"The West Wing"

I'm extremely late to the party on this one but now getting into it thanks to Netflix. Just started the first episode of Season 2. What was the general consensus of this show when it was on the air? Critically praised? Good ratings?

"Two Cathedrals" is, in my opinion, the finest hour of broadcast television drama ever.

The show was consistently outstanding the first four years. They lost their way in season 5 (the season most West Wing fans don't speak of), but got back on track in the final two seasons.

There is a marked diffrence in tone and structure in the Sorkin years versus the non-Sorkin years. No one could write the witty, fast-paced dialogue the way Sorkin could, and the famous walk and talks all but disappeared after he left. The show also lost a lot of its humor after Sorkin departed (everyone became very bleak for some reason). Gone were the quirky little things like Big Block of Cheese Day.

Nevertheless, all seven seasons are inherently enjoyable and extremely well-acted. Talk about a great ensemble. Everyone was outstanding, though Allison Janney's work was never less than brilliant. There is a scene in a season four episode called The Women of Qumar where she is simply breathtaking.

As a non American, I adored the show. Great television. For me it portrayed an administration that was generally good & caring, and could make a country proud. Sadly the real life White House, proved what a total fiction TWW was.

It was a critics' darling, a ratings bonanza, and is still considered one of the finest intellectual dramas on television.

Unlike adamgreer, I thought all three final seasons were quite bland and disappointing. The first four, however, are absolutely fantastic.

The last time we finished the series, I immediately wanted to start over at the beginning because the first four seasons were so wonderful.

SPOILERS:

I could never get over CJs new position. It really made little sense, considering her lack of foreign policy knowledge. I always spend the last two seasons saying, "This is just dumb. Josh was the obvious choice."

End spoilers.

I am still hoping for a reboot with Sam Seaborne as president, maybe Charlie as VP? and everyone else in important, but different roles. Of course, Bartlett would be a close adviser.

"It was a critics' darling, a ratings bonanza, and is still considered one of the finest intellectual dramas on television.
Unlike adamgreer, I thought all three final seasons were quite bland and disappointing. The first four, however, are absolutely fantastic. "

Don't get me wrong, seasons 6 and 7 pale in comparison to the first 4. I just don't hate them like I do season 5. There were a few really good episodes at the end (the one where the shuttle leak is revealed featured a brilliant scene with CJ and Toby), but nothing like those early years.

I mostly missed the quirky humor of the early years. There was far less intellectualism in the later years.

"Spoilers(?)
The whole Zoey kidnap thing wasn't resolved to my satisfaction - it was Qumari terrorists or something, right? "

I don't think they were ever very clear on who it was. They just said it was a very amateur job.

I, too, was able to first watch the series because of Netflix. I think it was 1 or 2 years ago that I finally concluded the entire series. I immediately started over and watch the whole 7 seasons again. I just recently started reaching for a 4TH time.

THE WEST WING is compelling, relatable, and topical fiction television writing. In terms of values and consideration for grand improvement, Jed Bartlett is the future president that I hope for.

Yes, the series went downward in the final couple seasons, but even then, it was still above par.

I think THE WEST WING is a series that could easily come back with a new president and be just as good.

I don't think WEST WING could come back. The optimism about politics that characterized that White House is no longer possible. Politics is too adversarial now at every level.