LTTP: West Wing

[Dr. Feel Good]

I was concerned that the topic of this show would be incredibly boring but after season 1 I'm incredibly impressed at how good of a show this is despite being 20 years old. The performances, the writing, the subject matter, the characters... all amazing. Does this show stay legit all the way through? I know Sorkin leaves after season 4, but still worth watching?

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

IMO Seasons 1-4 are really solid, 5 & 6 are mediocre and season 7 picks back up as it focuses on an election campaign. Even with the so-so story going on the performances by the cast are all phenomenal and well worth pushing though anything feeling like a slog. Alison Janney (CJ), Bradley Whitford (Josh), Janel Moloney (Donna), and Richard Schiff (Toby) in particular were some of my favorites.

 

[dots]

Yeah, 5 and 6 are kinda rough, but late in 6 it picks back up and 7 is really solid.

Don't forget to listen to the west wing weekly as you watch.

You're in for a treat with season two. The last few episodes are maybe the best tv ever.

 

[Taki]

IMO Seasons 1-4 are really solid, 5 & 6 are mediocre and season 7 picks back up as it focuses on an election campaign. Even with the so-so story going on the performances by the cast are all phenomenal and well worth pushing though anything feeling like a slog. Alison Janney (CJ), Bradley Whitford (Josh), Janel Moloney (Donna), and Richard Schiff (Toby) in particular were some of my favorites.

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Season 5 is the low point but they refine their footing in the second half of 6 and finally 7. It comes to a satisfying conclusion.

 

[TheDutchSlayer]

I was concerned that the topic of this show would be incredibly boring but after season 1 I'm incredibly impressed at how good of a show this is despite being 20 years old. The performances, the writing, the subject matter, the characters... all amazing. Does this show stay legit all the way through? I know Sorkin leaves after season 4, but still worth watching?

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YESSSSSSSS a new fellow west wing show !!! Awesome :D

Best tv show ever made S1-4 are increbile 5-6 are ok 7 is better.

Any questions just ask me or here I have seen S01-4 about 18 times and I know most eps on top of my head
And yes 10000% make sure to listen to West Wing weekly.

S02 is incredible and make sure you post after recognizing this screenshot:

 

[Deleted member 9932]

All seasons are good beyond their finales and season openers (besides Season 2, where the finale is the best episode of the show). Off course Sorkin leaving is detrimental to the show though.

 

[Taki]

OP please come back here after you're through with season 2 and provide your impressions

Dat 17 people

 

[Scullibundo]

Season 2 Finale is the greatest hour of television ever.

Series takes a steep decline in quality once Sorkin leaves and never recovers. I don't know why people find Season 7 okay. Boring as hell.

Once Sorkin leaves, a bunch of characters you love start being character assasinated (not acting at all like themselves).

 

[GitarooMan]

Season 7 works because Alison Janney absolutely carries it; she puts on an amazing perfomance. But S1-4 are amongst the best TV ever.

 

[Scullibundo]

TBH even Season 4 sees a pretty big decline and you can sense Sorkin getting ready to bail.

The introduction of Will Bailey is where the series starts declining.

 

[Taki]

Season 2 Finale is the greatest hour of television ever.

Series takes a steep decline in quality once Sorkin leaves and never recovers. I don't know why people find Season 7 okay. Boring as hell.

Once Sorkin leaves, a bunch of characters you love start being character assasinated (not acting at all like themselves).

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I like 17 People better in terms of payoff. Check out this great website (spoilers for season 2): http://seventeenpeople.com/

 

[Scullibundo]

I like 17 People better in terms of payoff. Check out this great website (spoilers for season 2): http://seventeenpeople.com/

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lol the opening paragraph of that site even admits the Season 2 finale is better. But I do absolutely love 17 People.

 

[Taki]

lol the opening paragraph of that site even admits the Season 2 finale is better. But I do absolutely love 17 People.

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Damn. Well Toby's my favorite character and it has my favorite scene of his!

 

[firehawk12]

The Democratic Primary season was not bad. I think it's just easier if you look at everything after Season 4 as a spinoff and not the same show though.

 

[BossAttack]

The show is amazing but also makes me extremely depressed today. It's amazing how people got on Sorkin for making Ritchie a Bush punching bag, which he was, but people thought it was unrealistic. Now, Ritchie would seem like the smartest Republican. Instead, it's Arnold Vinnick that's the completely unrealistic fantasy Republican candidate.

 

[Taki]

The show is amazing but also makes me extremely depressed today. It's amazing how people got on Sorkin for making Ritchie a Bush punching bag, which he was, but people thought it was unrealistic. Now, Ritchie would seem like the smartest Republican. Instead, it's Arnold Vinnick that's the completely unrealistic fantasy Republican candidate.

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Some of the "scandals" in the show are quaint by comparison with IRL right now. Government shutdown over a 3% difference in government spending? lol.

I'd like to see a Trump version of this:

 

[firehawk12]

Hah, speaking of Obama, apparently he wanted to "pull a Bartlet" and walk down to the Capitol building during the Baynor shutdown.

 

[Miles]

The show is amazing but also makes me extremely depressed today. It's amazing how people got on Sorkin for making Ritchie a Bush punching bag, which he was, but people thought it was unrealistic. Now, Ritchie would seem like the smartest Republican. Instead, it's Arnold Vinnick that's the completely unrealistic fantasy Republican candidate.

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I wouldn't shed a single tear if a republican even remotely similar to Arnold Vinick won the presidency. I am a California Democrat forever, and I would've voted for Santos anyway but Vinick stood as what a president SHOULD be like. Decades of experience with public office and foreign affairs, and didn't define his campaign by saying "We'll stop all the babies being born and we're going to resort to personal attacks to win."

On topic, I watched West Wing for the first time at the end of 2016 and since then i've watched the whole series once a year since. Such a spectacular show. Heavily agree with those saying that the last few episodes of season 2 are some of the best TV out there. The church scene in particular was powerful.

 

[Deleted member 198]

best show

 

[BossAttack]

I wouldn't shed a single tear if a republican even remotely similar to Arnold Vinick won the presidency. I am a California Democrat forever, and I would've voted for Santos anyway but Vinick stood as what a president SHOULD be like. Decades of experience with public office and foreign affairs, and didn't define his campaign by saying "We'll stop all the babies being born and we're not going to resort to personal attacks to win."

On topic, I watched West Wing for the first time at the end of 2016 and since then i've watched the whole series once a year since. Such a spectacular show. Heavily agree with those saying that the last few episodes of season 2 are some of the best TV out there. The church scene in particular was powerful.

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Vinick was too good, even though I'm a liberal Democrat. I likely would've voted for Vinick in real life, I especially liked that he was an Atheist. Him refusing to bow to the Christian Conservative right in the party really sealed my respect for him. He was also pro-nuclear power which was another great thing. Matt Santos was against it and jumped on the disaster to paint it as terrible.

 

[Watershed]

It's a great show, probably the best political drama I've ever watched. Some seasons and storylines drag, the formula gets a little repetitive over time and good portions of the later seasons depart too far from political reality but overall it is a fantastic show. I haven't been able to rewatch any since Trump though for some reason.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

best show

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John Spencer was such a good actor in this series.