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

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.

 

The personal sous chef to the King of... auto sales in Fargo.

 

I have never seen this show, which is a tragedy as A Few Good Men is the greatest film ever made.

 

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.

 

Oh, so you're one of the 6 people who enjoyed "Issac and Ishmael" then...

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!

 

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 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."

 

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.

 

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":

 

heels1785 -- it's not like I know / love the show or anything.

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!)...

 

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.

 

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!