r/thewestwing

How long did Josh serve in the White House?

I was so excited! I thought I’d be at the table in the Situation Room, but it turns out I was in a crowd scene. Strange to be an extra in your own dream…

Realizing: did Bartlett crash the bike because of his MS!?

….and you know you’re now on borrowed time….

:(

I’m on my *I don’t know how many time-th* watch through. I am especially struck by the earth shattering way they treat the government shutdown. Like … duh duh duh … then the government will shut down. (Gasps) I am so sad that it isn’t so earth shattering now to hear there’s going to be (another) government shutdown. 😢

Today’s clue in NYT strands game. Got it right away

I’m sure others have noticed this before, but I just finished up a rewatch and got a chuckle out of the scene in “Tomorrow” where the President is taking one last walk through the White House and stopping to thank the staff. When he sees Nancy (played by his real life daughter), he asks about her mother and he says, “I hope to see her real soon” (her mother obviously being Sheen’s wife).

Y’all think the name was a coincidence, or the writers met Connie Britton and were like “yeah that name works”?

I started another rewatch and caught something. Throughout the show, President Bartlet’s Secret Service code name was “Eagle”, but in S1, Ep12, He Shall From Time to Time, when he collapsed and broke the Stueben glass pitcher, the agent said “Liberty is down.”

The Secret Service doesn’t usually change code names (or comment on procedures), so I found it mildly interesting that the writers changed it.

(First Reddit post ever)

Is it every explained in the show how the presidential elections are two years later than they are in real life? I know that it was a choice made to set the beginning of the show at the beginning of the firs term. I mean in the world of the show is it ever explained?

This show has been on my watchlist for years. I'm a fan of Sorkin's work, and after watching The Newsroom I knew I wanted to watch this series as well. I put it off for a long time simply because a seven season show with 20+ episodes per season is a heck of a time commitment. I really wish I'd gotten around to it sooner, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

For whatever reason I find myself feeling about The West Wing in a similar way to how I feel about Star Trek: The Next Generation. Both are ensemble shows that feature a more than capable cast. Both shows could be described as competency porn. Watching people who are driven by ideology, working at the top of their game, relying on and trusting one another, and coming together to achieve a common goal. And they're both sort of gentle shows as well. The kind of thing I know I'm going to re-watch before I've even finished it.

It's sort of depressing. I've been watching this for the past couple of months, and this feels the same way as when I finish re-watching a show I love, or a series of books I've read countless times before. I already miss watching it, it's like saying goodbye to a friend I won't see again for some time. The second reason I have bittersweet feelings about finishing is the juxtaposition between fantasy and reality. Seeing Sorkin's idealized version of a Presidential administration, seeing people at their best, President Bartlet who genuinely wants to do good, who is more than capable of the job and exudes intelligence and leadership and compassion was fantastic. Watching this show, then reading the news and comparing that to the reality of current American politics is almost cruel. I can't help myself from imagining what the Bartlet administration would say if they could see what the real world US government has become.

I really, really loved this show. I'm happy Josh and Donna got together, I'm extremely sad about Leo, especially considering his ending paralleled the real life death of John Spencer. I'm happy CJ found her happiness in the end, though I was secretly hoping Santos was going to offer her VP. I'm so glad President Bartlet pardoned Toby, and I respected Toby a lot after he refused to tarnish his brothers legacy to save himself jail time. I greatly preferred seasons 1-4 to the final three, and I wish the last season in particular wasn't so focused on the campaign, I just wanted to see Bartlet be Bartlet as much as I could before things ended.

All things considered I had a great time watching. I'll definitely be re-watching at some point. 9/10.

Just finished my 2nd rewatch and I forgot how much I love this show!

So many I’m thinking of, but loved seeing Richie Aprile as Toby’s Rabbi in “Take This Sabbath Day”

Also The Foo Fighters