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TV: The West Wing

Tawnos

Tawnos

A guy with a bass
Sep 10, 2004
29,060
10,738
Charlotte, NC
NyQuil said:
If you don't like the film, the American President, you won't like West Wing.

It's like a 2 hour pilot.

A lot of grand statements and violins when right prevails coupled with banter and witty dialogue.

Sorkin does manage to look at some interesting issues over the course of the series.
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The American President is sort of like a 2 hour pilot. I think of it more like an unformed thought.

Also, no Tommy Schlamme walk-and-talks.
 
NyQuil

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,729
60,035
Ottawa, ON
There's also a great deal of Americana and trivia about American political history and system.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it a great deal when I watched it religiously on a weekly basis throughout the entire show's run.

But it's certainly out of step with our current approach to political entertainment which seems to be more in keeping with dark satire (e.g. Veep, The Thick of It, House of Cards) in that the majority of West Wing characters are laudable individuals who are in politics largely in keeping with grand principles of public service.

The UK obviously has a grand tradition of darkly satirical political programming and it's seemingly only recently been brought over here.

I always liked the original Newsroom by Ken Finkleman (CBC) which was actually kind of ahead of its time.
 
NJDevs26

NJDevs26

Once upon a time...
Mar 21, 2007
67,422
31,747
Tawnos said:
Well, really it was supposed to be Josh and Mandy as the main romantic relationship.

NBC is also responsible for it waiting a year to air. They didn't think anyone would want to watch. It's interesting to think about how things might have been different, because airing a year earlier probably means the show starts much earlier in the first term.
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NBC also delayed it cause the Clinton-Monica stuff happened right around the time they were initially talking about putting it on the air, also heard that on the West Wing podcast.
 
No Fun Shogun

No Fun Shogun

34-38-61-10-13-15
May 1, 2011
56,372
13,230
Illinois
I can't help but think that this show would feel so utterly dated nowadays. Don't mean to get too political, but the dynamic for how I remember politicking in the show worked is almost like an entirely different country from what it is now.
 
Tawnos

Tawnos

A guy with a bass
Sep 10, 2004
29,060
10,738
Charlotte, NC
No Fun Shogun said:
I can't help but think that this show would feel so utterly dated nowadays. Don't mean to get too political, but the dynamic for how I remember politicking in the show worked is almost like an entirely different country from what it is now.
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There was definitely more room for compromise. We had just come through a Democratic President who with a Republican Congress and until the Lewinsky stuff, was able to get stuff DONE. Before that, there was Reagan and a Democratic Congress who, while at odds, still did things.

The writers did foresee this a little bit. I remember a line from Josh in season 4: "I don't think there's anything anymore that outpaces the hatred the right feels for the left or the tonnage of disrespect the left has for the right." That was 2002 and we are here now.
 
Datsyukian Deke

Datsyukian Deke

The Captain is Home!!
Apr 5, 2012
2,467
425
Middle Tennessee
silverfish said:
On my first watch of this. Almost done with season 6. The episode where Toby and Josh really get into it... Man. I felt that.
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That was a great episode, indeed.

We finally got around to watching the series on Netflix earlier this year, and finished it in late May. Reminded me a lot of The Newsroom (which I loved and Sorkin wrote as well) in many ways, and there are a few references to both that can be picked up on.

A definite must watch series for those who have yet to see it.
 
Tawnos

Tawnos

A guy with a bass
Sep 10, 2004
29,060
10,738
Charlotte, NC
silverfish said:
On my first watch of this. Almost done with season 6. The episode where Toby and Josh really get into it... Man. I felt that.
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Im not too proud to admit that the scene between Toby and CJ in that episode chokes me up every time.

"You wanna talk?"
"No"
"You want me to leave?"
"...no"
 
Nalens Oga

Nalens Oga

Registered User
Jan 5, 2010
16,780
1,053
Canada
silverfish said:
On my first watch of this. Almost done with season 6. The episode where Toby and Josh really get into it... Man. I felt that.
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Oh **** that reminds me I have to finish this show lol. I got through the first few seasons within a few months but then I got stuck on a season 3 episode (the one where Abby has a bday party) and I stopped after that for some reason.

I think the reason is because she's a really annoying character to me and that episode was a bit of a chore to get through so I stopped lol.
 
silverfish

silverfish

got perma'd
Jun 24, 2008
34,644
4,353
under the bridge
[spoil]Sneaking up on John Spencer's last episode :([/spoil]

Leo McGarry is such a great character.

Spoil tags for a show that's been over for ten years #safety
 
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Ar-too

Ar-too

Zealous Scrub
Jan 8, 2004
11,108
15
Columbus, OH
If you go out and read about Sorkin's treatment of women in his work and then try to watch the show, it's tough man. All the tropes. Literally all of them.
 
HABsurde

HABsurde

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
1,584
36
Montreal
Saw this thread, need to look at TWW again....

Will post after each episode to keep the trade alive....

it's on for this week-end !!!
 

member 51464

Guest
Ar-too said:
If you go out and read about Sorkin's treatment of women in his work and then try to watch the show, it's tough man. All the tropes. Literally all of them.
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Link or further explanation, please :)
 
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