Discussion [West Wing]:The Oval Office: Challenge Election!

Given there've been a few West Wing fics in the FF board, I though it'be great if there was a thread where we could discuss the Bartlett administration, propose challenge and talk about the "What ifs" such as what Santos would have been like, what would have happened if Vinnick was elected

Check in first, mind the carpet and then we'll start the ball rolling with the first post

Maybe we can start with what attracted us to the show.

I'm Australian, and the reason I like The West Wing is it is one of the few television shows that requires an intelligent viewer. You usually had to be wide awake to watch it and keep up with their conversation all the time, any talking with the person next to you (as was bound to happen) would be reserved for the commercial breaks. This was kinda hard for when the ABC put two commercial three episodes on and you had to go to the loo before the show started.

Bartlett always seemed to me like the good guy, as did a lot of the other character such as leo, C.J. Josh (I love Josh!!!!), Sam, Donna and Toby. These are the sort of people you want running things, which is what aaron Sorkin wanted.

Hi there! I've done two West Wing fanfics and both of them have been crossovers. One with Harry Potter and one with an indie film called "Duck Duck Goose" by tf.n's own FX_Guy. I am a fan of all things Josh Lyman, was so glad when Santos was voted in, think CJ is my idol and think Lord John Marbury should be shot. Who's with me?

"I adore Lord John!" [/CJ]

Josh was always my favourite character, eben when he did make silly mistakes sometimes. Remember when he did that thing with the belt?

My favorite Josh scene is the one with him waking up hungover in his own office, dressed in Sam's foul weather gear and trying to make sense of a guy interpreting a lady's ASL. Best intro to Joey Lucas that we could have possibly had.

There are so many good Josh scene to pick from. He can get into so much trouble. I like to think that he and Donna will work out during the Santos administration.

Well don't you see them in bed together in the closing scenes?

He can be a bit mean, what about when he tells her off because he backed the winning horse and she didn't?

Yes, we do see that. Whether or not that holds together... After all, Season 7 Episode 1 "The Ticket" has Josh showing up unaccompanied when he mentions the President has arrived and that's in the future.

She ends up being the First Lady's Chief os Staff though, doesn't she? That could explain one or two things.

That scene, it's a little ambiguous what to make of it as it depends on when it was filmed. If it was filmed before John Spencer died, then the President may have been Vinick as Vinick was supposed to win originally. They later decided it was bad for Santos to lose his friend and the election on the same day, and he won.

Yes, she does. It could explain things, but you never know.

*waiting for others to turn up*

You think they will? Or we can move into a quiz or challenge. Since this is about democracy, we should have vote I think.

Quiz! I'm all for quizzes.

All right, a quiz

1. Favourite character:

2. Favourite episode:

3. Republican or Democrat?

4. Vinnick or Santos?

5. Character who you would most like to spend five minutes with

6. If you could replace one character with an OC or crossover character, who would it be?

7. Five things you want to change plot wise


1. Favourite character:

Josh Lyman

2. Favourite episode:

The Ticket

3. Republican or Democrat?

Neither as I am Australia, but I'd probably be democrat

4. Vinnick or Santos?

Santos

5. Character who you would most like to spend five minutes with

Probably Josh, as that five minutes would be very entertaining

6. If you could replace one character with an OC or crossover character, who would it be?

They're all so good! Maybe Donna just so I could be evil and give Josh someone that would give him a headache

7. Five things you want to change plot wise or add to the plot

Bartlet gets a visit from an Australian PM
Leo survives to become Santos' VP
A situation similar to Impact Winter with Bartlet, but at the White House
A nice sex scandal where the Republicans helpfully fan the flames
The Santos Administration

1. Favourite character: It's a tie between Charlie and Josh.

2. Favourite episode: The Stackhouse Filibuster.

3. Republican or Democrat? I like the democrats on this show and I'm voting Obama. Otherwise, Republican.

4. Vinnick or Santos? Santos!

5. Character who you would most like to spend five minutes with. Leo McGarry

6. If you could replace one character with an OC or crossover character, who would it be? I would see what havoc could be wreaked by replacing Jed Bartlett with Princess Leia.

7. Five things you want to change plot wise: CJ not getting together with Danny earlier, repeat 5 times.

1. Favourite character:

Leo McGarry!

2. Favourite episode:

Either Two Cathedrals of In Excelsis Deo.

3. Republican or Democrat?

Democrat.

4. Vinnick or Santos?

Santos but Vinnick was a Republican I could respect.

5. Character who you would most like to spend five minutes with

Either Leo or Jed.

6. If you could replace one character with an OC or crossover character, who would it be?

I don't know. I like them all, really.

7. Five things you want to change plot wise

Barlet stays in office. Unlimited terms!
Sam stays.
I can't think of anything else.

W00t, I love Leo. Have you written anything involving him? I mostly have written him in my HP/WW crossover.

No, I haven't. I may do something with the West Wing if my X-Files project doesn't get off the ground.

Welcome to the oval, Sidious, here's your ID badge. See if you can find a space in the bullpen.

I just had lunch with two politicans and some of their staffers and one of them I used to do history with, we were talking abiut the West Wing and it turned out that everyone was a fan of the show, including my friend who had the box set.

The Australian fan club president is the former NSW Premier, Bob Carr

[link=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/21/barackobama.uselections2008?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront]Just found this article[/link]

And I thought Obama resembling Santos was a coincidence

1. Favourite character: Josh, Ainsley Hayes, President Bartlett

2. Favourite episode: So many good ones, but I'd have to say "Two Cathedrals"

3. Republican or Democrat? Democrat

4. Vinnick or Santos? Santos

5. Character who you would most like to spend five minutes with: Josh or Toby

6. If you could replace one character with an OC or crossover character, who would it be? No one honestly. I love all the characters on The West Wing.

7. Five things you want to change plot wise: Toby not getting into trouble. I would have liked to see more of him in the seventh season.

1. Favourite character: Santos

2. Favourite episode: The Debate.

3. Republican or Democrat? Democrat

4. Vinnick or Santos? Santos

5. Character who you would most like to spend five minutes with? Santos

6. If you could replace one character with an OC or crossover character, who would it be? Wes Janson, just for laughs.

7. Five things you want to change plot wise. None, I liked the show the way it was.

Ooh, two more people in the bullpen.

Ish, I nominate you my Chief of Staff, you can hand out the ID badges

And I think we should have a challenge now, but before we do anything in here we vote.

1. Yes we should have a challenge.
2. No, a challenge is a bad idea.

And if yes, put in a few suggestions we can cobble together.

Write a story about one of the election nights from the series from the POV of someone not a major player in the election. For example, Margaret or such.

I had just about given up on this thread, but that's quite a good suggestion Ish.