TV: The West Wing

[Belamorte]

I have watched fully 3 times and on my 4th time with my wife. It is top 3 ever for me, although after Aaron Sorkin leaves/not so involved (not sure of the ins and outs of it) it does drop in quality (though not much). Top 3 TV in no order are The West Wing, Justified and...well #3 always changes.

And i just browsed the thread and did not realise people hated The Newsroom so much. I thought it was quite good.

 

[member 51464]

Nice, I had never seen it before starting it a few months ago. I am a bit over halfway through the second season. I hope the quality holds up the whole way through.

 

[member 51464]

But seriously, why do we still use the Mercator projection? haha

 

[discostu]

It's a lengthy bump but I've started watching the series and it is a freshing to watch a political series grounded in some realism and reality. Mind you I like Scandal and House of Cards but they reality and realism is in the rear view mirror for them now.

West Wing was more idealized, as opposed to more cynical takes on politics. It was closer to reality, but, it's important to remember that it was based more on the premise of an ideal Liberal President.

I've actually wondered if this is a franchise that can brought back, but, instead of a Democrat or Republican, have it based around an independent candidate President that runs and wins on a desired candidate that falls outside the polarization and gridlock.

It would be a way to take a very different take on the show, while allowing for the occasional cameos from the original.

 

[Blueblood9]

funny this thread is bumped as I just decided this past weekend to start to watch it again for the 3rd time. Definitely one of my favorites. S1-3 are best 4 and 5 the worst 2 in my opinion and s 6 and 7 do get better. Some of the best writing ive ever seen on tv happened in the 1st 3 seasons

 

[whatsbruin]

What is sad is that the problems/issues discussed in West Wing are problems/issues
today.

 

[Tawnos]

But seriously, why do we still use the Mercator projection? haha

Because the Mercator Projection is a near perfect navigational tool.

All maps distort in one of 4 ways. You just gotta choose which one you're okay with.

 

[member 51464]

Ok, I am assuming you aren't posting from a ship, haha. Why don't people who are mainly on land for work and play using the one that makes land more accurate?

 

[Tawnos]

Ok, I am assuming you aren't posting from a ship, haha. Why don't people who are mainly on land for work and play using the one that makes land more accurate?

It's not more accurate. More specifically, it's more accurate in one of those 4 ways while being less accurate in another.

In particular, the Peters projection distorts shape, especially near the poles, while preserving area.

Really though, you don't see either much anymore, being rectangular projections. The Robinson projection is much more common now.

 

[Jumptheshark]

funny this thread is bumped as I just decided this past weekend to start to watch it again for the 3rd time. Definitely one of my favorites. S1-3 are best 4 and 5 the worst 2 in my opinion and s 6 and 7 do get better. Some of the best writing ive ever seen on tv happened in the 1st 3 seasons

With 6 and 7 because they knew they were wrapping up the series--they had a point in time to write to--only hick up was John Spencer's death. A few years ago I went to symposium where John Wells was the key note speaker and when asked how Spencer's death affected how the show ended--he confirmed what everyone knew already that Vinick was supposed to win--but also he said that they had to cut one plot line where the Flash Forward at the start of the season would be paid off. When Josh Lyman ran up and was called "the man of the hour" he was called the man of the hour because Donna Moss was due to give birth. It also wrap up what happened to everyone after they left the White House

 

[Blueblood9]

With 6 and 7 because they knew they were wrapping up the series--they had a point in time to write to--only hick up was John Spencer's death. A few years ago I went to symposium where John Wells was the key note speaker and when asked how Spencer's death affected how the show ended--he confirmed what everyone knew already that Vinick was supposed to win--but also he said that they had to cut one plot line where the Flash Forward at the start of the season would be paid off. When Josh Lyman ran up and was called "the man of the hour" he was called the man of the hour because Donna Moss was due to give birth. It also wrap up what happened to everyone after they left the White House

Would have loved the rumoured extra episode that would wrapped everything up. But I do think it was a great finale. They must have written a script for the episode would love to give it a read.

 

[member 51464]

Two episode left in the whole series. I definitely felt that it was a step down once Ansley Hayes and Rob Lowe left. It may have had more whimsy than realism the first few seasons, but they were much more fun. Now, what to watch when this is done :/

 

[GabeTravels]

Two episode left in the whole series. I definitely felt that it was a step down once Ansley Hayes and Rob Lowe left. It may have had more whimsy than realism the first few seasons, but they were much more fun. Now, what to watch when this is done :/

Sorkin left after Season 4, which is a bigger part of the step down.

Season 5 and early Season 6 is the worst part of the show (but it's still great, and there are some amazing episodes in there), the last season and a half are pretty damn good when you follow the campaigns.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Sorkin left after Season 4, which is a bigger part of the step down.

Season 5 and early Season 6 is the worst part of the show (but it's still great, and there are some amazing episodes in there), the last season and a half are pretty damn good when you follow the campaigns.

Season 7 is highly underrated. Many long time fans are not with how the Toby thing played out and the actor has not helped with some of his comments over the last few years. Joshua molina has taken over the podcast on the show and awhile ago he teased that he was trying to get the original election night scripts. Sounds like the two parter was going to juxapose the bartlett election night and the Santos might

 

[member 51464]

Season 7 is highly underrated. Many long time fans are not with how the Toby thing played out and the actor has not helped with some of his comments over the last few years. Joshua molina has taken over the podcast on the show and awhile ago he teased that he was trying to get the original election night scripts. Sounds like the two parter was going to juxapose the bartlett election night and the Santos might

What has he said?

I also had no idea this show had such legs so long after going off the year.

 

[Jumptheshark]

What has he said?

I also had no idea this show had such legs so long after going off the year.

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/164754...-coming-full-circle-with-glengarry-glen-ross/

the President "in 10 million years" as he did at the end of The West Wing.
I think he would more likely have become a mass-murdering terrorist than to do what they had him do. I think somebody had what they thought was a really good idea and didn’t ask me. Aaron would have asked me. Aaron Sorkin would’ve talked it over to see how it bounced off of the character I was creating with him, but these people didn’t consider that important. I don’t blame them at all; I’m not angry at them.

he has said other things than that

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/west-wing-trivia_us_55f1f0b8e4b002d5c078bac3

http://www.ew.com/article/2014/05/1...ium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article

8. Schiff still isn’t over being fired (and Sorkin has his back)

Schiff was never fired, of course, but Toby Ziegler was canned for leaking classified information. Schiff protested privately, and then publicly, and he’s still bummed by the decision, mostly because it didn’t seem consistent with his understanding of the character. “[In a letter to me, Sorkin] said, ‘I’ve heard what’s happening to your character [Toby was fired and faced years in prison during season 7 but ultimately was pardoned] and I’m so sorry,’†said Schiff. “And that’s how I felt: very sorry that they had chose to do what they did. They didn’t tell me in advance like Aaron and Tommy would have. Clearly they didn’t want to tell me because they were scared of my reaction to it. I would have talked them out of it because it was not in line with the six years of work that I built with that haracter. I was very, very hurt by it.â€

 

[GabeTravels]

I didn't like the way Toby was handled either.

I always thought a better way to do that (if you were gonna go down that path) was to have

[spoil]Toby take the fall for CJ leaking the info.[/spoil]

 

[Smoke]

Sorkin left after Season 4, which is a bigger part of the step down.

Season 5 and early Season 6 is the worst part of the show (but it's still great, and there are some amazing episodes in there), the last season and a half are pretty damn good when you follow the campaigns.

Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda were great.

The live debate is up there as one of the best television episodes ever.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I didn't like the way Toby was handled either.

I always thought a better way to do that (if you were gonna go down that path) was to have

[spoil]Toby take the fall for CJ leaking the info.[/spoil]

that is what most people thought

 

[Jumptheshark]

Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda were great.

The live debate is up there as one of the best television episodes ever.

they made season 7 in my opinion one of the best

 

[Tawnos]

I've always disagreed that the whole Toby thing was out of character. To me, it was precisely in character. I always agreed with the way Bartlett characterized it. That it was inevitable.

And I think Richard Schiffs reaction is both a result of being too close to things and him being protective of his turf.

 

[Voight]

I have been meaning to get into this show ; probably going to now that its winter.

 

[discostu]

I've always disagreed that the whole Toby thing was out of character. To me, it was precisely in character. I always agreed with the way Bartlett characterized it. That it was inevitable.

And I think Richard Schiffs reaction is both a result of being too close to things and him being protective of his turf.

For such an uplifting show, it was just a tough way to see a character go out. Everyone else leaves on a high note. The guy who had the strongest ideals pays such a hefty price.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Allison Janney was an Emmy winning actress a decade ago on The West Wing and now she's on a Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom called Mom.....that's messed up. Sometimes TV is sad.

 

[Blueblood9]

Allison Janney was an Emmy winning actress a decade ago on The West Wing and now she's on a Chuck Lorre CBS sitcom called Mom.....that's messed up. Sometimes TV is sad.

ya she won 2 more emmies on that sitcom called Mom. dont think shes *****ing to much about it.

she and rob lowe are basically the only 2 that had success post West Wing.

edit: forgot about Dule hill in Psych