I've decided to watch West Wing again from the beginning. Anyone care to join me?

[CaveMum]

I watched a random episode at the weekend and gosh darn it I had forgotten just how much I love this show!

Starting tonight I'm going to start rewatching the whole thing from the very beginning. Anyone want to join me, or just generally share the West Wing love?

Most of the women seem to be feminists, though. I love that bit when CJ talks about 'betraying the sisterhood' ...

'And I saw you, you, you, and YOU roll your eyes!'

'You're not even looking at me!'

'I felt you.'

How far on is that, feels like season 4 maybe?

Oh and can we give an honourable mention to Stockard Channing? For so many years she was "Rizzo from Grease", but no more! She is now Abby Bartlett!

beach how on earth did you notice that about Estevez? That's so cool!

I love how the do little details like that ... the way the young Mrs Landingham gets exactly the right inflections, too.

Oh did we all know about "Nancy" the recurring secretary? Apparently she is Martin Sheen's daughter.

[runs off to Google to double check she didn't imagine that "fact"]

Nope she is indeed Renee Estevez. Classic line in the final episode, Jed asks her to say hello to her mother and he'll be seeing more of her soon.

[dashes back in]

I was right! Nancy is played by Renee Estevez.

Ohhh, that is great! I am in aware of you both, I don't know any of this stuff ... just love the show.

X-post with tribpot I had noticed that line too!

Oh, and the Butterball Hotline :

Bartlet: Were we talking about something?
CJ: I don't know sir, when I came in here - back in the late 50s - there was a purpose to it but then one thing led to another and I blacked out. I mean, I can hang in there with the best of them, sir but somewhere during the conversation about anise and coriander and the other fifteen spices you like to use to baste a turkey I simply lost consciousness.
Bartlet: You know that line you're not supposed to cross with the President?
CJ: I'm coming up to it?
Bartlet: No, no, look behind you.

Ah I wish I could take credit for noticing, but Emilio and Martin were on the One show for their new movie, and they talked about shooting it then - the whole cast were teasing Martin for getting Emilio's name right all day as he is so bad with names.

One of the best things about the West Wing was how it evolved with the actors - Mandy was meant to be a whole big love story for Josh, and Donna had just one scene in the pilot. Then they saw the Donna-Josh chemistry and added in the "all the girls think you look hot in that shirt" scene and Sorkin just took their relationship from there. And thankfully got rid of Mandy. Thank God they didnt pursue the whole Mandy - Josh thing.

I am watching WW for the first time with DH by loaning box sets off various people. We are on episode 19 now and last night saw CJ doing the Jackal. Fantastic. I am enjoying it all so much but I'm a bit worried about coming back to read this thread in case of spoilers. Didn't get our fix of WW tonight and I'm getting twitchy. We've even got DS1 (aged 11) into it but just hoping there's nothing too naughty in any forthcoming plotlines..

The Butterball hotline episode reminds me of Leo on the phone to the newspaper crossword guys in the first episode about mis-spelling Gaddafi (sp?!): 'Who am I? It doesn't matter who I am, I'm just a concerned citizen but I can tell you I've met the man twice and I've ordered a pre-emptive strike on his country, and ...'

Love it. I do really enjoy the way both Bartlett and Leo come across as wonderfully clever, serious men ... but also completely and utterly useless at certain mundane things.

Ladymacnet we'll try not to post spoilers, or at least put up a big SPOILER sign first!

You don't need to worry about anything naughty in West Wing - they never swear, and while sex is hinted at, and occasionally you'll see 2 people in a bed you never see any "action".

God I love this show!

I love love love the WW. We first started watchng it when we had newborn twins! It kept us awake until last feed time. We have just started watching at all again from the beginning and they are 4.5 now. I can only remember the especially big storylines (don't know if that is just the passage of time or the fact we watched it the first time round in a sleep deprived fug!)

It is about the only thing DH and I enjoy watching together as there is nothing on the TV worth watching. Many an evening one of us mutters the words "Are we doing a west wing?"

My question is when we get to the end what other box set can we get that is like it? Something not violent but still quite grown up without that kind of teen feel that some things have. DH wants to try the Sopranos but I think it may have some violence in it and the older I get the more sqeamish I get about it!

sammy, have you watched Mad Men? A very good alternative - completely different, much slower in pace, but perfect in terms of subtlety and amazing characters and many-layered storylines.

Oooh I'm watching episode one now. Love CJ's prat fall!

cavemum great link to top quotes - thank you!

tribpot -well noticed on Emilio Estevez! Will have to watch that epi again soon

I was just going to comment on Jed's line to Nancy too but I was beaten too it.

We've got a great line coming up in our next epi (Season 2 -"Not in this White House") when Sam is on Capital Beat with Ainsley. Josh comes runnning into Toby's office and says "Sam's getting beat by a girl!" and Toby shouts "Quick, Ginger - get popcorn" as he rsuhes to the TV....

I would love to except dh and have watched it 4 times and every time we start it again we get sucked into watching 2 or 3 episodes a night!

love love the West Wing. Seen it through 4 times so far and am feeling the need for a 5th. Love episode 1. Love Mallory and Sam "well this is bad on so many levels." And when Bartlett enters with "I am the Lord your God" at the end-goosebumps every time

I always wanted to watch WW. Never caught it on TV.
Also i think it would have been overload, as i watched 24, Lost, Prison Break 1 & 2, .
If i manage to borrow it from someone/somewhere i'll come back to the thread.

(Also never caught Sapranos and always wanted to watch it)

I always thought that in reality a man like Jed Bartlet would be agnostic. But he is so very religious in these episodes

I adore the west wing and we are currently one series 5 and have to watch at least 3 episodes every night (though i admit to falling asleep at the opening credits of number 1 most nights, im saving them for night feeds in a few months time!)

love love WW. Don't own it all yet, but I will one day.

Everytime one of the actors is on TV we have a little weep about how fab they were in WW - especially Toby.

I also love Northern Exposure - which used a lot of the same actors.

Subtitles are great for the zipping along too fast bits.

Did anyone hear Martin Sheen on Desert Island Discs recently? Such a lovely man, and SO like Bartlet, although he was very careful to point out the differences.

I heard it too CJ. Thought he was very thoughtful and generous towards his family (now i understand why his Renee had a walk-on line in every show).

Sheen for President!