The West Wing

[CC Fan]

Anyone watch it? I love it!

[Naj]

No, LOL! I don't think we have the same viewing tastes except for Cold Case! ;D


~Naj

[CC Fan]

haha, yeah, I don't think so either. Oh well... Cold case Rocks!

[Ryebeach]

West Wing is one of my can't miss favorites.
I like Donna, Josh, Leo, and Margaret the best.
I miss Mrs. Landingham but Lily Tomlin's Debbie Fidderer is pretty good as President Bartlett's secretary.
This show is not as good as it used to be but I'm hoping Alan Alda will bring this show back to the front burner this season when he joins the cast in January. He did that with ER a few years back so my fingers are crossed.

[CC Fan]

Oh man Josh & Donna. I've been shipping for them for as long as I can remember. This show is great, well not as great as it used to be but I've never seen a show with better actors.

[Ryebeach]

I've read that John Wells, the executive producer is thinking of extending the show after Bartlett's term expires next year, possibly with a republican president.

What's everyone's thoughts on this? Should this show even go on after this season. I'm divided on this. On one hand, I think the show should end when President Bartlett's term ends because his team was the whole show and out of respect, it should end with them. On the other hand, seeing a whole new cast with a new administration would breath some life into this aging show and there would be a lot of differnt stories they could come up with but my guess is I'd tune in for the first few eps but then I'd move on.

[CC Fan]

I'm not sure either... I think it would be weird on one hand, but I also think it might be interesting. In some cases (like 24) it seems to work, but then again in other cases (like The Practice's spinoff Boston Legal) it's dull and uninteresting. I'd think of it more like a spinoff, I think they need to have one or two characters stay on, so at least we have someone to connect with. It might be nice, as long as JOSH AND DONNA get together, I'm fine.

[Ryebeach]

I thought last nite's ep was the best so far this season. I was genuinely surprised that Bartlett picked C.J. as the new chief of staff. I would have thought he would have gone with his deputy chief of staff, Josh.

I think it was definately the right choice though. By the end of the ep, she had begun to take control and assert the new authority that she was given.

My favorite scenes were when Margaret was going over many, many things C.J. had to do on her first day as Chief of Staff. She went on and on and finally stopped and C.J. asked, "And what does that get us to?"
"8:45AM" was Margaret's reply. Very funny.
I also loved how when C.J. kept going thru Charlie's office to get to the Oval Office and Charlie kept telling her that she has a connecting doo to the Oval Office in the Chief of Staff's office but C.J. wouldn't listen. Finally at the end, Charlie took her by the arm and showed her how to use it.

I was not impressed with Jimmy Smit's character. I think he was introduced to abruptly and he didn't show me to have the correct personality to be President. I do think that when he does decide to run, Josh will be directly involved in his campaign.

I wonder what the writers are planning to do with Leo. It was so sad to just see him lying in that hospital bed. John Spencer, the actor, deserves better.

[CC Fan]

I loved this epsiode! So much! It was amazing! It reminded me of why I love this show so much.

What I loved:
- Kristen Chenoweth! She's so cute and reminds me of Emily Procters character (AINSLEY) like 2 or 3 seasons ago.
- Allison Janney: She's just amazing and gets better and better each episode.
- CJ being boss. I loved how Toby just could not take direction from her.
- CJ putting everyone in their place during the last meeting and taking charge.
- The prank that Toby, Josh and the Pres. played on CJ about leaving.
- Donna. I always love Donna.
- When Donna and Toby were interviewing people for PS. I especially loved the guy who you could hardly hear.


What I didn't love:
- No Josh and Donna.

[Ryebeach]

CC said:

- Kristen Chenoweth! She's so cute and reminds me of Emily Procters character (AINSLEY) like 2 or 3 seasons ago.

That was my thought exactly. I hope she sticks around and the writers find a way to properly use her talents, unlike how they just wasted Emily Proctor. But that's OK because I think she's a great part of CSI:Miami.

[Ryebeach]

I really like the promotion of C.J. to Chief of Staff this season and this article gets portrayor, Allison Janney's thoughts about it.

Source: tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271|92034|1|,00.html

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) An air of uncertainty surrounds the characters on "The West Wing" this season. New goals and new jobs have popped up as the Bartlet administration nears the end of its second term, splintering what was once a fairly cohesive White House staff.

In the center of it all is C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney), recently promoted from press secretary to White House chief of staff after the former chief, Leo McGarry (John Spencer), suffers a heart attack. As she works to strengthen her relationship with the president (Martin Sheen), C.J. also has to deal with being a boss to people with whom she formerly held equal status. The demands are a little overwhelming for her.

Janney, who has won four Emmys playing C.J., can relate.
"It wasn't until a couple weeks before we started up that [executive producer John Wells] called me to tell me what my new job was," Janney recalls. "It was terrifying, and exciting. I was like, 'Are you sure?,' because I thought it was a really interesting choice to make."

Janney says she's thrilled to be playing the first female White House chief of staff, even if it's only fictionally (no woman has ever held the post in real life). Some followers of the show have wondered whether a real-world press secretary would be considered for the job, but she thinks it makes sense in the context of the series.

"I've found from talking to a lot of people that have worked in the White House that sometimes job descriptions don't necessarily define who you get to talk to or who trusts your input," she says. "It's more relationship-driven. I think C.J. has proven herself to be a respected member of the administration."

The changing dynamics on "The West Wing," which includes the addition of Jimmy Smits and, soon, Alan Alda as would-be replacements for President Bartlet, have helped the show rebound some this season following a down year in the ratings. Although the series hasn't returned to the heights of three or four years ago, it is back in the Nielsen top 20 among total viewers, drawing 13.1 million people per week.

Dramatically, the shakeup has given viewers a chance to see familiar characters adjusting to new situations, not always smoothly.

"With Toby [Richard Schiff], Josh [Bradley Whitford], Will [Josh Malina], C.J. was sort of ... on the same level as those guys, and now she's their boss," Janney says. "So it does shake things up and make for a lot more tension between the characters."

Then there's the matter of whether C.J. will have a job this time next year. Wells has said that in the show's timeline, an election to replace Bartlet would happen next fall, meaning the White House staff would be clearing out for a new group in early 2006.

Janney says with a laugh that the situation "does make for some paranoia" among the cast, but she can hardly complain about what the show has given her for the past five-plus seasons.

"I certainly hope that if they go into the next administration, that if there's room for C.J., they'd ask me to be part of it," she says. "If not, I'd have to just, you know -- I'm happy with the ride I've had so far, and I'd go on and do something else. ... It's a little scary, but I've never known what's next anyway."

[Ryebeach]

Alan Alda joins the cast this week in a recurring role.

I, for one, can't wait. He was so good on ER a few years back and I felt he really rejuvenated that show and I hope he can work the same magic with The West Wing.

Source: tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271|92227|1|,00.html

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) When "The West Wing" was starting up back in 1999, Alan Alda was reportedly one of the actors considered to play President Jed Bartlet, the role that eventually went to Martin Sheen.

The story may be apocryphal. If it is true, the show's creator, Aaron Sorkin, and NBC must not have pursued Alda very doggedly, because he doesn't really recall it.

"People have told me that, and it may be true," Alda says. "I actually can't remember."

Five-plus years later, though, Alda will take a run at the fictional Oval Office. He joins "The West Wing" Wednesday (Dec. 8) as Arnold Vinick, a Republican senator from California who announces his candidacy to replace the outgoing Bartlet.

"He's one of those ideal candidates in a way, because he's moderate on social issues and conservative fiscally, and is willing to debate the issues," Alda says of the character. "So in many ways, he's an idealist."

Alda, who won multiple Emmys for writing, directing and acting on "M*A*S*H," says he took the part "as an act of faith" in executive producer John Wells, whom he knows from a stint on "ER" five years ago. Alda earned an Emmy nomination for a guest-starring arc in which he played a respected doctor who was starting to show signs of Alzheimer's disease.

"What made me want to do it mostly was the chance to work with John Wells, and all the people that work on 'The West Wing,'" he says. "I think they're really exceptionally good actors."

Thus far, Alda has shot only the first episode of 10, spanning this season and next, that he's signed to do. In that time, though, he's discovered a few parallels between "The West Wing" and his best-known work.

"It's a lot like we were after we'd had a long run on 'M*A*S*H,'" he says. "We had a shorthand with one another, and we could just jump into a scene because we knew the characters so well. And in between scenes we'd kid around and have fun. These people are very funny between scenes. It almost feels like an extension to me of what we went through on 'M*A*S*H.'"

Alda sounds eager to dig deeper into Vinick, but he's appropriately diplomatic about the character's chances of actually becoming president: "I have no plans at this time," he says with a chuckle. "I do not plan to take office.

"I look at this kind of realistically," he adds. "I have no idea what [the show's writers] have in mind, and I kind of doubt I would want to do a weekly show. But before I even get to a decision like that, what would they do with all these Democrats [on the White House staff] they have under contract if I won the election? I think we should all get serious here."

[CC Fan]

Great article! I can't wait for this week's episode. All I keep hearing on TV is 'A season of Change.' Well, lets hope it's a change for the better.

[Ryebeach]

I really liked last weeks episode.

I think the show is getting back to the right place.

Leo was back in the White House and Donna was walking again and back with her witty dialogue with Josh. Both great developments.

Alan Alda'a character does seem to be a force to be reckoned with for whoever the future democratic front-runner is. Ilike how both VP Russell and Hoynes are in the race and Santos will also be back to run. I'm thinking Josh will join Santos' campaign.

I really felt bad for the President in this episode. Martin Sheen was terrific in his scenes realizing he was losing the feeling in his hands and then his whole body. He hasn't been better for a long time. And that scene with him in the wheelchair; WOW. He was so strong to be going out in front of the public like that. But I guess he didn't really have a choice in the matter.

This episode reminded me why I love this show so much. It's all about the writing and acting and everyone was on the same page for a change with this episode.

I noticed this episode was written by Lawrence O'Donnell who is a producer on the show but he also guest-starred in my alltime favorite episode of The West Wing, the Season 2 finale, "Two Cathedrals," playing the President's strict father in flashbacks.

[Ryebeach]

Another great episode. Martin Sheen was amazing playing his roles especially after he'd fallen in the bathroom. Very believable.

I was wondering what the writers were going to do with Leo now and I like how they are using him as sort of a soundboard/advice giver for Josh, among others. I also like how he stepped back and aknowledges he is no longer the Chief of Staff and is trying not to get in the way.

It's also interesting but sad how each of the characters are starting to make their transition in their future careers. I think it's suddenly hitting them that they are in the home stretch of Bartlett's term and they need to plan for the future. I do wish Josh would have taken time to talk with Donna. She left so abruptly but I don't blame her. She knows Josh well. She really didn't have a choice. Plus, it pushes Josh to make a decision. He has to look at the big picture and that's why he went to Santos. Josh thinks he's the man for the job. But I hope we see Donna again. I wonder where her new job is.

I didn't care for the whole astroid subplot however it did provide for my favorite line from Leo to Josh..
Josh says, "What are they all doing," referring to Margaret and some other assistants gethered in a circle. Leo replies, "Well, Margaret's renting rooms for the apocolypse in the bunker."

I still think the writing is ver sharp on this veteran show and I like the changes they are making. They definately have me interested in where this show is going.

[CC Fan]

anyone still watching this show? It's gotten soooooo much better this season!

[Ryebeach]

CC said:

anyone still watching this show? It's gotten soooooo much better this season!

I've seen bits and pieces of the recent eps and I agree it's much better this season. I've just been so busy I haven't been able to keep up totally with the show. I'll try and catch this week's episode and give you my thoughts.

[coldboneslove398]

Man!! Just started watching the re-runs of this show on Bravo a few days ago. It's very good. I'm in love with Aaron Sorkin's writing(I finished watching "Sports Night", another great cancelled too early before its time show).

Today, I watched the episode titled "Drought Conditions". I couldn't help but notice the parallels of this episode to current day events. I have a feeling that Jimmy Smits' character wins the primary elections taking place otherwise he wouldn't be in the opening credits if his character wasn't sticking around. Anyways, Jimmy Smits plays Senator Matthew Santos. This reminds me of Barack Obama winning the Democratic nomination over Hillary Clinton and eventually winning the election. Jimmy Smits's character is running against Senator Rafferty, who is a woman running for the Democractic nomination with him too. Great episode! I love how you can take writing from the past and apply it to the future/current day events.

[bananapancakes]

I love how you can take writing from the past and apply it to the future/current day events.

Ha, I love that, too. And when you watch an old show/episode and someone says something like "oh, that'll never happen" and it has now.

I found the entire series of The West Wing, as in a box-set of all the seasons, in town a couple of months back quite cheap and bought it. I'm (slowly) getting through them all. I used to watch it occasionally, and watched quite a few re-runs over the last year or so, but they were always random episodes that rarely followed on. So every few episodes that I'm watching now I realize I've seen. I'm still convinced the show was better when Rob Lowe was in it, though.

[coldboneslove398]

Feb 20, 2009 12:30:06 GMT -5 bananapancakes said:

they were always random episodes that rarely followed on.

Oh haha here on Bravo in the morning, they show the re-runs in order ;D. They never or rarely have marathons of this show anymore...sad