February 25, 200422 yr I know since Sorkin decamped, the show's a giant suckfest. But you gotta admit, the first couple of season were nothing short of excellent. I was watching season 2 DVD recently and the quality finale ends with one of the greatest moments I've ever seen on TV or otherwise, set to Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms. Then again me and Martin Sheen go way back to Badlands and AN, so maybe I am biased.
February 25, 200422 yr I agree completely with your post. The show has gotten so bad I have a hard time watching the show anymore (read: I will catch a few minutes here and there to see Gary Cole, but I can't site through a whole episode).
February 25, 200422 yr I have yet to see a single episode. You're saying now is not the time to start watching, right? I have yet to see a single episode from any season of 24. I have yet to see Survivor or any of the reality shows other than a little bit of the Apprentice because I'm nesnerized by the small furry mammal living on Trump's head. My dirty secrets are all out and I feel much better.
February 25, 200422 yr Author I agree completely with your post. The show has gotten so bad I have a hard time watching the show anymore (read: I will catch a few minutes here and there to see Gary Cole, but I can't site through a whole episode). Gary Cole was hilarious in Office Space. I was just saying that WW used to be peer-less. And that moment...that's vintage Sheen, vintage Sorkin. Corny? Yeah, but awesome too. Allison Janney and Stockard Canning can do little wrong in my book, anyway.
February 25, 200422 yr Author I have yet to see a single episode. You're saying now is not the time to start watching, right? I have yet to see a single episode from any season of 24. I have yet to see Survivor or any of the reality shows other than a little bit of the Apprentice because I'm nesnerized by the small furry mammal living on Trump's head. My dirty secrets are all out and I feel much better. No, now is not the time. Last 2 years has not been the time. DVD's make it so much easier, tho -- I don't watch TV on any sort of regular basis, but I "catch up" on full seasons in literally 2-3 days. Don't get me wrong, this is Network TV afterall and so WW sometimes is too simplistic and sugary. But the first few seasons are the s***. The 2nd season finale, the Rose Garden of Gethsemane, and the 4-5 episodes that lead up to it is of exceptional quality. IMO. The brothers in arms sequence - talk about awesome.
February 25, 200422 yr Before this season, I would say to my wife every Wednesday morning, "Do you know what tonight is? It's West Wing night!". It was my one appointment viewing show. I have fallen out of the story line and I feel it's one of those shows you can't pick up midway through. Rob Lowe's speech about the spy and those who "gave the last full measure of devotion" gave me goosebumps. It's too bad it has fallen off.
February 25, 200422 yr Author If only Aaron Sorkin's two TV endeavors success' could have been reversed.... SportsNight was pretty good as I remember it, but WW in its prime was simply on a different level quality wise.
February 25, 200422 yr SportsNight was pretty good as I remember it, but WW in its prime was simply on a different level quality wise. If Sports Night actually got the chance to be on as long as the West Wing, I'm sure that Aaron Sorkin could haven't written some pretty good stuff. It's funny that you say the best 2 seasons of West Wing we're the first two, since coinsidentally Sports Night only ran for 2 seasons.
February 25, 200422 yr SportsNight was pretty good as I remember it, but WW in its prime was simply on a different level quality wise. Sports Night I really liked. And it LITERALLY just dawned on me when you mentioned it that Peter Kraus was in that. It's been bugging me ever since I got hooked on Six Feet Under where I had seen hime otther than the Truman Show. I didn't know that was created by the West Wing guy though.
February 25, 200422 yr Sports Night I really liked. And it LITERALLY just dawned on me when you mentioned it that Peter Kraus was in that. It's been bugging me ever since I got hooked on Six Feet Under where I had seen hime otther than the Truman Show. I didn't know that was created by the West Wing guy though. Peter Krause was great in Sports Night, hell that whole cast was great. I remember seeing commercials for Six Feet Under and giving it a chane because "the Sports Night guy was in it" Sucks that I've gotta wait until June before any new episodes of Six Feet Under. It's weird how HBO structures it's schedule, all of their original shows air on the same night/time, but they have to wait until one show runs out before they put the next on. Sex in the City is done now, so Sopranos can come back on, when they're done Six Feet Under comes back on etc.
February 25, 200422 yr Author It's funny that you say the best 2 seasons of West Wing we're the first two, since coinsidentally Sports Night only ran for 2 seasons. There are a couple of reasons for it: 1. Same as Sopranos, West Wing WAS at its most original and crispest in it first couple of seasons. After a while, quality can't help but decline, the impact on the viewer isn't the same. It tends to level out before finally jumping the shark. 2. I have seen seasons 3 and 4 only sporadically and I know season 5 sucks major ass. So that's why I used seasons 1 and 2 as benchmark. Some people think that the follwing seasons were every bit as good. So there is less conincidence here than you think. Also, what I am saying is SportNight was NEVER as good as West Wing. Cute, quirky, snappy dialogue, interesting backstage dynamic...BUT the thematic scope and depth, the acting and production value of West Wing , IMO are incomparable. Both were "quality", but WW was simply groundbreaking by TV standards. And yeah Peter Krause is good on 6FU, but I am not a big fan of that show -- never was. The Aussie actress who played his g/f, though, was fantastic in the first season or two.
February 25, 200422 yr There are a couple of reasons for it: 1. Same as Sopranos, West Wing WAS at its most original and crispest in it first couple of seasons. After a while, quality can't help but decline, the impact on the viewer isn't the same. It tends to level out before finally jumping the shark. 2. I have seen seasons 3 and 4 only sporadically and I know season 5 sucks major ass. So that's why I used seasons 1 and 2 as benchmark. Some people think that the follwing seasons were every bit as good. So there is less conincidence here than you think. Also, what I am saying is SportNight was NEVER as good as West Wing. Cute, quirky, snappy dialogue, interesting backstage dynamic...BUT the thematic scope and depth, the acting and production value of West Wing , IMO are incomparable. Both were "quality", but WW was simply groundbreaking by TV standards. And yeah Peter Krause is good on 6FU, but I am not a big fan of that show -- never was. The Aussie actress who played his g/f, though, was fantastic in the first season or two. It's also 2 completely different topics, one was a Drama the other Comedy with dramatic overtones, and 60 minutes to a half an hour. Aaron Sorkin is still the man, shrooms and all I love that he has the balls to leave the show he created because he said it wasn't good anymore. And when it one the Emmy for Best Drama last year for the 4th straight year (Ugh) He was all surprised
February 25, 200422 yr Author It's also 2 completely different topics, one was a Drama the other Comedy with dramatic overtones, and 60 minutes to a half an hour. Maybe you're right. I still think WW is in the class of its own and I only realized it after I flew through the first 2 season DVDs in 5 friggin' days. Before that I only heard the hype and didn't care to check it out, I am that kind of a person in general -- for instance I discovered Larry Sanders Show 2 years after it ended its run and The Office a year later. Besides, West Wing has had A LOT of comedic moments and SportNight - quite a few poignant ones. Aaron Sorkin is still the man, shrooms and all I love that he has the balls to leave the show he created because he said it wasn't good anymore That's because he is NOT a soul-less drone worshipping at the feet of the Dollar Calf....quality and integrity be damned. I can respect that. He'll be heard from again, you better believe it. And if 'shrooms and q-ludes help his creative process, more power to him.
February 26, 200422 yr FYI, West Wing reruns are shown on TNT every weekday morning in back to back episodes at 10 Central Time.
February 26, 200422 yr Cookie Kwan owns the West Wing. I-I-I don't want the West Wing, Cookie...you scare me. I brought this wall from home... Ol' Gil's back on top!!!
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