The West Wing thread

[Colin Hicks]

Just for Sheringham. And me .

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

[Sid Seadevil]

Just for Sheringham. And me .

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.

[sheringham]

I love it with all my heart.

Ringo (AKA Toby) is my hero.

[Colin Hicks]

I like Toby, but I'm much more of a Bartlett, Leo, Josh and CJ fan.

[Sid Seadevil]

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*

[Zoltar]

Just for Sheringham. And me .

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

Excellent series, though I lost touch with it somewhat after Sorkin left.

[Sid Seadevil]

Just for Sheringham. And me .

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.

[sheringham]

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.

[Graymalkin]

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!!!

[sheringham]

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.

[Nick Barlow]

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.

[Balbinder Mann]

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....

[delgadofan]

Just for Sheringham. And me .

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.

[Colin Hicks]

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...

[Colin Hicks]

Just for Sheringham. And me .

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 .

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.

[Balbinder Mann]

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...

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.....

[Colin Hicks]

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.....

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.

[Balbinder Mann]

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!

Of course, I won't tell the missus.....

[Colin Hicks]

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.

[Graymalkin]

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...

[Balbinder Mann]

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? Which planet have I been on the last few years - how did I miss this show the first time around?

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.

[Graymalkin]

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?

[Colin Hicks]

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.

[Balbinder Mann]

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!

[Coyote Cutie]

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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