Sadly, we come to the end of our week highlighting The West Wing. And while we could write hundreds of additional articles on CJ’s wardrobe, and the many biblical references spouted by Jed Bartlet, we need to move on to other matters of television importance.

However, as we leave you with one last look at the series, and probably one of the most important turning points, we want to know what you thought of this little experiment. Did it keep your interest? Or did you really not give two poops about it? If you did enjoy it, then the next logical question is: would you want us to do it again?

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The first season of The West Wing was some great drama. Mixing political and social commentary with deft humor and pop culture references, the show gave us a number of entertaining and thought-provoking episodes. There were hints of bigger and more dramatic events during the season, but nothing so earth-shattering that it changed the dynamic of the series.

That is, until the second season premiere. With the assassination attempt of Presidential aide Charlie Young, the series Blew the Hatch and became a different show. Not in a bad way, mind you. On the contrary; what the multi-part episode “In the Shadow of Two Gunmen” did was set the stage for a more vibrant program, with an enhanced cast of characters.

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“It’s the characters, stupid!” I know you’ve heard me say it before: the most important piece of any good drama — be it television, film, literature, or theater — is having good characters. On my favorite show, it’s easy to identify my favorite: Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman … sure he has a different title by show’s end, but this one kind of defines him.

Josh is my favorite because I identify with him the most. I think, from a personality perspective, we are pretty similar (my father always says I’m more like Sam, but lets be honest: is there anyone out there that could compare Sam’s optimism with my … well … me-ism)? So, I’ve put together a list of reasons why Josh would totally be, like, my BFF. Forever.

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When you think about it, there are only a few TV shows that have aired over the last 50-plus years that have had memorable Christmas episodes. Shows like M*A*S*H, All in the Family, Little House on the Prairie, and ER.

You can add The West Wing to this list, as well. While not on for as long as some of those other programs (although seven seasons is pretty damn good), its holiday episodes always stood out. Particularly three of them, which featured profiles on Josh and Toby.

But more on those episodes in a bit. What made the holiday installments of TWW so memorable were two things. One was the decorations. I don’t know how much Aaron Sorkin and his crew spent on a yearly basis, but the decorations inside the West Wing set were amazing. Other than in the offices themselves, every inch of the hallways that these people walked and talked through (a trademark of a Sorkin series) glittered with holiday lights and decorations. Even the darkest rooms, like the Bartlet’s wood-paneled dining room in the residence, looked bright and cheery during the holidays. It was very festive. Read the rest of this entry »

Ah, the post that started it all. The West Wing Week is an outgrowth of this here weekly feature; the series was simply too mammoth to be contained in just one post. Either that, or I figured it was a good way to get everyone else to carry the load for me (a thought that has merit to it) — I could just refer back to another post instead of actually dissecting a topic.

Seriously though, The West Wing was a show with so many strengths in so many different areas, not to mention so many faithful amongst our writers and readers, that we felt the need to not only share a lot with you, but also to do so from various perspectives.

The point being that a lot of ground has been covered already, with some yet to come. As a result, I figured the best way to flash back on The West Wing was to just look back, retrospective style, at the highlights that came together to make season after season, all adding up to one phenomenal series. Let’s see what we’ve got. Read the rest of this entry »

When it came to casting, The West Wing was a rock star. And I’m not just talking about one-off guests or mini-arcs, but the heart of the cast as well. But since I could likely get lost saying “a little something” about each one, let’s just leave it at this: job extremely well done.

There was one role — within the framework of the show — that was actually filled twice. Or so one could argue. And that was the privilege of getting dumped on by Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), as White House Deputy Communications Director.

Before (a variation on) the theme even struck a chord, we were introduced to Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe). Sam came to us, like the rest of the administration, already in progress. In fact, it wasn’t until the season two premiere (”In the Shadow of Two Gunmen”) that we learned how Sam (and everyone else) found his way to the Bartlet White House. Read the rest of this entry »

The writing was always an incredibly important part to the success of the show. Aaron Sorkin, all things being equal, is probably the best dialogue writer on television. Ever (Yes, I said ever). When he left after season four, it took some time for the show to find its voice again, but I contend that it did with style. These quotes are a sampling of the brilliance that I’m talking about. Bare with me: some of these exchanges are long, but trust me when I say that they are worth your time:

Season One

“About a week ago I accidentally slept with a prostitute.” — Sam
“Really?” — Toby
“Yes.” — Sam
“You accidentally slept with a prostitute.” — Toby
“Call girl.” — Sam
“Accidentally.” — Toby
“Yes.” — Sam
“I don’t understand. Did you trip over something?” — Toby

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