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.

I have just started a rewatch as a result of reading this thread 😊 love it

Newsroom is currently on demand on Sky Atlantic.

I just watched the episode where Leo’s daughter Malory asks Sam out and Sam and the president conspire to make him spend the night writing a birthday message for the Assistant Under-Secretary for Transport’s 50th — and he and Toby get so involved they keep at it even when the hoax is uncovered — and the president keeps Josh up till 2 am talking about national parks. And lots of Danny-CJ flirtation.

There are so many brilliant episodes. I think my favourite is Toby meeting the Poet Laureate. We see a different side of him - less angst.

This is one of my favourites, especially the final scenes.

Damn all your eyes but I started a rewatch. I do tend to start at s2 mostly because of Mandy.

Troy doesn't like to be touched.....

I've found my people!!

Started a rewatch 3 weeks ago. Series 3 fighting the re-election as the 'heavy weight' and 'the smartest kid in room' really made me think about how dumbed down our own politics has become in the UK. There's a strange comfort in watching this fictional portrayal instead of Truss and her team of intellectual minnows.

The writing is just incredible even 20 years later.

I can never thank my favourite teacher enough (who bore more than a passing resemblance to Toby Zeigler) for encouraging me to watch this when it was first aired and I was taking A Level politics.

On this re-watch I've also realised how much I absorbed about the power of language to communicate and influence.

Much like the work of STP, I agree with a previous poster who said you take something new from it every time.

I always remember, in the days before freeview, watching the end of series 1 and the cliffhanger and running through to my mum and begging to buy a tv package that had More 4 as they were starting series 2 early 😂

I've now found the podcast !

The part where Toby's wife is trying to tell him she wants to end their relationship while he's showing her round a house he wants to buy them. They both break my heart.

The episode where the actor who played Leo has really died and they have to act Leo having died. The whole cast's shock and grief is palpable.

Lighter notes:
The entirety of Lily Tomlin's tour de force performance as Deborah Fiderer.

The part where Toby has to do a press briefing and asks afterwards (I paraphrase, I haven't watched it for years), 'On a scale of 1 to 10, if 10 is CJ and 1 is a monkey throwing faeces, how was I?'

The storyline where Josh posts in a chatroom about himself and CJ finds out. (again, I paraphrase):
CJ: If I find out you've been on that site again, I'm going to shove a motherboard so far up your ass... what?
Josh: Well, technically, I outrank you.
CJ: So far up your ass!
<Josh flees>

CJ rules.

Yes to all of these!

I sob each time I watch the episode where Leo dies. You absolutely can see the real grief on the casts faces as the loss of their friend.

And I just love CJ.

John Spencer who played Leo was only 58 when he died. I must admit he did look older. :(

I always thought one of the reasons they have such a good turn out from actors at Leo’s funeral is because the actors themselves wanted to pay respects in some way :(

I'm in the middle of Series 2 on my rewatch - and during a shitty week this has made me both laugh and cry. There's a deep humanity in it and as so many have said - fantastic characters. I've got it on while I'm working but will stop for two cathedrals .

Carrying the coffin ... 😭😭😭

"ShadowPuppets
I always thought one of the reasons they have such a good turn out from actors at Leo’s funeral is because the actors themselves wanted to pay respects in some way :(

Carrying the coffin ... 😭😭😭"

Gets me every time I watch it. I cry each time

I've found my people Yanbu op!

My dad was a massive fan of the show when I was a kid and last winter in the depths of cold January I borrowed his box set and me and DH worked through them. I was absolutely bereft when we finished it, so did the only sensible thing and started from the beginning again and I've now watched most episodes about 3 times

Series 1-4 is quite obviously superior what with the Sorkin quality to the writing for me but I still like 5-7 as well. The family vibe of the senior staffers and their best friends/brother sister relationships just makes me feel so warm inside.

My favourite character is CJ (If I have a DD one day she might end up being caller Claudia..) ultimate boss girl and I looooooove Danny Concannon - wish he was in it more and I often think about his final scene with CJ "I want us to talk because I love the sound of your voice".

I have so many favourite moments and episodes, in the shadow of two gunmen being a highlight where we find out how the gang all came together. Any flashbacks to the campaign and their early days in office I just love. The run up to the series 2 finale with the reveal of the MS, Mrs Landingham and then the series 3 opening two parter I think is fabulous. Obviously I like the more comedic episodes as well - Woot canaw will never not be funny.

So lovely to read this thread and hear everyone else's favourite moments and characters.

I'm strangely attracted to Jed Bartlett

I had dinner with Martin Sheen about fifteen years ago — not solo, we were guests at the same dinner party. He was hilarious. (And not un-hot, actually despite the fact that Toby (and after him Leo) head my fanciable West Wing list.

Such a lovely thread - thank you @BlueRaincoat1.

If had to watch only one television series for the rest of my life I’d choose TWW. It has everything.

I have a particular soft spot for Josh and CJ but really they are all such great characters. When I finished the last season I felt bereft - like I was missing real friends.

I’m definitely scheduling a rewatch for this winter. As others have said, it’s my happy place.

You're not alone
He sounds lovely in real life too from what Vegan says.

Please, please listen to the podcast - the cast are all so lovely when interviewed and, bar Richard Schiff's understandable issues with the way Toby's storyline went, all talk with so much love about their time on the show.

Are we ready to get into the controversy that is "The Jackal" yet?!

I do NOT understand the whole "Jackal" thing.

All I know about The Jackal (and I may be wrong; happy to be corrected) is that it was an in-joke as it was a party piece of Allison Janney's IRL.

I'm gonna come out and say it, I LOVE the Jackal. Don't judge me