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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Amph "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" : The West Wing Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Community' started by heels1785 , Oct 28, 2014.

  1. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003
    I've been dancing around the idea of this thread for quite some time, as a few friends around the boards, namely dp, IATI, and Pointy G, have made it known that they share my deep love for this show.

    Each year, I go through and rewatch the entire series - its addition to Netflix has made it even easier since last year, but I wanted to see if anyone wanted to go through the series with me, or simply discuss the significant issues or incredibly complex themes that Aaron Sorkin and John Wells fearlessly took on over seven seasons. Favorite quotes, favorite characters, favorite Jed Bartlet smackdowns, whatever you want.

    Starting with season 1 - the pilot episode includes perhaps the best introduction of any main character, ever, by quoting the first commandment. Jed's relationship with the religious right is a particularly one-sided one throughout the series.



    Enjoy and discuss.
     
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  2. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    I think, simply, the Presidents declaration to... CJ?... as to why he never followed through with his becoming a priest at Notre Dame was one of the most simply effective things done on the show.

    Also, it's a race to who can post the Thanksgiving clips every year: AaylaSecurOWNED or myself. I'm partial to Charlie and the knife, and she's partial to the Butterball Hotline but both are awesome.
     
  3. AaylaSecurOWNED

    AaylaSecurOWNED Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2005
    The personal sous chef to the King of... auto sales in Fargo.
     
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  4. halibut

    halibut Ex-Mod star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 27, 2000
    I have never seen this show, which is a tragedy as A Few Good Men is the greatest film ever made.
     
  5. Yodaminch

    Yodaminch Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 6, 2002
    There are so many awesome moments in this show. For example when Bartlett shut down the government or his speech about Leviticus. "In this room when the President stands, nobody sits."
    I think one of the better ones was the post 9/11 episode they filmed. I'm currently up to season 7 again. But the closer I get to John Spencer's death, the slower I watch. His death remains such a huge loss and not just for the end of the show.
     
  6. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    Oh, so you're one of the 6 people who enjoyed "Issac and Ishmael" then... :p
     
  7. I Are The Internets

    I Are The Internets Shelf of Shame Host star 9 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 20, 2012
    Love love love this show. Finished season 3 back in May. However, I find it odd that season 2 completely writes Maya out of the show, despite the fact that she's incredibly irritating.
     
  8. Yodaminch

    Yodaminch Chosen One star 6

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    Mar 6, 2002
    Not necessarily for the episode as a whole but the fact they did it in response to 9/11.
     
  9. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    Here are some things that I consider unassailable facts about The West Wing:

    1) "Two Cathedrals" is a pantheon-level episode of television; on par with things like The Sopranos "College," The Mary Tyler Moore Show "Chuckles Bites The Dust" and Dallas "Who Shot J.R.?" (I'd also include Friends "The One With The Prom Video")

    2) Season 2 may be one of the top-three full seasons of television of all time.

    3) The cold opening of "17 People" is amazing.

    I wish Jed Bartlet were my president; I suspect many of you feel the same way.
     
  10. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003
    [​IMG]

    "You get Hoynes."
     
  11. Yodaminch

    Yodaminch Chosen One star 6

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    Mar 6, 2002
    I love the end of Two Cathedrals. The conversation with Dolores, the weather, the music and the fact we knew what he was going to say despite the cliffhanger.
     
  12. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    I love Barlet's spiel on Roman citizenship. He is so great at thundering addresses.


    Missa ab iPhona mea est.
     
  13. Point Given

    Point Given Manager star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2006
    I kind of liked it. Yeah its maudlin and cheesy but its sweet.
     
  14. PRENNTACULAR

    PRENNTACULAR VIP star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Dec 21, 2005
    I'm down for the rewatch. Watched the entire thing almost a year ago and it changed my life. Working the graveyard shift tonight so should be able to get through 5 episodes or so!
     
  15. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003

    Sweet! I'm about 8 episodes into the first season myself, but let me know how far you get.

    The first time I watched the whole series straight through I was DVR-ing two episodes a day when it ran on Bravo in the wee hours of the morning, so it took me a lot longer. But yeah, definitely changed me as well.
     
  16. Yodaminch

    Yodaminch Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 6, 2002
    When Best Buy had a deal some years ago, I snatched up the entire series two volumes at a time for several weeks. It's a toss up between how many times I've played the pilot and how many times I've played Two Cathedrals.

    Seriously for a pilot, that has to be one of the best written pilots around. It perfectly introduces us to the major cast. I love Toby arguing with the flight attendant about crashing the plane with something he bought at Radio Shack. Leo's "Your president's a clutz Mrs.Landingham" as we get our first tour of the set. CJ trying to balance her job and an outside life before falling off the treadmill [face_laugh] And Josh's near firing: "Lady, the God you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud" And then of course Sam and his friend POTUS who is in a bicycle accident.

    And then of course Bartlett gets that perfect introduction and he proceeds to put everyone in their place. I love when the woman says that they can find their way out and he glares daggers at her. "Then find it quickly."
     
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  17. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Dec 10, 2003
    I am very fond of all of the seasons, but it is really difficult to dispute naming Season 1 the best season - it's got just about everything.
     
  18. Yodaminch

    Yodaminch Chosen One star 6

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    Mar 6, 2002
    That is true. Right up to the season finale. But I absolutely love all of Season 2 and the MS storyline underlying it all. I was in middle school at the time and I started watching West Wing the first night of Season 2 and was hooked from that point on. I still remember when Charlie got the call about Mrs. Landingham's car accident. I didn't end up watching Season 1 until much later and really the only thing that stuck out to me was how Mandy just vanished into thin air.
     
  19. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Dec 10, 2003
    Mandy is such an odd character - likable at times, I suppose, but ultimately not necessary. I remember reading somewhere that one of the reasons that Sorkin felt comfortable going forward without her was that Donna and Margaret ended up being such great, strong characters - quirky Margaret in the way she looked after Leo as his private life fell apart, and then Donna, and the way she and Josh developed immediate, real chemistry.
     
  20. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

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    Nov 8, 2001

    No, S1 has Mandy therefore it cannot be the greatest. I still vote S2. Firing on all cylinders. It would take a lot to overshadow as good a Christmas episode as "In Excelsis Deo" -- "Noel" crushed it.

    Plus "In The Shadow of Two Gunmen," "The Midterms," "In This White House" (even with the casual sexism by Josh in the beginning, it's still a hilarious line "Toby, come quick, Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl!"), "And Its Surely To Their Credit," "Shibboleth," "Noel," "Bartlet's Third State of the Union," and everything from "Ellie" on through "Two Cathedrals."

    Also, special mention for "The War At Home" for "If you polled a hundred Donnas and asked them if they think we should go out, you'd get a high positive response. But the poll wouldn't tell you that it's because she likes you and she knows it's beginning to show and she needs to cover herself with misdirection."

    And possibly the very funniest scene in the entire show: the cold open to "Bad Moon Rising":

     
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  21. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2001
    heels1785 -- it's not like I know / love the show or anything. :p

    Also, will probably eventually do a rewatch when I'm through Buffy / Angel and then Babylon 5 with mavjade (who should not read this thread other than this post!)...
     
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  22. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Dec 10, 2003
    Oh god, Babish. A gem of that show. I was not a huge fan of Ainsley, the CSI Miami actress, although I liked her interactions with Sam.
     
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  23. dp4m

    dp4m Chosen One star 10

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    Nov 8, 2001

    I am of the opinion that, at this point in their careers, Oliver Platt, Adam Arkin, Jeff Bridges and Kurt Russell will always add a positive to any movie / TV show they're in.

    I also liked giving the other side a bit of a voice, even if a limited / cliched one. I did love her opening salvo line "This White House that loves the Bill of Rights, all of them - except the second one. " which is spot-on of most liberals.
     
  24. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Dec 10, 2003
    I loved his replacement, John Larroquette's character, too - constantly outraged, waving a cricket bat. Didn't get as much character development. In terms of funny scenes, I'll always like this one:

     
  25. Yodaminch

    Yodaminch Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 6, 2002
    I thought John Larroquett's character came first? I loved his whole "I'm going to kill them Leo!". And then Oliver came in and yeah I loved that intro for him.

    But this thread would not be complete without talking about everyone's favorite British Diplomat:

    Lord John Marbury!