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KTS posted:And while we're posting about secondary characters and clips, I love this scene with Fitzwallace with the whole gays in the military stuff and his blunt matter of factness Fitz was always great. Like when Charlie was introduced, I'm paraphrasing here : Leo : What do you think about a black kid being the Presidents body man? Fitz : You gonna pay him a decent wage and treat him with respect? Leo : Yeah. Fitz : Then what the gently caress do I care? You know I've got actual wars to fight, not PR ones. I can't remember the exact episode, but another side character, Nancy something is pissed at a military situation and enters the situation room : "Leo, yeoman Fitzwallace."
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Jul 15, 2011 17:23
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That scene reminds me of one thing I find annoying about Sorkin's shows. The characters constantly talk about their credentials, their title, their education etc. Mandy talked about how she's cute and has a PhD. Even on Studio 60 some guy constantly talks about how he went to Harvard and one character bitches about online blogs because they aren't real journalists that went to Yale. On Sports Night one guy talks about how he has BA, MA, and JD degrees and Dan talks about how he went to Dartmouth. We get it, you are smart people! Don't need to shove it down my throat. I'm an admiral in the U.S. Navy and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff... Beat that with a stick. Though I guess you can be smug when you're the Chairman
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Jul 15, 2011 17:29
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Mu Zeta posted:That scene reminds me of one thing I find annoying about Sorkin's shows. The characters constantly talk about their credentials, their title, their education etc. Mandy talked about how she's cute and has a PhD. Even on Studio 60 some guy constantly talks about how he went to Harvard and one character bitches about online blogs because they aren't real journalists that went to Yale. On Sports Night one guy talks about how he has BA, MA, and JD degrees and Dan talks about how he went to Dartmouth. We get it, you are smart people! Don't need to shove it down my throat.
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Jul 15, 2011 18:00
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Bad Wolf posted:Fitz was always great. Like when Charlie was introduced, I'm paraphrasing here : My favorite was when Nancy McNally calls him "Admiral Sissy Mary".
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Jul 15, 2011 18:29
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Mu Zeta posted:That scene reminds me of one thing I find annoying about Sorkin's shows. The characters constantly talk about their credentials, their title, their education etc. Mandy talked about how she's cute and has a PhD. Even on Studio 60 some guy constantly talks about how he went to Harvard and one character bitches about online blogs because they aren't real journalists that went to Yale. On Sports Night one guy talks about how he has BA, MA, and JD degrees and Dan talks about how he went to Dartmouth. We get it, you are smart people! Don't need to shove it down my throat. That just reminds me of life as people run around touting their credentials.
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Jul 15, 2011 19:18
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I'm still a relative newbie to West Wing -- I'm midway through season 4, but I'm absolutely hooked. The real difficulty I have in watching is I like to watch shows AND do something else, and West Wing isn't very forgiving of divided attention (at least on the first time through). Thoughts that have been building up but I've had no place to vent them: The golden rule of storytelling has always been "show, don't tell." Things that happen onstage are more dramatic than things that happen offstage. West Wing manages to ignore that rule so gloriously -- it shouldn't work, but it does. So many other shows would take the time to SHOW us what's going on when the submarines go quiet or there's a revolution in Haiti. We'd get crowd shots and action scenes and all that. West Wing keeps it located with our characters and their reactions to things. We get the tension, the worried faces, but never a single shot of what's going on halfway around the world. I also love the show's commitment to showing us the parts of the Presidency we wouldn't normally see. Moments when Bartlet is on camera are giving fleeting attention. His announcement in "Two Cathedrals" or his State of the Union speeches. We see occasional clips of them, but never the whole thing. As citizens in Bartlet's America, that's all we'd ever see. As viewers of the show, we gloss over them. I really got hooked on the show in a hurry.
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Jul 15, 2011 20:45
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Alaemon posted:I'm still a relative newbie to West Wing -- I'm midway through season 4, but I'm absolutely hooked. The real difficulty I have in watching is I like to watch shows AND do something else, and West Wing isn't very forgiving of divided attention (at least on the first time through). There's a couple of episodes of The West Wing, episodes heavy on the situation room, where I like to believe that the equivalent of an entire season of 24 has just occurred offscreen.
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Jul 15, 2011 21:05
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Mandoira posted:Yeah pretty sure he's confused and she was never in The West Wing. Maybe you're thinking of Lisa Edelstein? Jesus H. Christ. I think my brain just blew a fuse there. (They do look kind of similar, though, you gotta admit.) And she really is smoking hot, despite me confusing her for a similarly-smoking actress. mdemone fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Jul 16, 2011 |
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Jul 16, 2011 00:59
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Mu Zeta posted:That scene reminds me of one thing I find annoying about Sorkin's shows. The characters constantly talk about their credentials, their title, their education etc. Mandy talked about how she's cute and has a PhD. Even on Studio 60 some guy constantly talks about how he went to Harvard and one character bitches about online blogs because they aren't real journalists that went to Yale. On Sports Night one guy talks about how he has BA, MA, and JD degrees and Dan talks about how he went to Dartmouth. We get it, you are smart people! Don't need to shove it down my throat. (Referring to an old man) "He took part in Operation Overlord" "What was that?" "You know it as the invasion of Normandy." "Then why not call it in the invasion of Normandy in the first place, you smug prick?" is a natural reaction to that sort of thing, but everyone always just looks appreciative that they have such a fine mind in their presence. Perhaps Sorkin behaves that way and thinks he is similarly admired.
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Jul 16, 2011 02:17
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Mostly because his characters are smug pricks who are put in situations where their wit is useless and they have to actually work their way out of situations.
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Jul 16, 2011 02:38
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mdemone posted:Jesus H. Christ. I think my brain just blew a fuse there. (They do look kind of similar, though, you gotta admit.)
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Jul 16, 2011 04:55
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Hard to pick a favorite episode. The finales were always amazing, but 2 non-finale episodes that were great were The Short List with Olmos and the episode with Glenn Close The Supremes. Dancingthroughlife fucked around with this message at 21:46 on Jul 16, 2011 |
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Jul 16, 2011 21:38
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I'm not sure that I have a specific favorite episode, but the 5-episode stretch from 17 People (where they tell Toby about Bartlet's MS) to Two Cathedrals has gotta be one of my favorite TV story arcs of all time.
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Jul 16, 2011 21:45
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Ytadel posted:I'm not sure that I have a specific favorite episode, but the 5-episode stretch from 17 People (where they tell Toby about Bartlet's MS) to Two Cathedrals has gotta be one of my favorite TV story arcs of all time. This is a spectacular arc, and the thing that makes it even better is the ending on a 'cliffhanger' which isn't unresolved at all. The entire arc builds up to one moment and, when it arrives, you know exactly what is going to happen. I get chills every time I finish that episode. So I will merely quote Leo and say, with regards to the West Wing, "Watch this..."
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Jul 16, 2011 22:00
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Yeah 17 people was amazing and one of the few times I was actually mad at the President. Love this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMymwBvyIeg&NR=1from 1.04 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP3pl8MEEEc&NR=1 Secret Plan to fight inflation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21UELSDw3_Y&feature=related Dancingthroughlife fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Jul 16, 2011 |
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Jul 16, 2011 22:05
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I've just started watching 18th and Potomac, I can't wait to see the culmination of this storyline.  Edit: D: Poor Mrs. Landingham 
thexerox123 fucked around with this message at 22:48 on Jul 16, 2011 |
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Jul 16, 2011 22:14
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Ytadel posted:I'm not sure that I have a specific favorite episode, but the 5-episode stretch from 17 People (where they tell Toby about Bartlet's MS) to Two Cathedrals has gotta be one of my favorite TV story arcs of all time. Amen. I'm not sure there's a better five episode run in the history of television. Surely not one I've seen.
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Jul 17, 2011 06:12
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thexerox123 posted:I've just started watching 18th and Potomac, I can't wait to see the culmination of this storyline.  That was a tough one to take.
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Jul 17, 2011 06:19
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So I watched a random S5 episode since I've always been such a downer on the season. For how much of a letdown most of S5 was, "Shutdown" (S5E8) was a pretty good drat episode. Had some really good "Bartlet being Bartlet" moments like him walking to the Republican's office, sitting, waiting, then leaving when they didn't answer. Only for the media to totally turn in his favor due to the lack of response. I imagine it's an episode that can only be liked by Democrats. Bartlet also ends the episode with "What's next?" as if it ain't no thing. The episode also had the really bizarre/wtf were they thinking angle with the scantily dressed assistant who Josh said was a lawsuit waiting to happen and seemed to add nothing but a bit of eye candy. Think she stayed on as an occasional minor character during S5/6 as Toby's assistant. S5 is an enigma. You get great eps like "The Supremes" and "Shutdown", the really well done John Goodman opening two episodes written by John Wells. Then you get such mediocrity that it's amazing given the quality of the cast/production crew of the show to this point.
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Jul 17, 2011 16:20
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Season 5 wasn't bad or anything, it's just really, really boring. If you go back to a season 2 or 3 episode there was so much pep and energy. If "Shutdown" is the one I remember I didn't think it was that great either. Is it when someone dramatically says "Shut it down now" and there are all these dramatic camera cuts and booming music? It felt so out of place on this show. I don't know how they did it but in season 5 I could barely stay awake. I used to love CJ, Toby, Josh and the rest but everything they did was so dull. Season 5 was definitely mixed like you said though, it makes me wonder how much notice the writers had that Sorkin was quitting/being fired. Mu Zeta fucked around with this message at 16:30 on Jul 17, 2011 |
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Jul 17, 2011 16:26
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Mu Zeta posted:Season 5 wasn't bad or anything, it's just really, really boring. If you go back to a season 2 or 3 episode there was so much pep and energy. If "Shutdown" is the one I remember I didn't think it was that great either. Is it when someone dramatically says "Shut it down now" and there are all these dramatic camera cuts and booming music? It felt so out of place on this show. Don't get me wrong I think S5 is by far the worst season. And it says a lot when characters as strong as those by actors/actresses as amazing as those are dull. It just felt like there were a few gems in the rough with S5. It still is by far the worst season of The West Wing. I've honestly told people before to go from S4 -> read spoilers -> second half of S6. "Shutdown" wasn't an all time great ep, but it was a pretty drat good episode and a highlight of the season. Season 5 was basically 20 episodes too long I guess. When you consider the lack of character development.
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Jul 17, 2011 16:31
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I remember liking Jason Isaacs in season 5. On the other hand they blew up Fitzwallace. Conclusion: gently caress season 5!
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Jul 17, 2011 16:40
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Deuce posted:
It's still sad, I'm a few episodes into s3; Charlie just told the President why he'd always had a pen in his pocket.
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Jul 17, 2011 17:12
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The weird thing about Mrs Landingham was he actress immediately showed up on Scrubs for an episode about accepting death. I have to wonder if that was a bit of corporate synergy.
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Jul 17, 2011 17:25
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Mu Zeta posted:Season 5 wasn't bad or anything, it's just really, really boring. If you go back to a season 2 or 3 episode there was so much pep and energy. If "Shutdown" is the one I remember I didn't think it was that great either. Is it when someone dramatically says "Shut it down now" and there are all these dramatic camera cuts and booming music? It felt so out of place on this show.  It was awesomehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyXHA7xiChc (That's actually the ending of the episode directly preceding "Shutdown'", though.)
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Jul 17, 2011 18:25
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General Ironicus posted:The weird thing about Mrs Landingham was he actress immediately showed up on Scrubs for an episode about accepting death. The next time I saw her was the following year in Joan of Arcadia, where she played God. I saw that as the ultimate promotion for Mrs. Landingham, especially after the creator of the show said that the character was known on the set as "Mrs. Landingham-God." Lucania fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Jul 17, 2011 |
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Jul 17, 2011 19:47
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Not sure I have a favorite episode, but "Game On" would be up there. Bartlet wiping the floor with James Brolin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyqzPu5pX6U
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Jul 18, 2011 03:03
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The SARS Volta posted:Not sure I have a favorite episode, but "Game On" would be up there.  Whenever I come home for a bad day, all I need to do is jump through the links in this thread for a pick-me-up. Well, most of them. The big scenes in episodes like "20 Hours in America" are a different kind of awesome.
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Jul 18, 2011 03:15
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General Ironicus posted:The weird thing about Mrs Landingham was he actress immediately showed up on Scrubs for an episode about accepting death. I have to wonder if that was a bit of corporate synergy. She left West Wing for Desperate Housewives.
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Jul 18, 2011 04:03
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Desperate Housewives started about 3 years after she left, actually.
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Jul 18, 2011 07:58
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My personal favorite episode is "Angel Maintenance" The lame attempts at distracting a plane full of journalists to not notice that there is a problem with the plane/being escorted by jet fighters; the African-American congressman who wants to see the draft re-instated; Josh and his friend, a gay republican, hashing out a localized environmental measure/law that gets kyboshed once republican higher-ups see that he is meeting with him. It also makes me miss the way Rolling Rock used to taste before it was bought out.
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Jul 18, 2011 10:18
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Just noticed Nick Offerman in 1.05 The Crackpots and These Women. He and Eugene Mirman try to convince CJ of the need to build a $900 million wolves-only highway.
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Jul 18, 2011 12:31
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t3ch3 posted:Just noticed Nick Offerman in 1.05 The Crackpots and These Women. He and Eugene Mirman try to convince CJ of the need to build a $900 million wolves-only highway. I love Big Block of Cheese Day.
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Jul 18, 2011 13:08
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t3ch3 posted:Just noticed Nick Offerman in 1.05 The Crackpots and These Women. He and Eugene Mirman try to convince CJ of the need to build a $900 million wolves-only highway. CJ deals with the best crazies. I actually agreed with the guys that wanted to change the maps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8zBC2dvERM
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Jul 18, 2011 13:10
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Sorry, but the OP is basically useless without any mention of the goddamn Walk and Talk(TM). If you have to explain West Wing to a newcomer, you can't not include the Walk and Talk(TM).
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Jul 18, 2011 14:39
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t3ch3 posted:Just noticed Nick Offerman in 1.05 The Crackpots and These Women. He and Eugene Mirman try to convince CJ of the need to build a $900 million wolves-only highway. I was thinking "How could I have not realized that Eugene Mirman was in that scene!?" and went back to check.... that is not Eugene Mirman.
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Jul 18, 2011 15:17
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Great this thread has convinced me to go through the entire series since I skipped most of season 5,6, and half of 7. This has to be one of the most powerful moments in the series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FScv89J6rro (Two Cathedrals)
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Jul 18, 2011 16:00
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thexerox123 posted:I was thinking "How could I have not realized that Eugene Mirman was in that scene!?" and went back to check.... that is not Eugene Mirman. You are correct! However, in my defense, Nicholas Cascone looked a lot like Eugene Mirman in 1999. ufarn posted:Sorry, but the OP is basically useless without any mention of the goddamn Walk and Talk(TM). Lovin' the part in season one when Josh and Sam can't figure out where they're walking and promise never to tell anyone that it happened. Joementum fucked around with this message at 23:53 on Jul 18, 2011 |
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Jul 18, 2011 23:50
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t3ch3 posted:Lovin' the part in season one when Josh and Sam can't figure out where they're walking and promise never to tell anyone that it happened.
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Jul 19, 2011 00:25
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If nothing else, season 5 has some awesome guest stars. Just watched episode 6, with Terry O'Quinn and Nick Searcy - Locke and Art! And of course Gary Cole as the new VP, which I love.
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Jul 19, 2011 00:57
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