West Wing
- Thread starter Flagg
- Start date
It's a good show, I never miss it, but some things irritate me about it. The opening is the same every week, a long tracking shot of two or more characters engaging in Sorkin's David Mamet-wannabe rapid-fire dialogue. The writing is good, the characters intelligent and earnest. I get the feeling that this is how liberal Hollywood thinks the last Democratic Administratin would have been run had Clinton not been such a pig around women and friendly to sleazy fundraisers.
The politics are left-wing, of course, but it's a Democratic administration. Republicans are portrayed accurately as evil (just kidding).
The acting is great in places, spotty in other. Janel Holloway, who plays Donna, is often reduced to being just another ditzy TV blonde, the successor to Suzanne Somers from Three's Company. Martin Sheen chews on the scenery a lot, but presidents usually have oversized personalities. Rob Lowe and Bradley Whitford are fine, although Whitford's Josh is getting really irritating with his annoying joking around.
The best part of the show is Richard Schieff, whose Toby Zeigler is the one of the most interesting characters on TV. Last weeks episode showed him at his best and worst. Smart enough to figure out that something is wrong with the President, when he finds out his reaction is both selfish and selfless. He's pissed that he was frozen out so long and his ego is hurt, and he doesn't even show concern that a man he knows well may be dying. Yet he doesn't shy away from saying what needs to be said--that just because the President is a "good" person doesn't give him an excuse to lie to the people, and that the Chief of Staff, even a man like Leo who Toby obviously respects, is not supposed to be running the country when the President isn't able to. His outrage isn't totally honorable, but it's much more complex than what you typically see on TV.
It's a good show, not better than The Sorpranos, which the West Wing beat last year for best drama, but still a show I try not to miss.
The politics are left-wing, of course, but it's a Democratic administration. Republicans are portrayed accurately as evil (just kidding).
The acting is great in places, spotty in other. Janel Holloway, who plays Donna, is often reduced to being just another ditzy TV blonde, the successor to Suzanne Somers from Three's Company. Martin Sheen chews on the scenery a lot, but presidents usually have oversized personalities. Rob Lowe and Bradley Whitford are fine, although Whitford's Josh is getting really irritating with his annoying joking around.
The best part of the show is Richard Schieff, whose Toby Zeigler is the one of the most interesting characters on TV. Last weeks episode showed him at his best and worst. Smart enough to figure out that something is wrong with the President, when he finds out his reaction is both selfish and selfless. He's pissed that he was frozen out so long and his ego is hurt, and he doesn't even show concern that a man he knows well may be dying. Yet he doesn't shy away from saying what needs to be said--that just because the President is a "good" person doesn't give him an excuse to lie to the people, and that the Chief of Staff, even a man like Leo who Toby obviously respects, is not supposed to be running the country when the President isn't able to. His outrage isn't totally honorable, but it's much more complex than what you typically see on TV.
It's a good show, not better than The Sorpranos, which the West Wing beat last year for best drama, but still a show I try not to miss.
Madame Pandora
Deliciously Aware of Impending Sins
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2000
- Posts
- 1,627
christo
I agree about a lot. When it panders to stereotype, it irritates me too. But I think it's better than most. It's TV, you know? And I think the GOOD writing wins out over the BAD writing.
I think Sorkin is hampered a lot by the medium and the audience, so I forgive him the wanna-be element.
I like the joking around. Many of the characters talk like my friends talk, and people who are intelligent do sometimes trickle into obnoxious silliness. I like the banter. So many times a drama loses its sense of humor, and like ginger said – I see enough reality in life.
I want my escapism to keep it’s feel on the ground but reach for the stars
And, yeah, they need to write Donna better. And they need to put in more of Charlie because Dule is great. And whatever her name is who plays Mrs. Landingham. She’s a stitch. I’ve noticed Mr. 30-something hasn’t been around much. I like him, but if Martin Sheen is unrealistically idealized as the president, Bussfield’s ever-ethical, sweet-hearted, shy White House correspondent is laughable.
My favorite character is also Schiff. Oddly, I got a little different feeling from his performance last week. I thought Toby was, of course, upset about the illness, but his character does not succumb to personal reactions outright. He kicks into high gear. He focuses on the ugly details and wants his answers. And, because so much of the cast's characters are so invested in Martin Sheen, I think there was a lot of betrayal which needed to be demonstrated there, too.
This is a side of politics I am hoping Sorkin starts to explore more. We've seen traces of it. People who work behind a figurehead put a lot of faith into that other person, so when that figurehead fathers, how do THEY keep their personal motivation and belief system intact. (Ala, Kathy Bates' character in Primary Colors). I just think that for primetime TV (which I don't watch much of) it's GOOD TV.
As for the Sopranos, I've never watched it. When it first came out, I was working to much to see ANY TV and then I moved a couple times. Now I feel I've lost too much of the background to just hop in. But, HBO gives their people much FREER reins to be creative, so I can see where it would have the potential to be better.
MP
I agree about a lot. When it panders to stereotype, it irritates me too. But I think it's better than most. It's TV, you know? And I think the GOOD writing wins out over the BAD writing.
I think Sorkin is hampered a lot by the medium and the audience, so I forgive him the wanna-be element.
I like the joking around. Many of the characters talk like my friends talk, and people who are intelligent do sometimes trickle into obnoxious silliness. I like the banter. So many times a drama loses its sense of humor, and like ginger said – I see enough reality in life.
I want my escapism to keep it’s feel on the ground but reach for the stars
And, yeah, they need to write Donna better. And they need to put in more of Charlie because Dule is great. And whatever her name is who plays Mrs. Landingham. She’s a stitch. I’ve noticed Mr. 30-something hasn’t been around much. I like him, but if Martin Sheen is unrealistically idealized as the president, Bussfield’s ever-ethical, sweet-hearted, shy White House correspondent is laughable.
My favorite character is also Schiff. Oddly, I got a little different feeling from his performance last week. I thought Toby was, of course, upset about the illness, but his character does not succumb to personal reactions outright. He kicks into high gear. He focuses on the ugly details and wants his answers. And, because so much of the cast's characters are so invested in Martin Sheen, I think there was a lot of betrayal which needed to be demonstrated there, too.
This is a side of politics I am hoping Sorkin starts to explore more. We've seen traces of it. People who work behind a figurehead put a lot of faith into that other person, so when that figurehead fathers, how do THEY keep their personal motivation and belief system intact. (Ala, Kathy Bates' character in Primary Colors). I just think that for primetime TV (which I don't watch much of) it's GOOD TV.
As for the Sopranos, I've never watched it. When it first came out, I was working to much to see ANY TV and then I moved a couple times. Now I feel I've lost too much of the background to just hop in. But, HBO gives their people much FREER reins to be creative, so I can see where it would have the potential to be better.
MP
Problem Child
titleless
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2001
- Posts
- 27,935
Madame P,
Get off your lame ass and start watching Sopranos- it rocks, just ask Big L, she knows everything.
Also, Eddie Izzard is a FREAK..ship his ass back to jolly old England and let him strut around in blue eye shadow and gold lame' over there, thank you very much.
Later
Get off your lame ass and start watching Sopranos- it rocks, just ask Big L, she knows everything.
Also, Eddie Izzard is a FREAK..ship his ass back to jolly old England and let him strut around in blue eye shadow and gold lame' over there, thank you very much.
Later
