BartlettNet - The West Wing Appreciation Society - May Contain Spoilers!

[CaveMum]

A thread for the discussion of West Wing - the best tv show ever made!

If you haven't seen all 7 Seasons be aware that this thread may contain spoilers!

"Hunting season on me is over" - it is my ambition to use this phrase at least once during the course of my career.

I loved the bit where CJ, MrsB, Donna, Amy all go and get shitfaced at some dinner (Donna can't go because she's the plot device Canadian. They're discussing the whole MS thing and then Donna loses her rag and says something along the lines of 'Oh, Mrs. Bartlet, for crying out loud, you were also a doctor when your husband said, ?Give me the drugs, and don?t tell anybody,? and you said, ?Okay.? Oh, my God. You switched back to First Lady' and then they all just look horrified.

At a slight tangent, did anyone watch The Social Network purely because it was Aaron Sorkin? I did having heard Mark Kermode review it and say it was a shame it was being plugged as 'the Facebook movie' as it was basically a courtroom drama with snappy Sorkin dialogue. He was so right - we watched it and despite it being long and very little happening the time just raced by...

Dead Irish Writers - love the bit where they can't get the corkscrew to work.

I haven't seen The Social Network, not sure why given I am a massive Sorkinophile. It just didn't sound like a sufficiently interesting story to go to the cinema for .

Speaking of other Sorkin shows ....I adore Studio 60. Blinking raging that it was cancelled after only 1 series.

I really enjoyed The Social Network, but you're right - not a lot actually happens! Fabulous dialogue though.

I never quite got into Studio 60, I think it was always on tv on an evening I was usually out.

Oh, The Social Network is FAB. As Mark Kermode/Acekicker said, it's a fantastic courtroom drama and the dialogue is sharp and sassy and funny and makes you laugh and makes you feel a little bit cleverer, just like WW. It's also about timeless themes of friendship, rivalry, jealousy, trust and betrayal. It is so not just 'a film about Facebook'. Everyone in it is amazing as well and Andrew Garfield and Jesse Eisenberg are both hot hot hot.

Anyone else love A Few Good Men? I was gutted to miss the stage production starring none other than Rob Lowe.

Didn't see the stage production but yes, the film is a classic!

I liked Studio 60, especially as it gave Matthew Perry another chance to show that he wasn't just 'Chandler' (I'd liked him in the WW bringing about Hoynes downfall). The problem was they raced through the last few episodes to tie up the plot which made it all feel very odd - I seem to remember it had been axed, then reprieved, then definitely axed or something like that. Whilst it was nice to have the plots 'resolved' it spoiled the flow of it.

OK, finally weakened and am joining up! Total Wingnut here, love it love it love. Never watched on TV, got the box set about 3 yrs ago and can honestly say it 'changed my life'. OK so it's just a TV show, but it made me interested in things I had no idea about, it made me get what was going on with the 2008 election, and it made me able to say more impressive things in meetings at work (LOL!).

I too liked Studio 60, although it was less 'noble' feeling than WW (a TV show is not the White House), but when I started watching WW I always thought Brad Whitford reminded me a little of Matt Perry, and then when Matt Perry was in WW, I thought they bounced off each other really well, so wish S60 could have gone on longer as I thought that pairing worked well together and would like to see more of it.

Anyway, back to WW, I too am a big CJ fan, and would also have liked to have seen more of Hoynes. Whilst he wasn't totally a 'good guy', I think his flawed character was interesting and believable and deserved more screen time and I think Tim Matheson was great.

Oh and Josh, totally.

D

I liked Hoynes too, thwarted and resentful and impatiently waiting his turn. Also that there was so much tension between him and Bartlet.

Wonder what the VP actually does? There were scenes of Hoynes with grannies and quilts and then what looked like policy meetings. Seemed to be separate from the WW.

Only when Will became Russell's CoS did the VP seem more involved with daily stuff in the WW. Though I thought it a bit odd that Will took the job when he seemed much more idealistic and clued up when he ran the Wilde campaign in Ca. Did he really think Russell would win?

I thought it odd too that as VP COS, Will was always hanging around the senior staff meetings etc. and very involved in the WW, but we hardly ever heard from Hoynes's COS. I'm not sure if it can be like that (as in VP can be as close or distant from WW as each administration decides), or if there are set things that they would/wouldn't be involved in.

You're right about the change from the Wilde campaign (when he wouldn't toe the party line and refused to close the campaign when the DNC asked him to), to saying Russell is the Dem's front runner therefore I support him and I will do what it takes to get a Dem (any Dem) elected? I think his frustration with Bartlett/Leo/Toby and message calendars was clear and it was probably a timing thing - he thought he would get to mold Russell into what he thought the President should be, but still, you would think he would still need to believe in the guy in his own right.

D

Partly a plot thingy though (TV technical term there) so they'd have Will (with Russell in background) versus Josh (with Santos in foreground).

I enjoyed the whole primaries and convention episodes so much I'm turning a blind eye to my doubts about Will becoming CoS. And to his relationship with Kate Harper. Though that scene at the party where they eye each other up is v believeable. Just don't think it would have been any more than a one-nighter.

There is that bit though when Will asks Toby to help him with Russell. He says something like they chose Russell as VP so must have seen something in him. Then Toby points out they didn't really choose him, Haffley did. Think Will is seen to be too far in by then though. Agree that it sets up Will vs Josh very well.

fiderer it's funny what you say about the campaigns and primaries etc. because the firs few campaign episodes, the first I watched, I hated, because they were all cold and grey and people we didn't know, versus glossy warm White House with all our old friends, then as they went on I got more hooked on the campaign side and felt the White House episodes were interfering with the 'proper' plot of the campaign side. Now I've watched them all countless times, I like the build up to the start of the campaigns (J&D falling out etc.) as I know there's some good stuff to come, and I always liked the political maneouvering type storylines, probably more than the 'how noble are we' type ones, so the campaign bits are ace.

Thinking about it, I think we're probably supposed to feel like the start of the campaign is a bit grey and cold and depressing, because it would have been, then as it heats up you get more and more engaged and really start rooting for Santos to win (although I also think Vinnick is a bit of a hero).

I feel like I should now apologise for getting so wrapped up in this and over-thinking it, but I'm hoping that on a thread of self-confessed wingnuts there is no need for that???

D

Deliaskis - no! I thought the same, cold and grey and who's he (Santos, and I didn't get the Patients Bill of Rights Bill thing for ages) versus the warm and witty and familiar WW. Only appreciated it after multiple viewings, for which I make no excuses, as am in WW land here.

I was watching it last night and thinking how amazing it is that Charlie, on his (I think) $600 a week job, had so much knowledge and contact. Much more than a "Body man" who only carries the President's luggage.

I think most of the White House workers are on pretty average pay. Didn't CJ say (in flashback) that she was earning $500,000 a year at the California agency?

I think most of the senior staff earn $150,000+ p.a. Read an article in the Washington Post once but am too lazy to check it. They earn less than they would in the private sector but considerably more than Charlie on his $600 a week who has unlimited access. CJ's $600 a week was for the campaign.

Watched "Hartsfield's Landing" last night. Donna being sent out to get the Flanders family to vote for Bartlet was daft, I thought. Although typically Josh.

The whole chess thing was great. I liked Bartlet moving between Sam and Toby, Sam working out the Chinese/Taiwan manoeuvres as if they were chess moves and Bartlet saying to Sam, "See the whole board" and "You'll be president one day, don't be scared"

Not sure if I like the Bartlet and Toby scenes about Bartlet's dad.

But Charlie and CJ, the phone, access, desk - v funny. Shows also (labouring the point now) he has much more influence than a mere staffer. Should earn more!
Why this annoys me, I do not know.

am on maternity leave at the mo and have just started re watching the WW from the beginning. just finished season 2. Forgot how addictive it is! DD very conveniently breastfeeds for about 45 min each time which is the length of an episode yay!

She's currently asleep so should probably get cracking on season 3......

Forgive me if this has been done, but

Which leads to this

Game on boyfriend!

Abbey, CJ, Lou, Ainsley, Donna, Deborah Fidderer and Annabeth rock!

I wouldn't describe Helen Santos as fabulous but she is very plausible WASP Ice-Queen-meets-passionate-Latino and I do like that they made her savvy and well-informed but sometimes she comes across a bit too snarky and snogs Santos too often

Amy and Mandy make my teeth itch.

Kate Harper and Zoe - meh!

New York I bought the box set as I had only seen half season 6 and season 7 while bf a newborn. Absolutely wonderful way to get through growth spurts. DD got seriously demand fed and I got WW

aah Bruno... I heart Bruno, he kicks ass!

In real life that is...

Oh ffs stupid phone. Post was supposed to say the weird thing was that IRL Bruno was married to the woman who played Kathy in The Bill...