although I hate what they did to toby. Sad
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Post by Graymalkin Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:33 am

Never mind 'non-genre', it's clearly the best television programme ever. It may well be the best thing ever, in fact.

And made the real Presidential 'debates' look even more of a disappointing joke than they actually were.

Although the Toby stuff was clearly bollocks. I heard Schiff interviewed on Simon Mayo's Five Live programme once, where Mayo brought up how out-of-character Toby's actions were, and he said that, as far as he was concerned, Toby was merely covering for someone and taking the blame - and that he'd played it as such.

This may not be canon, however...

PS - Sam Seaborn FTW!!!
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Post by sheringham Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:50 am

Graymalkin wrote:Never mind 'non-genre', it's clearly the best television programme ever. It may well be the best thing ever, in fact.

And made the real Presidential 'debates' look even more of a disappointing joke than they actually were.

Although the Toby stuff was clearly bollocks. I heard Schiff interviewed on Simon Mayo's Five Live programme once, where Mayo brought up how out-of-character Toby's actions were, and he said that, as far as he was concerned, Toby was merely covering for someone and taking the blame - and that he'd played it as such.

This may not be canon, however...

PS - Sam Seaborn FTW!!!

I have always said he was covering for Leo. Or even Jed himself. But more likely Leo.
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Post by Nick Barlow Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:00 am

sheringham wrote:I have always said he was covering for Leo. Or even Jed himself. But more likely Leo.
It'd have to be Leo, really, given that Jed had to be persuaded into giving Toby a pardon at the end of his Presidency.

I do recall reading somewhere that there are suggestions Sorkin had a bit of a hand in S7, which explains a lot. It also helped that they got away from the event-driven storylines of the last couple of years, let the electoral process become the important factor and got back to exploring the characters again.
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Post by Balbinder Mann Fri Nov 21, 2008 2:06 pm

I've only just started watching this, believe it or not. I've just seen five episodes of Series 1.

I'm watching it on DVD through LoveFilm, really enjoying it so far.

One question - on the DVDs, are there any commentaries? I love commentaries, and especially for a series like this, they could be quite interesting....
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Post by delgadofan Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:21 am

Doc Filth wrote:Just for Sheringham. And me Smile.

Best non-"genre" show ever. Yay or nay?

A Yay from me, with David Simon's "The Wire" probably on a par.

In fact we watched all seven seasons of "The West Wing" within 4 months via that wonder of box-sets. Lapped it up even though Aaron Sorkin's departure was felt during the final few seasons.
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Post by Colin Hicks Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:06 am

Balbinder Mann wrote:I've only just started watching this, believe it or not. I've just seen five episodes of Series 1.

I'm watching it on DVD through LoveFilm, really enjoying it so far.

One question - on the DVDs, are there any commentaries? I love commentaries, and especially for a series like this, they could be quite interesting....

There's no commentaries on the season-by-season sets, but the full series boxset has a few. I'll let you know what they're like, after Christmas...Very Happy
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Post by Colin Hicks Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:13 am

delgadofan wrote:
Doc Filth wrote:Just for Sheringham. And me Smile.

Best non-"genre" show ever. Yay or nay?

A Yay from me, with David Simon's "The Wire" probably on a par.

In fact we watched all seven seasons of "The West Wing" within 4 months via that wonder of box-sets. Lapped it up even though Aaron Sorkin's departure was felt during the final few seasons.

Yourself and Balbinder aren't the only ones to discover it late - I'd never seen a single episode until this summer, when I borrowed all the boxsets off a mate. Perhaps it's having a bit of a popularity resurgence this year, which seems quite apt considering the current state of American politics Smile.

And I agree with you about the post-Sorkin episodes - Seasons 5, particularly, seems incredibly laboured, compared with what came before. The last two seasons pick up again, but they never recapture the giddy heights of the previous 4 years.
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Post by Balbinder Mann Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:54 am

Doc Filth wrote:
Balbinder Mann wrote:I've only just started watching this, believe it or not. I've just seen five episodes of Series 1.

I'm watching it on DVD through LoveFilm, really enjoying it so far.

One question - on the DVDs, are there any commentaries? I love commentaries, and especially for a series like this, they could be quite interesting....

There's no commentaries on the season-by-season sets, but the full series boxset has a few. I'll let you know what they're like, after Christmas...Very Happy

Do you mean the £50 gubbins that they're selling in HMV?

I've seriously been thinking about buying that - it'll take me ages to copy borrow & watch the whole lot on LoveFilm! if its got commentaries, then its a definite for the New Year. Or it's a big hint to my brother for a Crimbo present - my God, this time of year is useful for all sorts of things..... Wink
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Post by Colin Hicks Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:07 pm

Balbinder Mann wrote:Do you mean the £50 gubbins that they're selling in HMV?

I've seriously been thinking about buying that - it'll take me ages to copy borrow & watch the whole lot on LoveFilm! if its got commentaries, then its a definite for the New Year. Or it's a big hint to my brother for a Crimbo present - my God, this time of year is useful for all sorts of things..... Wink

Precisely that boxset, yes. I'm getting it for Christmas, and apparently it has a handful of commentaries on each series - but, even if it was commentary-free, it'd be worth £50 for all 150-odd episodes.
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Post by Balbinder Mann Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:38 am

Doc Filth wrote:

Precisely that boxset, yes. I'm getting it for Christmas, and apparently it has a handful of commentaries on each series - but, even if it was commentary-free, it'd be worth £50 for all 150-odd episodes.

Money's tight this year...pressies, utilities bills, car insurance (I spent £300 last month getting that together)....but hey, I'm getting a pay-rise increment for Crimbo (thank God for UNISON!), and I don't care about my family, my house, our car or the clothes on my back, I'm going to get this damned box-set! Very Happy

Of course, I won't tell the missus..... Wink
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Post by Colin Hicks Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:21 am

Well, the boxset is lovely. Nice slim digipack cases, and a nice couple of discs of bonus material. Well worth the price tag.

Due to enforced internet absence, I've been working my way through the episodes at quite an alarming rate, and I'm enjoying them just as much the second time round.
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Post by Graymalkin Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:14 pm

As I've said before, The West Wing is, televisually, the best thing ever. And I'm including Doctor Who in that*. If it were a band, it would be Okkervil River, and I know no higher praise.

Can you tell I got the boxset for Chrimbo (I had the individual seasons anyway, but it's always nice...)?

*But being 'a Doctor Who fan' is a thing in itself, and one that's head-and-shoulders above obsessing over any other TV programme. Even ones with Jeremy Brett in...
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Post by Balbinder Mann Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:32 am

Doc Filth wrote:Well, the boxset is lovely. Nice slim digipack cases, and a nice couple of discs of bonus material. Well worth the price tag.

Due to enforced internet absence, I've been working my way through the episodes at quite an alarming rate, and I'm enjoying them just as much the second time round.

Yep, I bought it as well. Seriously lacking in cash now!, but well worth it. I'm leaving the extras til last, I don't want to be spoiled!

I've just spent the last week going through Season 2 and Season 3. Does this show get much better than that Season 2 opener? Smile Which planet have I been on the last few years - how did I miss this show the first time around? Sad

Graymalkin wrote:As I've said before, The West Wing is, televisually, the best thing ever. And I'm including Doctor Who in that*.


I'd still rate The Wire (especially) and Hill Street Blues over this. But it's up there. I love DW like no other TV show, but I'm under no illusions as to where it stands against stuff like this. The best of US TV is absolutelyely fantastic, and it really pains me that British TV can't come up with long-running shows like this on a more regular basis.

However I'm a bit wary of Season 5 onwards. From what little I've seen on E4 and what I've read on the web the show declines in quality after S4 - is this true in your opinion, and by how much? I'ts not going to stop me watching, but I like to be prepared!

BTW, Richard Schiff for Doc 11. Anyone else, and its a crime. Laughing
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Post by Graymalkin Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:41 am

Balbinder Mann wrote:However I'm a bit wary of Season 5 onwards. From what little I've seen on E4 and what I've read on the web the show declines in quality after S4 - is this true in your opinion, and by how much? I'ts not going to stop me watching, but I like to be prepared!

It does dip noticably in 5 and 6, but gets a fresh head of steam when the elections arrive - 6 and 7, while not as good as the first four years, are fantastic again. And who knew how accurately they'd predict the candidates for the real-life election?
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Post by Colin Hicks Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:26 pm

Series 5 sucks pretty badly - but it's almost redeemed single-handedly (single-episodedly?) by The Stormy Present - a fantastic three-hander between Sheen as [President!] Bartlett, James Cromwell as D.Wire Newman, and
Spoiler:
.

But I hate how much the regulars, particularly Josh, get redeuced to their most basic personality types in this season.
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Post by Balbinder Mann Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:16 pm

Doc Filth wrote:Series 5 sucks pretty badly - but it's almost redeemed single-handedly (single-episodedly?) by The Stormy Present - a fantastic three-hander between Sheen as [President!] Bartlett, James Cromwell as D.Wire Newman, and
Spoiler:
.

But I hate how much the regulars, particularly Josh, get redeuced to their most basic personality types in this season.

I've just got on to Season 5 today, it's all become a little geekish hasn't it, policy-wonkish. Very dry. Althoughh so far, its not quite as bad as i thought it was going to be ( the "Shutdown" episode was quite good). I just can't wait until the next election comes around!
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Post by Coyote Cutie Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:15 pm

I have to say that I really loved this series, no matter what season. I suspect that the reason for the "Toby" situation towards the end is because "Leo" had died. Had John lived, I suspect we'd have seen that storyline be for Leo. The storyline of betrayal would have made a whole lot more sense then I think.
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