Note: On Occasion, we will be reposting updated posts from the Quo Vadimus, the first iteration of this blog. Some might say this is because we're out of ideas, and they may be right. Just as accurately, we feel these posts are worthy of the "high standards" of Doctor Strangeblog, and deserve being exposed to you, our readers. We considered also editing the posts for content and to better cultivate our ideas, but we decided to keep the posts as they are, warts and all. In other words, we don't cotton to Special Editions around here.
Originally Posted: September 6, 2012
If you look at the majority of my favorite TV shows, most are serialized to some extent. They range from fully serialized shows such as Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, to Star Trek: DS9 which has standalone episodes, but is dominated by a clear serialized storyline. Even Futurama, which isn't all that serialized in many episodes, has a clear line of continuity and a few multiseason arcs. Of my most favorite shows, only The Simpsons and Newsradio really don't have any serialized elements.
I'm not entirely sure why I favor serialization of more episodic shows. I think it's because I love getting enveloped by the mythology and back story, and abhor the usual repetition and note hitting of largely episodic procedural shows such as Law and Order, CSI, and NCIS. Frankly, they are tedious and slow to me, much in the way many people think about shows like Mad Men.
Of course, because I enjoy Continuity and Serialization so much, it can cause a bit of consternation with some of my favorite shows. The fact is in most cases us fans care much more about this crap than the show creators do. This isn't always the case, particularly the auteur shows like Mad Men or Breaking Bad. However, there are plenty of holes out there. For example, let's talk about The West Wing. Sure, there is a nice story arc for most of the characters through its entire seven season run. Sure, the length of Jed and Leo's friendship varied over time, but that was explainable. However, a bit less explainable* is that sad magical village known as Mandyville. Here former media consultant Mandy disappeared to without explanation after the first season. Also disappearing into this land were Republican Ainsley Hayes, youngest daughter of the President Zoey Bartlet, and several other secondary and tertiary characters. Obviously the most famous resident of Mandyville was Sam Seaborn, who just disappeared without explanation part way through the fourth season. Granted, both Ainsley and Sam came back from Mandyville at the end of the series, but it still was a bit frustrating. I know, I know, magic xylophone and a wizard did it and such**.
Also, it's interesting how quickly you can go down a very deep rabbit hole when thinking about show universes. For example, although there are obvious animation and creative similarities between The Simpsons and Futurama, the former is considered a fictional part of the latter's universe. This is partly because there are Bart dolls amongst the trash asteroid that was threatening Earth in one of the episodes. Your brain twists even more if you've seen a latter-day episode of The Simpsons where Bender makes a cameo. Of course, the best explanation is that The Simpsons is a stupid-age show running during Futurama, and Bender's "cameo" was during one of his short periods of in universe notoriety. Then again, the only references to The Simpsons are from the present day, not in the Futurama timeline (3000-3012). Yeah, I've spent too much time (read: any time) thinking about this crap.
Of course, I would be remiss if I talked about continuity and show universes and left out St. Elsewhere. The amount of connections that could theoretically exist and relate to the end of that series is absolutely astonishing, and there is even a "hypothesis" about this. Obviously this is going way too far, and clearly wasn't the intention of the writers of the show***. Still, it can be fun at times to think about this stuff.
Although it was one of the few shows that didn't have a connection to that St. Elsewhere finale, one episode of Newsradio did parody that ending***. Which I suppose should be appropriate considering that show's lack of serialization. In the end all of this stuff, even the really well tuned and serialized stuff, is fake. They are all constructs of fiction, perpetuated by fans and (for the forseeable future) by the copyright owners. Unlike our universe, these can be extinguished by us forgetting about them, or expanded into additional universes, where different possibilities and timelines exist. Hell, perhaps our universe is just a fictional construct of some other beings. Eh, whatever, as long as we aren't in the darkest timeline.
*It is less explainable in-universe. Obviously real world situations explain about every one of these.
**If you don't get these references, then God, Jed, I don't want to know you. Or you are twelve, and thinks The Simpsons is that so-so show before Family Guy.
***Or maybe they just want you to think that's the case. The truth is out there, man.
****I would have loved to point you to a clip of that ending, but I couldn't find it during a short search.
Showing posts with label The West Wing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The West Wing. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
In Defense Of: The West Wing Season Five
There is no accounting for taste. Everyone has a favorite movie or TV show that they like despite the general consensus being otherwise. Sometimes we come to this opinion upon a revisiting, as perhaps our new experiences and perspective opens up new ways to be entertained. Other times we've enjoyed it from the first time we saw it, and we still love it, damnit. We begin with season five of The West Wing, considered the weakest of the entire series.
There is no denying that The West Wing was weaker after Aaron Sorkin left. Even when the show rebounded during the Santos vs. Vinick election storyline, it was still missing something, that "Good Sorkin"* element that seemed to tie together the show so well. This can be best felt in the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping arc, half of which was under Sorkin, half of which was not. "Commencement" and "25" are tight, well written, and balance the drama with the tension really well. The juxtaposition of Toby's joy at the birth of his twins and the President and First Lady going through the utter hell of their daughter being kidnapped is spot on. Although the fourth season had some of the troubles of later seasons, it certainly ended with a bang.
"7A WF 83429" and "The Dogs of War", on the other hand, aren't bad, but they just aren't great. Instead of having that focus on the interpersonal drama surrounding the kidnapping and Bartlet's subsequent temporary recusal from the Presidency, it seemed far more concerned with the political aspects of the situation. That isn't to say there isn't a place for that, just that it wasn't as well balanced. The end of "7A WF 83429" tries to go for the emotion of "Two Cathedrals" or "Commencement", but it just feels overblown. To top it off, the conclusion of the kidnapping just seemed a bit perfunctory, like they forgot they needed to end it and just stuck it in there. They were pretty good television, and would have been great for many shows. But for a show like The West Wing, they just weren't good enough.
The other twenty episodes are about the same. They are nowhere near the awfulness some people seem to claim, but they are also nowhere near the heights of Bartlet's first term. Martin Sheen is great as always as President Bartlet, as is most of the rest of the cast. Season five marks a big step in Donna's development as a character, as she tries to become more than just Josh's faithful assistant.
My two biggest problems with the season are what they did to Leo and Will. In the first four seasons, Leo was the President's right hand man. He was powerful, he was wise, and he was competent. Sure, he often tempered the President's more quixotic side, but he knew when to slow things down, and when to let Bartlet be Bartlet. However, in season five, he becomes Mr. No. I suppose in the early part of the season it was because Bartlet wasn't quite back in the game from Zoey's kidnapping, and his subsequent estrangement from the First Lady. By the end of the season, his attitude veered between reticent gatekeeper and deluded warmonger. I suppose it was done to show the President's growth in self-confidence at being able to do the job, but it just makes Leo look terrible. On top of it all, it sets up what happens at the beginning of season six, the true nadir of the series.**
As for Will, why bring him on to be Sam 2.0 when you turn around and marginalize him by making him Bingo Bob's chief of staff? I suppose they felt it would create "drama" between Toby and Will, and also it would set up the election storyline in later seasons, but that assumes they were thinking that far ahead. Will vs. Josh works fairly well, particularly with Donna in there, but that didn't happen until season six, and Will could have conceivably jumped over to Bingo Bob's campaign a season later.
Those complaints aside, I still enjoyed the season. "Shutdown" and "The Supremes" are two of my favorite episodes, perhaps because the West Wing staff actually accomplishes something. "Han" was a surprisingly good episode, although much more somber than most of my favorite episodes. Finally, the show is astute in showing the dynamics of how dysfunctional the government can be when you have a far right wing Congress mixed with a centrist liberal White House. I was surprised how similar some of the situations were to our current mess.
In the end, I don't think season five deserves the scorn often heaped upon it. True, it had some hard to swallow stuff such as Toby saving Social Security in one day, and it had problems with some of the characters. Sure, none of the new characters in the season made an impact, or even lasted beyond the season***. But it still was The West Wing, which meant it was one of the best dramas on broadcast TV at the time. Now that the entire run is up on Netflix, I suggest you give it a shot if you've never seen it, or a second chance if you have.
*To me, Aaron Sorkin has two sides to his writing. Good Sorkin is some of the best writing found in TV or films. Good Sorkin can be found in movies like The Social Network or most of season two of The West Wing. Bad Sorkin can be absolutely awful. He can be misanthropic, smug, and just downright wrong. For this, see most of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, good portions of The Newsroom, and any time he trolls Internet users in The West Wing.
**Good lord is the first part of season six terrible. Between the hatchet job they do to Bartlet and Leo's relationship and Leo's subsequent heart attack, it's just not good. Only once Santos and Vinick show up does it get better, with "King Corn" and "Freedonia" being the start of a much stronger portion of the season.
***Other than Elizabeth Bartlet, who shows up during the Santos/Vinick arc.
There is no denying that The West Wing was weaker after Aaron Sorkin left. Even when the show rebounded during the Santos vs. Vinick election storyline, it was still missing something, that "Good Sorkin"* element that seemed to tie together the show so well. This can be best felt in the Zoey Bartlet kidnapping arc, half of which was under Sorkin, half of which was not. "Commencement" and "25" are tight, well written, and balance the drama with the tension really well. The juxtaposition of Toby's joy at the birth of his twins and the President and First Lady going through the utter hell of their daughter being kidnapped is spot on. Although the fourth season had some of the troubles of later seasons, it certainly ended with a bang.
"7A WF 83429" and "The Dogs of War", on the other hand, aren't bad, but they just aren't great. Instead of having that focus on the interpersonal drama surrounding the kidnapping and Bartlet's subsequent temporary recusal from the Presidency, it seemed far more concerned with the political aspects of the situation. That isn't to say there isn't a place for that, just that it wasn't as well balanced. The end of "7A WF 83429" tries to go for the emotion of "Two Cathedrals" or "Commencement", but it just feels overblown. To top it off, the conclusion of the kidnapping just seemed a bit perfunctory, like they forgot they needed to end it and just stuck it in there. They were pretty good television, and would have been great for many shows. But for a show like The West Wing, they just weren't good enough.
The other twenty episodes are about the same. They are nowhere near the awfulness some people seem to claim, but they are also nowhere near the heights of Bartlet's first term. Martin Sheen is great as always as President Bartlet, as is most of the rest of the cast. Season five marks a big step in Donna's development as a character, as she tries to become more than just Josh's faithful assistant.
My two biggest problems with the season are what they did to Leo and Will. In the first four seasons, Leo was the President's right hand man. He was powerful, he was wise, and he was competent. Sure, he often tempered the President's more quixotic side, but he knew when to slow things down, and when to let Bartlet be Bartlet. However, in season five, he becomes Mr. No. I suppose in the early part of the season it was because Bartlet wasn't quite back in the game from Zoey's kidnapping, and his subsequent estrangement from the First Lady. By the end of the season, his attitude veered between reticent gatekeeper and deluded warmonger. I suppose it was done to show the President's growth in self-confidence at being able to do the job, but it just makes Leo look terrible. On top of it all, it sets up what happens at the beginning of season six, the true nadir of the series.**
As for Will, why bring him on to be Sam 2.0 when you turn around and marginalize him by making him Bingo Bob's chief of staff? I suppose they felt it would create "drama" between Toby and Will, and also it would set up the election storyline in later seasons, but that assumes they were thinking that far ahead. Will vs. Josh works fairly well, particularly with Donna in there, but that didn't happen until season six, and Will could have conceivably jumped over to Bingo Bob's campaign a season later.
Those complaints aside, I still enjoyed the season. "Shutdown" and "The Supremes" are two of my favorite episodes, perhaps because the West Wing staff actually accomplishes something. "Han" was a surprisingly good episode, although much more somber than most of my favorite episodes. Finally, the show is astute in showing the dynamics of how dysfunctional the government can be when you have a far right wing Congress mixed with a centrist liberal White House. I was surprised how similar some of the situations were to our current mess.
In the end, I don't think season five deserves the scorn often heaped upon it. True, it had some hard to swallow stuff such as Toby saving Social Security in one day, and it had problems with some of the characters. Sure, none of the new characters in the season made an impact, or even lasted beyond the season***. But it still was The West Wing, which meant it was one of the best dramas on broadcast TV at the time. Now that the entire run is up on Netflix, I suggest you give it a shot if you've never seen it, or a second chance if you have.
*To me, Aaron Sorkin has two sides to his writing. Good Sorkin is some of the best writing found in TV or films. Good Sorkin can be found in movies like The Social Network or most of season two of The West Wing. Bad Sorkin can be absolutely awful. He can be misanthropic, smug, and just downright wrong. For this, see most of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, good portions of The Newsroom, and any time he trolls Internet users in The West Wing.
**Good lord is the first part of season six terrible. Between the hatchet job they do to Bartlet and Leo's relationship and Leo's subsequent heart attack, it's just not good. Only once Santos and Vinick show up does it get better, with "King Corn" and "Freedonia" being the start of a much stronger portion of the season.
***Other than Elizabeth Bartlet, who shows up during the Santos/Vinick arc.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
My Favorite Seasons of TV: Part Two
The Simpsons: Season Four
This was the toughest one of the bunch to pick. Frankly, any of seasons 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 would be worthy for this list. However, one of them stands above the rest just enough to represent what is quite arguably the greatest TV show ever. That season is season four.
Why? Because this is the season with "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "Last Exit to Springfield", two of the most cromulent episodes of the entire run of the show. And other than maybe the clip show, every other episode in this season is top notch. This is the season of "Mr. Plow", "A Streetcar Named Marge", and "Whacking Day". It is the season that began with "Kamp Krusty" and ended with "Krusty Gets Kancelled".
Um...excuse me. The season dealt with issues both thorny (faith) and well-trodden (young love, both done excellently. It is the season of "Can't sleep, clown'll eat me. Can't sleep, clown'll eat me." and "Iron helps us play!"
Hell, even Ralph has his day in the sun, reaching deep down and using heartbreak and humiliation to give one heck of a rendition as George Washington. Sure, some day he'll bend his wookie, but for one episode he was truly more than a joke.
Of course, there are several more great moments, but I don't have much space. Instead, enjoy music clip from "Last Exit to Springfield".
(That oughta hold the little SOBs)
Futurama: Volume Four
Frankly this season would be in the running if "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" and "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings" were the only episodes in this season. However, there were many other episodes, such as the beautifully trippy "The Sting" and "Farnsworth's Parabox". The vitriol towards Fox (or network TV in general) can be felt from "Bender Shouldn't Be Allowed on TV", or the superhero parody "Less Than Hero". Oh yeah, can't forget about "Leela's Homeworld", particularly the ending.
Yep, a truly great set of episodes.
Oh, and we can't forget about this, can we?
Parks and Recreation: Season Three
We are conditioned to think more is better. So when we here a show has its episode count cut, we are worried about how that will affect the show. It has caused problems for some shows, including one that will appear later on this list. However, for Parks and Recreation, I think the abbreviated third season was an asset.
The season can be broken into two parts: the first part which resolves the Harvest Fest arc (filmed at the end of season two), and the nine other episodes, leading up to Leslie's big decision. Somehow the Ron, Leslie, Ben, Chris, and the P & R gang pull off a Harvest Fest, an impromptu wedding, and a beautiful memorial service for a Pawnee institution in those sixteen episodes.
My favorite part of the season has to be how Leslie just totally fights through her flu to give one hell of a presentation for the Harvest Fest. Somehow, I was as pumped watching that as Ben seemed to be, both simultaneously remembering Michael Jordan's lit-er-ally ill performance in the NBA Finals. Of course, I remembered this was a TV show, and that wasn't real. Unless Amy Poehler was actually sick during those scenes. If so, that would totally be method.
Community: Season Two
Each season of Community has had its moments. I'm sure even the upcoming Harmonless season will have great episodes and scenes. But by far my most favorite of the three currently produced seasons is season two. I suppose it is because this season had the greatest number of favorite episodes.
What can I say? "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" has made my annual holiday show and film rotation. I'm a sucker for fake clip shows, like "Paradigms of Human Memory", and any show that promises a Pulp Fiction take-off, but delivers My Dinner With Andre instead is a winner (especially if the episode is good). And that is before I even mention "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons", which achieved that precarious balance of nerd wanking that was also heartfelt and earnest. Yep, no one can say season two was part of the darkest timeline.
The West Wing: Season Two
The second season of The West Wing picks right up where the first season left off, as we discover who had been shot outside the Newseum. It doesn't stop until the "Cliffhanger that wasn't really a cliffhanger, didn't you see Jed put his hands in his pockets?" In between, a friend helps Josh find his way out of a hole, and the White House celebrates the pursuit of science, even if the scientific mission failed. A noble senator stands up for his grandson in a far more sympathetic filibuster than most of crap that happens in real life. And all the while, Toby figures out the big secret 17 people know, and we're off on the road to "Two Cathedrals". It is my opinion that "17 People" to "Two Cathedrals" is the best five episode run of any show I've ever seen. If you've watched them and disagree, I can respect that. But if you haven't because you are afraid or can't be bothered, then I don't even want to know you.
Arrested Development: Season Two
I have to admit, this show is hard to sell to people. On the surface it's "plot" (a formerly rich and powerful family rebuilds after the head of the family goes to jail) isn't that enticing. Much of the humor is so densely packed, that it requires multiple viewings to get so many of the jokes.* Unless you've watched it so often that you've almost memorized it, it requires attention. I get all that, but it doesn't matter. This is the best comedy of the 2000s, and one of the best ever.
All three seasons have plenty to offer, but clearly season two stands above the others. Season one was just a warm up, whereas season three started to get a bit sloppy, although still quite sharp. But season two...season two is like all the juice you can drink.
My favorite episode of this season is "Good Grief", which is nestled in the early middle of the season. My favorite part of the episode (and this was tough to pick) is probably George Micheal's sad walk set to "Christmastime is here".
I'd include more clips, but I'm pretty sure after a while I'd include the entire episode, plus most of several episodes around it. Just go check them out for yourself, OK? As your resident maritime lawyer, Chareth Cutestory recommends it.
Honorable Mention: Star Trek: TNG: Season Four, Star Trek: DS9: Season Five, Newsradio: Season Four, Louie: Season Two
*It took me several times watching to realize there was a Henry Winkler "jumping the shark" joke in one episode. And this was one of the more obvious ones.
This was the toughest one of the bunch to pick. Frankly, any of seasons 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 would be worthy for this list. However, one of them stands above the rest just enough to represent what is quite arguably the greatest TV show ever. That season is season four.
Why? Because this is the season with "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "Last Exit to Springfield", two of the most cromulent episodes of the entire run of the show. And other than maybe the clip show, every other episode in this season is top notch. This is the season of "Mr. Plow", "A Streetcar Named Marge", and "Whacking Day". It is the season that began with "Kamp Krusty" and ended with "Krusty Gets Kancelled".
GABBO!
GABBO!
GABBO!
Um...excuse me. The season dealt with issues both thorny (faith) and well-trodden (young love, both done excellently. It is the season of "Can't sleep, clown'll eat me. Can't sleep, clown'll eat me." and "Iron helps us play!"
Hell, even Ralph has his day in the sun, reaching deep down and using heartbreak and humiliation to give one heck of a rendition as George Washington. Sure, some day he'll bend his wookie, but for one episode he was truly more than a joke.
Of course, there are several more great moments, but I don't have much space. Instead, enjoy music clip from "Last Exit to Springfield".
(That oughta hold the little SOBs)
Futurama: Volume Four
Frankly this season would be in the running if "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" and "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings" were the only episodes in this season. However, there were many other episodes, such as the beautifully trippy "The Sting" and "Farnsworth's Parabox". The vitriol towards Fox (or network TV in general) can be felt from "Bender Shouldn't Be Allowed on TV", or the superhero parody "Less Than Hero". Oh yeah, can't forget about "Leela's Homeworld", particularly the ending.
Yep, a truly great set of episodes.
Oh, and we can't forget about this, can we?
Parks and Recreation: Season Three
We are conditioned to think more is better. So when we here a show has its episode count cut, we are worried about how that will affect the show. It has caused problems for some shows, including one that will appear later on this list. However, for Parks and Recreation, I think the abbreviated third season was an asset.
The season can be broken into two parts: the first part which resolves the Harvest Fest arc (filmed at the end of season two), and the nine other episodes, leading up to Leslie's big decision. Somehow the Ron, Leslie, Ben, Chris, and the P & R gang pull off a Harvest Fest, an impromptu wedding, and a beautiful memorial service for a Pawnee institution in those sixteen episodes.
My favorite part of the season has to be how Leslie just totally fights through her flu to give one hell of a presentation for the Harvest Fest. Somehow, I was as pumped watching that as Ben seemed to be, both simultaneously remembering Michael Jordan's lit-er-ally ill performance in the NBA Finals. Of course, I remembered this was a TV show, and that wasn't real. Unless Amy Poehler was actually sick during those scenes. If so, that would totally be method.
Community: Season Two
Each season of Community has had its moments. I'm sure even the upcoming Harmonless season will have great episodes and scenes. But by far my most favorite of the three currently produced seasons is season two. I suppose it is because this season had the greatest number of favorite episodes.
What can I say? "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" has made my annual holiday show and film rotation. I'm a sucker for fake clip shows, like "Paradigms of Human Memory", and any show that promises a Pulp Fiction take-off, but delivers My Dinner With Andre instead is a winner (especially if the episode is good). And that is before I even mention "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons", which achieved that precarious balance of nerd wanking that was also heartfelt and earnest. Yep, no one can say season two was part of the darkest timeline.
The West Wing: Season Two
The second season of The West Wing picks right up where the first season left off, as we discover who had been shot outside the Newseum. It doesn't stop until the "Cliffhanger that wasn't really a cliffhanger, didn't you see Jed put his hands in his pockets?" In between, a friend helps Josh find his way out of a hole, and the White House celebrates the pursuit of science, even if the scientific mission failed. A noble senator stands up for his grandson in a far more sympathetic filibuster than most of crap that happens in real life. And all the while, Toby figures out the big secret 17 people know, and we're off on the road to "Two Cathedrals". It is my opinion that "17 People" to "Two Cathedrals" is the best five episode run of any show I've ever seen. If you've watched them and disagree, I can respect that. But if you haven't because you are afraid or can't be bothered, then I don't even want to know you.
Arrested Development: Season Two
I have to admit, this show is hard to sell to people. On the surface it's "plot" (a formerly rich and powerful family rebuilds after the head of the family goes to jail) isn't that enticing. Much of the humor is so densely packed, that it requires multiple viewings to get so many of the jokes.* Unless you've watched it so often that you've almost memorized it, it requires attention. I get all that, but it doesn't matter. This is the best comedy of the 2000s, and one of the best ever.
All three seasons have plenty to offer, but clearly season two stands above the others. Season one was just a warm up, whereas season three started to get a bit sloppy, although still quite sharp. But season two...season two is like all the juice you can drink.
My favorite episode of this season is "Good Grief", which is nestled in the early middle of the season. My favorite part of the episode (and this was tough to pick) is probably George Micheal's sad walk set to "Christmastime is here".
I'd include more clips, but I'm pretty sure after a while I'd include the entire episode, plus most of several episodes around it. Just go check them out for yourself, OK? As your resident maritime lawyer, Chareth Cutestory recommends it.
Honorable Mention: Star Trek: TNG: Season Four, Star Trek: DS9: Season Five, Newsradio: Season Four, Louie: Season Two
*It took me several times watching to realize there was a Henry Winkler "jumping the shark" joke in one episode. And this was one of the more obvious ones.
Monday, March 16, 2009
R.I.P., Ron Silver
Some more sad news today, as Ron Silver has died of esophageal cancer. Although prolific in both movies and TV, to me he will always be Bruno Gianelli. It was always a treat whenever he appeared on The West Wing, and somehow made the profession of Mark Penn and Dick Morris look somewhat noble. He will be missed.
Here is a small clip of one of my favorite scenes involving Ron Silver.
Here is a small clip of one of my favorite scenes involving Ron Silver.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The West Wing: Favorite Clips
This isn't actually my favorite clip of Arnie Vinick. However, I can't find his quick piece of straight talk on ethanol in "King Corn", and this is about just as good. This works better as a clip as well, as the King Corn piece is rather short in comparison.
I honestly would have been happy with either Santos or Vinick winning at the end of the series. Alan Alda did an excellent job with this character, and its almost too bad that he wasn't in the show more. True, he was an idealized pro-choice version of John McCain (without the war record and S&L scandal). However, that isn't a reason to dislike the character. I was happy when he agreed to be Santos Secretary of State.
Up next will be a murderer's row of clips, from some of my favorite episodes.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The West Wing: Favorite Clips
In Honor of Senator Barack Obama's new title of presumptive Democratic nominee, here is Matt Santos' Convention Speech that led to his nomination.
The great thing about the Santos/Vinick campaign is how it mirrors the 2008 election. Sure, John McCain is older than Arnold Vinick (and not pro-choice), and Matt Santos is a bigger Boy Scout than even Senator Obama. However, both candidates clearly have similarities with these idealized characters. Heck, Santos was partially based on Senator Obama.
In the interest of political fairness, I'll be including one of my favorite Vinick clips soon.
The great thing about the Santos/Vinick campaign is how it mirrors the 2008 election. Sure, John McCain is older than Arnold Vinick (and not pro-choice), and Matt Santos is a bigger Boy Scout than even Senator Obama. However, both candidates clearly have similarities with these idealized characters. Heck, Santos was partially based on Senator Obama.
In the interest of political fairness, I'll be including one of my favorite Vinick clips soon.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The West Wing: Favorite Clips
As another irregular feature on this blog, I'll be posting some of my favorite West Wing scenes, with a short blurb following. There is no particular order to this, or any regularity implied. Also, some of my favorite scenes may not be available on Youtube, so don't consider this an exhaustive list. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
DVD Adventure: The Minister of Qumar
SPOILER ALERT: All of my posts in this series will be replete with spoilers. As all of these, save for a few movies, are past the one year moratorium, I really shouldn't need to include this warning. However, I feel it is a courteous thing to do. You have been warned.
The season finales and premieres of The West Wing were always the most anticipated episodes of their respective seasons. This was especially true for seasons 1-2 and 2-3, which combined cliffhangers with two part episodes at the beginning of the next season.
However, season 3 did not end with a cliffhanger. "We Killed Yamamoto" and "Posse Comitatus", the two season 3 episodes included in this viewing, wrap up several storylines. Josh wins a vote at the expense of Amy's job, Simon Donovan is killed before his romance with C.J. can even begin, and the President makes a very tough choice that may (or may not) have consequences later on. It is a season ending less about a buzzworthy cliffhanger, and more about setting up the election year of season 4.
I enjoyed the first two episodes, although they certainly aren't at top of my favorites list. The choice that the President has to make is one of the toughest a man like Jed has to make, a decision where moral absolutes are in short supply. I do think he made the right call in assassinating the Qumari official. They had reliable, rock-solid information that he was the mastermind of a terrorist plot on U.S. soil, and certain factors prevented prosecuting him in court. This was not a decision made lightly, nor without great trepidation on the part of the President. If every President showed this much thought and restraint, our nation's casualties of war would be significantly less.
In addition to this situation, it is an election year. Bartlet is in for a tough fight against a Dubya caricature played by James Brolin. Although I think Gov. Ritchie was far too much of a straw man to put up against Bartlet (Alan Alda's Vinick would have been awesome here), I do love the scene at the play between the two candidates.
As for the other stories, one is closed, as another is started. With one big exception, the budding relationship between C.J. and Simon Donovan is abruptly closed when he is gunned down. The President opens up the search for a new assistant, and Charlie's favorite has a rough first interview with Jed. Why is she so hesitant to apply for the job at the White House? You'll just have see in part two of this post, starting....now.
The second part of this "movie" is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. Set over a 20 hour period, it is jam-packed with a lot of wonderful stuff. The main story is based around the journey of Toby, Josh, and Donna from Indiana back to D.C. I love this storyline for so many reasons. The trials and tribulations they go through in getting to Indianapolis International Airport is hilarious. I especially love their reaction to the whole Indiana policy on Daylight Savings.* Watching that scene cracks me up every time, especially if I imagine it being part of an Indiana tourism video.
Like every great episode of The West Wing, "20 Hours in America" mixes the poignant with the humorous. I must admit the speech by Bartlet after the tragedy at the university in Iowa isn't for everyone, but I certainly loved it. I'm a sucker for those kind of speeches, however, so take that with a grain of salt.
There is just too much I love about this episode to go into detail. Whether it is Charlie showing how a man should act, or the continued eccentric meetings between the President and Debbie Fiderer, it all just works well for me.
However, my favorite scene of the episode, and quite possibly the series, is the last one. Finally within sight of the White House, our intrepid voyagers ask the airport shuttle to drop them so they can walk to work. In the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial, Toby explains why intelligence, gravitas, and inspiration matters when choosing our President. If you want to find a better argument towards why I support Barack Obama, be my guest.
Factoid of almost no importance to either me or my readers: Despite having watched the episode several times, I never noticed Amy feeding her dog at the beginning of "We Killed Yamamoto". I'm not sure how I missed it, but I did.
Next Tuesday: "Pilots"-The first episodes of The Simpsons, Futurama, The West Wing, Arrested Development, and 30 Rock
Then: "Bender: Great supporting character: Bad Star"-Four episodes of Futurama starring Bender that are merely "good", and four that disprove the thesis.
*-In defense of the Hoosiers, this policy has been changed. Although the state still is split between Central and Eastern time zones, depending on which county you are in.
The season finales and premieres of The West Wing were always the most anticipated episodes of their respective seasons. This was especially true for seasons 1-2 and 2-3, which combined cliffhangers with two part episodes at the beginning of the next season.
However, season 3 did not end with a cliffhanger. "We Killed Yamamoto" and "Posse Comitatus", the two season 3 episodes included in this viewing, wrap up several storylines. Josh wins a vote at the expense of Amy's job, Simon Donovan is killed before his romance with C.J. can even begin, and the President makes a very tough choice that may (or may not) have consequences later on. It is a season ending less about a buzzworthy cliffhanger, and more about setting up the election year of season 4.
I enjoyed the first two episodes, although they certainly aren't at top of my favorites list. The choice that the President has to make is one of the toughest a man like Jed has to make, a decision where moral absolutes are in short supply. I do think he made the right call in assassinating the Qumari official. They had reliable, rock-solid information that he was the mastermind of a terrorist plot on U.S. soil, and certain factors prevented prosecuting him in court. This was not a decision made lightly, nor without great trepidation on the part of the President. If every President showed this much thought and restraint, our nation's casualties of war would be significantly less.
In addition to this situation, it is an election year. Bartlet is in for a tough fight against a Dubya caricature played by James Brolin. Although I think Gov. Ritchie was far too much of a straw man to put up against Bartlet (Alan Alda's Vinick would have been awesome here), I do love the scene at the play between the two candidates.
As for the other stories, one is closed, as another is started. With one big exception, the budding relationship between C.J. and Simon Donovan is abruptly closed when he is gunned down. The President opens up the search for a new assistant, and Charlie's favorite has a rough first interview with Jed. Why is she so hesitant to apply for the job at the White House? You'll just have see in part two of this post, starting....now.
The second part of this "movie" is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. Set over a 20 hour period, it is jam-packed with a lot of wonderful stuff. The main story is based around the journey of Toby, Josh, and Donna from Indiana back to D.C. I love this storyline for so many reasons. The trials and tribulations they go through in getting to Indianapolis International Airport is hilarious. I especially love their reaction to the whole Indiana policy on Daylight Savings.* Watching that scene cracks me up every time, especially if I imagine it being part of an Indiana tourism video.
Like every great episode of The West Wing, "20 Hours in America" mixes the poignant with the humorous. I must admit the speech by Bartlet after the tragedy at the university in Iowa isn't for everyone, but I certainly loved it. I'm a sucker for those kind of speeches, however, so take that with a grain of salt.
There is just too much I love about this episode to go into detail. Whether it is Charlie showing how a man should act, or the continued eccentric meetings between the President and Debbie Fiderer, it all just works well for me.
However, my favorite scene of the episode, and quite possibly the series, is the last one. Finally within sight of the White House, our intrepid voyagers ask the airport shuttle to drop them so they can walk to work. In the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial, Toby explains why intelligence, gravitas, and inspiration matters when choosing our President. If you want to find a better argument towards why I support Barack Obama, be my guest.
Factoid of almost no importance to either me or my readers: Despite having watched the episode several times, I never noticed Amy feeding her dog at the beginning of "We Killed Yamamoto". I'm not sure how I missed it, but I did.
Next Tuesday: "Pilots"-The first episodes of The Simpsons, Futurama, The West Wing, Arrested Development, and 30 Rock
Then: "Bender: Great supporting character: Bad Star"-Four episodes of Futurama starring Bender that are merely "good", and four that disprove the thesis.
*-In defense of the Hoosiers, this policy has been changed. Although the state still is split between Central and Eastern time zones, depending on which county you are in.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Year of DVDs: West Wing, Season 1, Disc 2B
Series: The West Wing
Season: 1
Disc: 2, side B
Episodes: "Take Out the Trash Day", "Take This Sabbath Day", "Celestial Navigation", "20 Hours in L.A."
Although I often take a rather bitter and cynical attitude towards things, deep down I'm an idealist. I truly want to see things better, and am always on the lookout for the "real thing" in politics. It's why I love the filibuster scene in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, why The American President and Dave are two of my favorite movies, and why The West Wing is my favorite TV show of all time.
Being an idealist often means you end up disappointed. This is true of even the Bartlet administration. The show tends to fluctuate like a sine wave between failure and success, and the four episodes on this disc are part of the first downward trend of the series. Little is being accomplished, morale is starting to sink, and the President is starting to feel restless about it all. And to top it all off, Bartlet's daughter is receiving death threats, and a potential Supreme Court justice is doing his damnest to lose his nomination fight.
Fortunately, the mood of these episodes isn't nearly as somber as some of the later down cycles (See: Early Season Five). There is the hilarious first appearance by Joey Lucas, proving once again why it is a bad idea to take an early meeting with a hangover. Leo finds it in his heart to give a poor girl a second chance, despite her almost ruining his career. And above all, Josh not only creates a "secret plan to fight inflation", he is also opposed to it.
In the end, not everything goes as intended. Sometimes you have to take babysteps, and sometimes you just mark time in the mud. There is always another day, and another battle to fight. And eventually, you just gotta let Bartlet be Bartlet.
Season: 1
Disc: 2, side B
Episodes: "Take Out the Trash Day", "Take This Sabbath Day", "Celestial Navigation", "20 Hours in L.A."
Although I often take a rather bitter and cynical attitude towards things, deep down I'm an idealist. I truly want to see things better, and am always on the lookout for the "real thing" in politics. It's why I love the filibuster scene in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, why The American President and Dave are two of my favorite movies, and why The West Wing is my favorite TV show of all time.
Being an idealist often means you end up disappointed. This is true of even the Bartlet administration. The show tends to fluctuate like a sine wave between failure and success, and the four episodes on this disc are part of the first downward trend of the series. Little is being accomplished, morale is starting to sink, and the President is starting to feel restless about it all. And to top it all off, Bartlet's daughter is receiving death threats, and a potential Supreme Court justice is doing his damnest to lose his nomination fight.
Fortunately, the mood of these episodes isn't nearly as somber as some of the later down cycles (See: Early Season Five). There is the hilarious first appearance by Joey Lucas, proving once again why it is a bad idea to take an early meeting with a hangover. Leo finds it in his heart to give a poor girl a second chance, despite her almost ruining his career. And above all, Josh not only creates a "secret plan to fight inflation", he is also opposed to it.
In the end, not everything goes as intended. Sometimes you have to take babysteps, and sometimes you just mark time in the mud. There is always another day, and another battle to fight. And eventually, you just gotta let Bartlet be Bartlet.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
From Start to Finish: The West Wing
As I now have all seven seasons of The West Wing on DVD, I am beginning an effort to watch it from start to finish. I intend to watch one episode a day, with more possibly on weekends, until the job is finished.
As some of you readers know from the old days of my MySpace blog, I started a ranking of episodes of the West Wing. I don't believe I ever finished it, and I have no intentions of finishing it now. Instead, I will be posting some thoughts on the episodes I watched.
As I have already started the run, I will make two posts to cover the seven episodes I have already watched. The first set will be "Pilot", "Post Hoc ergo Propter Hoc", "Proportional Response" and "Five Votes Down".
The Bartlet Presidency, a retrospective
w/ bonus coverage of the 2006 Presidential Election
Season 1, Episode 1: "The Pilot"
Compared to other episodes of the show, this one is not a power-house. However, it is an excellent first episode. All of the necessary items in a pilot are here, as the characters are introduced, the stage is set, and the first running story line (Sam's friend with an interesting occupation) is going strong. There is plenty to like in this episode, from the wonderful shot following Leo through the West Wing, to the already strong chemistry between Donna and Josh.
By the time the meeting with Mary Marsh and the other right wingers takes place, the show has already shown flickers of its greatness. However, those flickers pale in comparison to the bright flames that appear when President Bartlet appears. Those last few minutes of the episode really set the tone for the show, and also demonstrate why making Jed a regular cast member was a wise idea by Aaron Sorkin and Co.
Season 1, Episode 2: "Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc"
A solid episode, although it pales in comparison to some of the great ones of the season. The Latin lesson was very helpful, and the Sam makes an ass of himself (SMAH) average stays at 1.000. Other than that, not too much to say about this one.
Season 1, Episode 3: "Proportional Response"
The second part of a two part story arc, this episode has several moments that are really great.
From the introduction of Charlie, to C.J. finding out about Sam's friend, the show really starts to flesh out the character relationships. Above all else, however, is the moment when Leo sets the President straight, explaining the role of a responsible superpower. In this day and age, I can't help but think things might have been better off if G.W. had a Leo to remind him of this.
The ending of this episode is one of the first (of many) truly uplifting conclusions. Yes, Charlie, the feeling doesn't go away.
Season 1, Episode 4: "Five Votes Down"
This episode is one of the least enjoyable episodes of the season. Not that it isn't a good episode, or that it doesn't have some good moments. The biggest downer is that it is a somewhat depressing episode, with the somewhat unsuccessful fight to get a bill passed, and the troubles at the McGarry household . Nevertheless it still has some great moments, such as President Bartlet's trip to the oval office on painkillers, and the Veeps meeting with the country fried representative from Texas. Honestly, that character either should have never existed, or should have been a recurring Blue Dog Democratic foil for the West Wing. There is no middle ground for Representative Tillinghouse.
As some of you readers know from the old days of my MySpace blog, I started a ranking of episodes of the West Wing. I don't believe I ever finished it, and I have no intentions of finishing it now. Instead, I will be posting some thoughts on the episodes I watched.
As I have already started the run, I will make two posts to cover the seven episodes I have already watched. The first set will be "Pilot", "Post Hoc ergo Propter Hoc", "Proportional Response" and "Five Votes Down".
The Bartlet Presidency, a retrospective
w/ bonus coverage of the 2006 Presidential Election
Season 1, Episode 1: "The Pilot"
Compared to other episodes of the show, this one is not a power-house. However, it is an excellent first episode. All of the necessary items in a pilot are here, as the characters are introduced, the stage is set, and the first running story line (Sam's friend with an interesting occupation) is going strong. There is plenty to like in this episode, from the wonderful shot following Leo through the West Wing, to the already strong chemistry between Donna and Josh.
By the time the meeting with Mary Marsh and the other right wingers takes place, the show has already shown flickers of its greatness. However, those flickers pale in comparison to the bright flames that appear when President Bartlet appears. Those last few minutes of the episode really set the tone for the show, and also demonstrate why making Jed a regular cast member was a wise idea by Aaron Sorkin and Co.
Season 1, Episode 2: "Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc"
A solid episode, although it pales in comparison to some of the great ones of the season. The Latin lesson was very helpful, and the Sam makes an ass of himself (SMAH) average stays at 1.000. Other than that, not too much to say about this one.
Season 1, Episode 3: "Proportional Response"
The second part of a two part story arc, this episode has several moments that are really great.
From the introduction of Charlie, to C.J. finding out about Sam's friend, the show really starts to flesh out the character relationships. Above all else, however, is the moment when Leo sets the President straight, explaining the role of a responsible superpower. In this day and age, I can't help but think things might have been better off if G.W. had a Leo to remind him of this.
The ending of this episode is one of the first (of many) truly uplifting conclusions. Yes, Charlie, the feeling doesn't go away.
Season 1, Episode 4: "Five Votes Down"
This episode is one of the least enjoyable episodes of the season. Not that it isn't a good episode, or that it doesn't have some good moments. The biggest downer is that it is a somewhat depressing episode, with the somewhat unsuccessful fight to get a bill passed, and the troubles at the McGarry household . Nevertheless it still has some great moments, such as President Bartlet's trip to the oval office on painkillers, and the Veeps meeting with the country fried representative from Texas. Honestly, that character either should have never existed, or should have been a recurring Blue Dog Democratic foil for the West Wing. There is no middle ground for Representative Tillinghouse.
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