The West Wing
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944fan

Original Poster:

4,962 posts

216 months

Saturday 15th October 2011
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When this was first on in I watched in all the time. There was a long break between seasons and I never finished watching it (writers strike or something). Thought about getting the box set and watching it all again.

Is it as good as I remember, I worry I may find it self righteous and a bit up its self the second time round.


flat-planedCrank

3,697 posts

234 months

Saturday 15th October 2011
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944fan said:
When this was first on in I watched in all the time. There was a long break between seasons and I never finished watching it (writers strike or something). Thought about getting the box set and watching it all again.

Is it as good as I remember, I worry I may find it self righteous and a bit up its self the second time round.
It's still great smile the early seasons are best imo (with Aron Sorkin doing some/all of the writing)
Crackling script that pops and fizzes powered by some superb delivery - but as you point out its certainly a very 'liberal' and arguably rose-tinted look at the world. I watched it recently again - probably the 4th or 5th time I've watched the boxed set through smile

It's not perfect, but any minor flaws are easy to overlook - it's one of the great tv shows.

Edited by flat-planedCrank on Saturday 15th October 23:30

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Sunday 1st April 2012
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Recently got into 'The West wing'. I. Issued it first time round, probably because I thought it would be a drab political drama. How wrong I was. Absolutely love it. Currently going through season 4, and I think I am still in love with Donna.

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

256 months

Sunday 1st April 2012
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Just finished season 3 myself on another run through of the set.

It's a brilliant bit of telly. The smallest thing can be moving.

dom180

1,180 posts

295 months

Sunday 1st April 2012
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Very high standard indeed.

Funk

27,807 posts

240 months

Sunday 1st April 2012
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Yep, TV at its very best imo.

flat-planedCrank

3,697 posts

234 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
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Just restarted another watchthrough the whole lot smile Its just so well written...

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Thursday 19th April 2012
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Middle of Season 6... How can a show be this good, so consistently? It seems the guy behind it, Aaron Sorkin I think his name is, is doing another show about a network news channel. Will definitely be interested in that.

flat-planedCrank

3,697 posts

234 months

Thursday 19th April 2012
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TheHeretic said:
Middle of Season 6... How can a show be this good, so consistently? It seems the guy behind it, Aaron Sorkin I think his name is, is doing another show about a network news channel. Will definitely be interested in that.
He did a tv show show a few years ago called 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip', it only ran for 22 episodes though.

Personally, i'll watch almost any show / film if i see that Aaron Sorkin has done the screenplay. E.g. 'The Social Network', 'Moneyball'


Funk

27,807 posts

240 months

Thursday 19th April 2012
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Studio 60 wasn't really all 'that' unfortunately. I hoped it would be, but it wasn't. West Wing is by far his best work, but he left the show after series 4 and a very public battle with drugs.

The line between genius and insanity clearly is a fine one.


Mandat

4,653 posts

269 months

Friday 20th April 2012
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Funk said:
Studio 60 wasn't really all 'that' unfortunately. I hoped it would be, but it wasn't. West Wing is by far his best work, but he left the show after series 4 and a very public battle with drugs.

The line between genius and insanity clearly is a fine one.
Studio 60 has a number of the West Wing cast, although admittedly it is not as good as the West Wing.

I was a bit disappointed when I first saw it, but I have re-watched the series a couple more times and it has grown on me. The whole first season is only £8 on Play.com and I would say it's worth getting.

papercup

2,502 posts

250 months

Friday 20th April 2012
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Great TV, and I found it riveting when, in the last season, it left The White House almost completely and followed the campaign trails. Very interesting.

realjv

1,200 posts

197 months

Friday 20th April 2012
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TheHeretic said:
Middle of Season 6... How can a show be this good, so consistently? It seems the guy behind it, Aaron Sorkin I think his name is, is doing another show about a network news channel. Will definitely be interested in that.
Newsroom does look like a promising mix of familiar Sorkin themes. Possibly Sports Night ( which I love) mixed with the politics of The West Wing.

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Friday 20th April 2012
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One more season to go. Quite like the Santos character.

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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Mandat said:
Studio 60 has a number of the West Wing cast, although admittedly it is not as good as the West Wing.

I was a bit disappointed when I first saw it, but I have re-watched the series a couple more times and it has grown on me. The whole first season is only £8 on Play.com and I would say it's worth getting.
Found Studio 60 on iTunes. Bought it. The first 2 episodes seem very good thus far.

Funk

27,807 posts

240 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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TheHeretic said:
Mandat said:
Studio 60 has a number of the West Wing cast, although admittedly it is not as good as the West Wing.

I was a bit disappointed when I first saw it, but I have re-watched the series a couple more times and it has grown on me. The whole first season is only £8 on Play.com and I would say it's worth getting.
Found Studio 60 on iTunes. Bought it. The first 2 episodes seem very good thus far.
I just thought that for a show about a comedy show, the comedy show in question was completely uncomedic.

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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Funk said:
I just thought that for a show about a comedy show, the comedy show in question was completely uncomedic.
It doesn't come across as a comedy. Black humour in it, certainly, but it seems like a drama, very much like TWW from the 2 episodes I've seen this far.

Funk

27,807 posts

240 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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TheHeretic said:
Funk said:
I just thought that for a show about a comedy show, the comedy show in question was completely uncomedic.
It doesn't come across as a comedy. Black humour in it, certainly, but it seems like a drama, very much like TWW from the 2 episodes I've seen this far.
I mean that the show is about a 'SNL'-style show - which isn't very funny or very good.

Like I say, it wasn't bad but it wasn't brilliant either.

flat-planedCrank

3,697 posts

234 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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TheHeretic said:
It doesn't come across as a comedy. Black humour in it, certainly, but it seems like a drama, very much like TWW from the 2 episodes I've seen this far.
I've just started watching it also smile seems quite good, very West Wing as you said.

(...in fact, I think the credits and episode titles appear to use the same font as West Wing?! [/graphicsnerd])

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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Funk said:
I mean that the show is about a 'SNL'-style show - which isn't very funny or very good.

Like I say, it wasn't bad but it wasn't brilliant either.
Have you ever watched SNL? It really isn't very funny in reality, and nor is MAD TV either for that matter. The Daily show, and the Colbert report beat both those 'funny' shows into a crocked hat, (whatever that phrase means).

So Sorkin also did something called Sports Night... Anyone watched that? Its not to be found on iTunes, so I will have to obtain through nafarious means.

I had a peruse through IMDB with the stuff he did, and the list of movies I list as ones I enjoy was pretty good. a Few Good Men, and Moneyball in particular.

Edited by TheHeretic on Monday 23 April 08:36