I’ve just rewatched The West Wing Two Cathedrals. Please tell me there’s other tv shows that come close to this that I just haven’t seen yet.

[Woodfordhound]

For me this has got to be one of the greatest episodes of one of the greatest shows ever made. Alongside early ER, nothing else has yet come close to blowing me away like the acting and writing esp in this episode. Please tell me what you all found that filled the gap left by such tv genius. I probably watch TWW once every couple of years but I need something new to raise my emotions. Something to make me cry and marvel at the same time. Thank you.

nope. nothing as good. TWWW podcast is brilliant and as enjoyable as rewatching.

i do love Scandal, but its not the same sort of thing - far more schlocky

I've never seen past season 5 but Dh and I have spent the last few months working through the box set and we've nearly finished whole thing. It's just superb tv. Two cathedrals is my favourite episode by far, I must have seen it 6 or 7 times. The actress playing the young Mrs Landingham does such a good job.

Nope. Nothing as good.

I have never seen The West Wing. Looks like I missed something really good.

It's available to buy on Prime but I think it's about £20 per series. Does the Mumsnet jury think it's worth forking out for?

I am so envious of those in this thread who have never seen WW. 80sMum, yes, yes and yes again to the box set although I’m pretty sure Sky Atlantic just get to the end and start again so you could keep an eye on it and start recording them when it returns to the pilot.

And yes to the Latin. It worked so much better without subtitles. I was able to work out bits and pieces (convent education) but other bits I didn’t know but felt their power.
If you haven’t seen it, I probably sound mad but oh my gosh, it’s superb!

Nothing comes close.
The West Wing is the finest achievement in TV I've ever known.

I've watched the seven series on rotation for the last ten years? I'm even recording the Sky Atlantic repeats for comfort tv. They have been repeating them for at least two years to my recollection, and they do just start over again once the end is reached.

Sometimes I imagine Aaron being inspired to write more episodes. See how the Santos presidency works out....

Battlestar Galactica is a brutal post 911 science fiction version of West Wing.

Designated Survivor has moments that capture the beauty of it but they are fleeting and ultimately you feel cheapens by it... season 2 especially feels so close yet so far.

The Wire takes no prisoners. You get a new version of the theme tune each season and no one ever gets introduced. There are no recaps so you just need to keep up or drown. It is amazing.

West Wing has to be the best series for plot, writing and acting sustained across all 7 series. I'm watching the re-runs at the moment; The Hartsford's Landing episode, with the President playing chess with Sam and Toby. Had me wondering - the President says to Sam - 'You'll run for president one day of that I have no doubt'. Is it too soon for this to be the come back series - Sam running?

But ultimately beyond Battlestar Galactica nothing ever has or ever could compare to the sheer mastery of the craft that was The West Wing. Almost every show on TV needs a little time for you to get into it Star Trek: The Next Generation took nearly 3 seasons to get moving... but both of those shows just started perfectly and never stopped.

Nothing at all compares to them. One of the greatest moments in television history happened because the creator decided at the last minute to change direction with the show. Originally the President was never to appear and we'd only focus on the team around him. Sorkin quickly realised how contrived this would become but the first episode came out of the idea. We see the team working hard, making a crisis out of a minor incident and buzzing away like worker bees... then in he burst limping and quoting scripture and you realise you'll never see anything like this again. Whether it is learning why responses to terrorism are closely regulated or screaming at God in Latin whilst smoking in a cathedral... Or the most heart breaking use of Hallelujah... every episode has moments to break your heart or just make you feel.

Why does Battlestar come close? Moore et al use the filter of science fiction to look at politics, the constitution and religion in brave and original ways. After working on Deep Space 9 and being inspired by Roddenberry he realised that Gene's idea of exploring morality in space was amazing so he perfected it.

Compare the hideously brave idea of exploring the patriot act and what makes someone a terrorist in a world still reeling from 911 and the aftermath by flipping it round and making the good guys terrorists with anything on West Wing. The assassination attempt on Adama hit harder than the one on Bartlett because of who it came from. This is another show that made us truly question who we are...

That all said, I think we all know the correct answer. The series as a whole bounced between outstanding and meh but the final episode of MASH is still (and perhaps always will be) the most powerful thing ever filmed.

Oh and one more positive Battlestar is free with Prime membership but WW is £19 per season... thank goodness for the complete boxed set that cost a fraction of that.

Agree it's an awesome episode in an awesome series - We are currently around s4e18 in our 3rd full rewatch of the box set.

However I think there have been a number of series that stand similarly high. I echo a pp that if you like west wing you will like Battlestar Galactica (the reboot). Also (although you have to forgive a handful of terrible episodes because the wider arc-story is shear brilliance) - Babyl.on 5. Also Game of Thrones.

Not sure anything comes close to WW in non-sf genre though.

Never bettered. I really need to watch again from the beginning.

In the meantime, casting another vote for The West Wing Weekly podcast, as Mrs McGarry (!) mentioned upthread.

Bab 5 is incredible in scope and scale but suffers at many, many times with acting quality that would be more at home in a village amateur production.

Thrones, whilst mostly of similar quality, something's suffers from the same thing. It isn't as glaring as Bab 5 but go back and watch season 1... There are a few cringy moments amongst the sublime... but as you say BSG hides its own stinkers (I'm looking at you 'Black Market')

Designated Survivor started with a cracking premise - the constitutionally mandated succession to the presidency of a low-ranking cabinet secretary (who had in fact just been sacked!) in the midst of a terrorist atrocity that makes 9/11 almost pale into insignificance. Watching this new president find his feet and comfort and rally the nation while the FBI tracked down the perpetrators made it quite a gripping thriller for much of the first season.

But the second season (we have watched 4 episodes, I think, can’t realky keep track) is frankly embarrassing. The earnestness of the president and the senior staff is nauseating, the preening and pouting of Emily and Aaron is eye-rolling and the “thriller” aspect of Hannah chasing whoever the hell she is after is boring now. Shame. West Wing it ain’t.

No, I don't think so. Remember reading about a priest's reaction to the scene in the cathedral.

Found it

SORKIN: We shot the service at the National Cathedral, and during rehearsals there were a number of clergy standing around watching. I walked up to a priest who was standing nearby and said, "Excuse me, Father? I think you should know that in the scene we're about to do Martin Sheen is going to curse at God." He smiled and said, "I know, it's gonna be great."

I think that TWW is my favourite ever US show along with The Sopranos, followed closely by Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire and The Americans.

I'm watching Billions currently and is is gripping.

Loved Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies.

But no, nothing is quite as brilliant as TWW or The Sopranos. That said, I have not yet watched GoT, Homeland or Six Feet Under, which are many people's top US shows.

We've actually lost track of how many times we've watched WW. Watching again with DD at the moment.

DH really doesn't like anything too brutal or depressing, so we haven't done The Wire or Breaking Bad, and we had to stop watching Mad Men.

We are enjoying Justified, but I don't think the writing is quite up there with any of the other shows I've mentioned. Almost, but not quite.

The really unexpected find was Friday Night Lights. Don't let the football thing or the set in a high school thing put you off, and give it a good three or four episodes, but it is really wonderful. It makes an uncharacteristic misstep at the beginning of season 2, but apart from that all five seasons are just fantastic.

The end of Six Feet Under is the most wrenching and ambitious emotional experience TV has to offer, IMO.

The West Wing and The Wire are my all time favourites but only the former stands up to rewatching again and again especially as stand alone episodes.

I'm so envious of people here that have never seen The West Wing. I'd love to go into it with virgin eyes and ears again.

It's my favourite TV series of all time.

Yes, yes to the Wire.

Six Feet Under was great too.

I am thinking of rewatching the Sopranos. Not sure if I can be bothered. What channel is Friday Night Lights on?

ButteredScone I don't know what channel FNL is on - we picked up the DVDs for a song on eBay.

I have watched the WW pilot twice - once at the time and again a few years ago but wasn't gripped by it. I find Rob Lowe unconvincing in most things. Is it worth another try, or is it maybe not just for me? Should I have been griped from the start? I did love Breaking Bad, The Wire, The Sopranos and The Good Wife/Good Fight which, at their best, are great.

The first couple of episodes are hard to get into, mainly because of the awful Mandy. It's so worth persevering though as by season end she just disappears never to be spoken of again.