Yeah I think it might be one of those things that made much more sense at the time it was on, but like you say, would be a bit too time-stamped for now.
3, it’s very good in places but the Sorkin grandstanding has worn very thin by the time Rob Lowe goes. Bradley Whitford and Allison Janney are excellent throughout. Don’t like the ending either, feels like it was thrown together after John Spencer died.
Brilliant in places, but my interest fizzled out after four seasons, so it can’t have been that great
The fact that Tony Blair used to hold meetings whilst walking quickly between rooms because of this is greatly amusing to me
Very influential I’m sure, but I can’t help thinking that the way everyone talks has more to do with the fact that Sorkin was coked off his tits when writing it. He was on one until the end of the second series when, according to Wikipedia
watched it years after it aired, was surprised how frothy it was, thought it would be all hard hitting srs bsns all the time. but yeah, at its best it’s very very good
the west wing showed us what solid bipartisan legislation could achieve, and it’s a shame the american voters twice sent that lousy bum george w to the white house instead of al gore or the heroic john kerry. americans did not learn the lessons of the west wing, and now we have trump. it’s not sorkin’s fault, however.
studio 60 and newsroom…hmm, both demonstrate how important journalism and a hip, snarky comedy culture, overseen by real men, can be in a dangerous and uncertain time. the terrorists hate us because of our sketch comedy; the irrational hate us because we have serious men engaging manfully with the news stories of the day.
in honour of mr sorkin however i will give him a compromise score of 3/5
I still love it. Despite it’s pretence as a Serious Show For Serious People it was really just a breezy, soapy bunch of wish fulfillment for lefty types to soothe the pains of the Bush era. I can watch Sorkins brand of witty schmaltz all day long (with this cast at least) even if every character speaks in the exact same manner and you’re never more than 10 minutes away from a kind of pompous speech. It’s still catnip to me.
It went off a cliff after he left and there were some dreadful episodes but I’m giving it a 5 because I love the highs so much. 18th and Pontomac/Two Cathedrals alone are enough to earn it. Best two parter in television history IMHO.
I’ve given it a 5 because it’s just so gosh darn entertaining and has so many memorable characters and moments. A lot of the plot points will look ridiculous in a post-Trump era, but that’s reality for you.
