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?

Full box set is £54.99 on Amazon

A final fun fact for those that are new to West Wing: the character of Matt Santos, who becomes a regular in the final two seasons, was based on a little known US Senator at the time. His name? Barak Obama. Funnily enough, the guy they based the character of Josh Lyman on (Rahm Emmanuel) ended up being Barak Obama's Chief of Staff.

We are first time West Wingers, and have been watching 2 episodes a night, we have just started season 5. I love everyone in it, but also add my name to the list of Mandy haters.

But it's a spoiler of sorts as it is a very funny episode so don't watch if you are a first timer

(God I am really, really sad)

I have never seen an episode, not one. Is it really that good? Am tempted by the boxed set too.

Am a massive fan of ER and currently working my way through from episode one, usually managing 3 episodes a night.

Have rewatched it too recently to re-rewatch it JUST yet but give me a few weeks but I will certainly join in with the WW love.

Love CJ doing The Jackal
Love Leo on CJ's perfume when she's all dolled up for a posh night: 'My mother used to wear White Shoulders. [beat] Not as much ...'
Love Toby, throughout, his timing and his wryness. Also the scene walking on the beach, deeply uncomfortable and accused of never having been on a beach before: 'I like a hotel. I like a good concierge'.

Missgreeneyes

It is that good. If you like ER you will love The West Wing. Just get through the first few episodes - it starts off a bit cheesy and then finds its stride.

We are starting on The SHield soon.

I only caught a little of dessert island disks. So why does Renee get a line in every show?

Oh I miss it! I used to watch 2 or 3 a night then have West Wing style dreams!

DH and I started watching this about a month ago (after watching the complete Box set of the Wire). We havent seen it before and are currently halfway through series 3. Not as good as the first two I think.

OMG! I'm watching the big block of cheese episode and have just noticed that Sam's appointment was with Ted from Scrubs - my other favourite tv show

DH and I spend so much time spotting people from the West Wing. E.g. Sue Sylvester from Glee is a reporter in the press pool.

Did two more episodes tonight: just 2 more to go and we've done series one :)

ooooh

I'm excited for you LadyMacnet.

And lucky you, you'll be able to go straight on to S2 without the agonising wait those of us who watched it when it was first on telly had to endure :)

Bumper oooooo, I've not seen her before!
Obviously we have "Dr Lisa Cuddy" from House, but I also love the cameos- Glenn Close, Matthew Perry, etc.

The "replacement" doctor from the last series of Northern Exposure, and his wife were both in West Wing, but thats all I can think of. She was Helen Santos and he was an Aide, to the Senator that Josh told to "take your legislative agenda and shove it up your ass."

I love playing "spot the west wing actor" too, ER has to be the best for it - but especially Josh's performance in "Love's Labour Lost" which is an incredible episode. I suppose ER is the American equivalent of Casualty for actor-spotting,

Sue Sylvester's in loads of stuff - she's the estate agent who sells Monica and Chandler their house too!

DS had such a long feed and nap in the sling yesterday I watched four episodes! Heaven

Crap spot the actor post -anyone remember cheesy 80's show Kate & Allie? Mallory was the daughter of one of them.
I loved all of the series but especially loved the first few ones, before they got a bit jaded and scarred by their time in office. I wanted to be playing poker with them with Jed lecturing me on which fruit had seeds on the outside. And be there for his chilli dinner. And watch CJ do the Jackal. I could go on....

Norman Tebbitt - the phrase "My guys are going to need a minute" says it all!

Spekaing of actor cross overs - the actress playing Gina (Zoe's first bodyguard) is a resident in series 5 of ER (currently on Sky Atlantic, which is why I spotted it)

ok I've got to come back on this one tho' I should be working!
beachholiday and octopusinabox maybe "lots" is an exageration - it's just that being such a NE fan back in the day I really noticed actors when they turn up somewhere else.

I haven't actually watched WW for ages so this is off the top of my head and the cast is so large over the years it has to be more but without spending hours on IMDb:
Teri Polo as you've noticed and the guy who played her husband in NE (Paul Provenza) was in WW
The psychiatrist (Stanley someone?) was played by Adam Arkin who played Adam in NE, and the woman who played Eve in NE turned up in at least one ep of WW.

... Um can't think of anymore... You could be right....

Also a good Thirtysomething crossover - Timothy Busfield and the woman who played Hope who's name I can't remember turned up as a senator? congresswoman? is that the same thing - I obviously need to watch it again to remember how American politics work!

Wasn't the actress who played Helen Santos also in Meet The Parents?

Yes - that's her - playing Pam (wife of Ben Stiller's character - daughter of Robert De Niro's character)

I was a teensy bit in love with Leo, in a father-figure kind of way :)