I have made the terrible mistake of starting to watch The West Wing again

[BlueRaincoat1]

... on Prime.

Sigh. I have watched it all before, but not in years. Maybe 10 years. I love it so much. I'll never get to bed at a reasonable hour again 😫So many episodes!

What are your favourite scenes? Best episodes? It's so brilliant, every time.

when meetings go round and round in circles at work with no one making a decision but also trying to be “nice” I imagine what it would like to be Toby and tell them they’re all idiots and storm out.
my job isn’t quite so prestigious (by a long way) but one day I will be called upon and live up to his example.

I love the pilot and the first two episodes of Series 2. Basically I agree, the best tv series ever made. We’ve watched it at least 5 times, quote from it all the time and can’t understand people who haven’t watched it.

I literally just came across a photo of me and Toby Ziegler five mins ago! Everyone was queuing up to see Martin Sheen, who had been giving a talk, and Richard Schiff was just chatting to a couple of people so I bounded over to talk.

I've never watched it! I think I should! Is it free to watch?

I love it, the best show ever. End of season two when they all fall in line behind Bartlet and brothers in arms plays gives me goosebumps every time

Best tv series, DH and I have watched it about 5 times and 15 yr old DD loves it too now! Agree with all the episodes mentioned, the root canal episode, Danny sitting in the press room watching Josh unravel after he warned Josh to go carefully (Josh says something arrogant about being able to match the Socratic wit of the press room). Josh asking the president to say the cigarette he got from a journalist was ‘for a friend’.

We say “that happened fast” and “I drink from the keg of glory” all the time.

Only character who I didn’t enjoy was Mandy in series one, so glad she was written out. Too shouty and not funny in my view.

Other posters have mentioned it but I highly recommend tuning into the West Wing Weekly podcast as you watch along. It really adds an extra dimension, particularly for a rewatch. They have loads of guests from the production team, writing staff, cast and guests who can just help add context to the issues raised etc.

Strongly agree re Mandy.

Me too. Didn't like her character at all.

Curious - as you are my tribe - what other tv comes 4th or 5th for you? Assuming West Wing takes 1st, 2nd and 3rd 😁. I tried lots of the really big popular series but didn’t enjoy (don’t like too much sex or domestic violence).

I did enjoy:
Yellowstone (Prime)
Morse/Lewis/Frost (old)
Slow Horses (Apple)
Tehran (Apple)

I love this show.

I've only watched it once, alone.
I really want to watch it again, with the love of my life (have to find him first) and just enjoy the wit, the characters, the heart and the fabulousness of it all with another person.

I don't think my life is going that way, so when I give in on that dream I'll re-watch it again (with lots of cats I expect).

I got an email from someone in Cleveland recently, it took all of my control to not respond with a 'oh meo, oh mio, oh Cleveland Ohio!'.

I may have watched the West Wing too much. Is that possible?

Hmm
In no particular order I really liked all of these:

The Good Wife
The Handmaid's Tale
Parks and Recreation
Greys Anatomy
Chernobyl (miniseries)
Peaky Blinders
The Boys (weird but cool)
Boston legal
The Practice
Fleabag

Rewatching now too as am currently off work recuperating from an operation, so it's comfort viewing. It's so brilliant. I hug myself with glee and sob and laugh. I love them all so much.

So many favourites already mentioned, so my quote contribution is Sam on schools:

"Mallory, education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. That's my position. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet."

Friday Night Lights is right up there for me. It's such wonderful television.

And Bones has the same ensemble feeling, even if the show is very formulaic. I love the cast.

Honourable mention to The Good Wife.

Sigh. Oh I do love the idealism. I don't think any other show has made me want to be a better person quite as much as the West Wing. You describe the feeling of watching it really well.

That made me laugh as I say that every time I hear Cleveland or Ohio 😂😂

Definitely cannot watch it too much!

I have had a terrible crush on Bradley Whitford. I have watched the whole series 5 times. It all very embarrassing, really. :)

Series 1-3 were outstanding. Then Aaron Sorkin left. I didn't actually get past season 4 but am planning to watch the entire thing again. It is so good. I last watched it all in 2011

DH had watched it several times so I'd seen some episodes - We then watched it all from start to finish earlier this year. .loved it and like previous people made me want to work 'in the bartlett administration' or something similar. not sure real life politics is the same though!

You’ll have to fight me for him 😄

I so enjoyed it when first broadcast. The scene that comes straight to mind is when Donna calls her old school teacher on the day of her retirement to offer congratulations. I forget why but she calls her from the Oval Office. The President is there and quietly encourages Donna to tell her old teacher where she is calling from.

I've never seen it but it's ON THE LIST for November

Oh this is making me so nostalgic. Haven’t done a full re-watch in years, I can feel one coming on this winter.

Montalbano is a gorgeous series (I can’t remember who wanted recommendations) you should be able to get many on iplayer as it was shown on BBC4.

I've been looking for something new to watch. Sounds like this is it