The West Wing

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

I didn't pay much attention to this first time around, but watched the final show from Season Two on Sky the other day.

What a show it was - the President denouncing God in Latin, flashbacks, folk talking to the dead and the entire season finishing with the 'cliff-hanger' revealed with a tiny piece of body language.

Reckon I'll keep an eye out for some box sets on DVD. Is it worth it, or is it an overated show and I struck lucky?

[wee 162]

Originally Posted by Northern Ireland Hibby

I didn't pay much attention to this first time around, but watched the final show from Season Two on Sky the other day.

What a show it was - the President denouncing God in Latin, flashbacks, folk talking to the dead and the entire season finishing with the 'cliff-hanger' revealed with a tiny piece of body language.

Reckon I'll keep an eye out for some box sets on DVD. Is it worth it, or is it an overated show and I struck lucky?

The first three series are phenomenally good. The last 4 are all well watchable but the standard does drop off a wee bit.

Highly recommended viewing.

[Archie]

Agree with Wee 162 - there is a bit of a dip when Aaron Sorkin came off writing duties, but worth following through.

[egb_hibs]

i stalled halfway through the first series. seemed very samey to me i have to be honest.

that said the writing is phenomenal and once again demonstrates that:

a) the americans make the best tv drama in the world and

b) the view of them as culturally philistine and all round thick, is absurd and

c) the previous points come together in an artistic maturity that pishes on the brits. for example, while the west wing is undeniably a liberal fantasy, it nevertheless handles both sides of any political argument with a far more even handed, nuanced and intelligent perspective, than the cretinous polemical approach you'd get this side of the pond.

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

Cheers for the comments - I'll borrow some box sets

[cavalier]

Originally Posted by Northern Ireland Hibby

Cheers for the comments - I'll borrow some box sets

I have all 7 box sets,one of the best programmes ever IMO.

[wee 162]

Originally Posted by egb_hibs

i stalled halfway through the first series. seemed very samey to me i have to be honest.

that said the writing is phenomenal and once again demonstrates that:

a) the americans make the best tv drama in the world and

Generally true.

A large part of it is budget driven. IIRC the budget for each WW episode was something like $1.4m. If you're paying that sort of money you can do what you like, including getting top grade actors, writers, sets, and cinematography. Because of the lengths of the series you also have an opportunity to develop characters in a much more detailed nuanced way than anywhere else. If you think about it, one series of something like the WW has an extra 7 hours on the entire Godfather trilogy to develop key elements.

They also make the worst tbf despite this.

Originally Posted by egb_hibs

b) the view of them as culturally philistine and all round thick, is absurd and

It is to an extent, but you only have to look at the tv schedules of US tv to see that programmes like The Sopranos, The West Wing, or The Wire are hardly the predominant fare.

Originally Posted by egb_hibs

c) the previous points come together in an artistic maturity that pishes on the brits. for example, while the west wing is undeniably a liberal fantasy, it nevertheless handles both sides of any political argument with a far more even handed, nuanced and intelligent perspective, than the cretinous polemical approach you'd get this side of the pond.

The West Wing is a very American programme in its extreme lack of cynicism towards all politics left and right that would not be realistic here. It is far from a liberal fantasy imo, and if you ever get the chance to see the special episode they made after 11/9 you'll see exactly what I mean. IMO it is an American fantasy of what their political system could look like and it is hardly related to liberal or conservative values at all. In later series this point is very evident.

[egb_hibs]

Al, i'll pick up your other points later - i'm off to the pub just now. but IIRC i've read various members of the democrat / liberal royalty involved in producing the show, conceed this point. martin sheen's prez is cited as their fantasy - someone who in real life could not even be returned as a NE congressman.

but you are spot on about the general lack of cynicism and overall enthusiasm for democracy, the office of president and so on, which transcends party / philosophical allegicances.

[Sean]

I missed the show 1st time around too.

About a month ago I picked up season 1 for £7.99 on HMV!!!!!

Wasn't really risking my cash after all, I loved the series (btw - the end of season one is the mother of ALL cliffhangers!) just finished season 2 last week and still hooked.

Its possibly the best TV series I've watched. Great writing, great acting, and a nifty set to boot. Certaiunly right up there with M*A*S*H and Northern Exposure.

If you have a DVD burner or big HDD, join a mail order DVD club for a couple of months and burn the lot.