I saw one of my favorite episodes of "The West Wing" tonight on Bravo

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Steve Hoffman, Jan 28, 2004.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    The one where Sam goes off to California after the Democrats win in Orange County (as if that could happen) and Toby Ziegler
    is left all alone to write the second term Inaugural address. Sam sends Wil Bailey to Toby to help. There is a scene when Wil (the day after Toby asks Wil to prove himself and write 500 words on the topic of the American President) throws his yellow pad down on Toby's desk and then Toby throws Wil HIS version. They both start to read, and for 35 glorious seconds, which seems like FOREVER on TV (I timed it during the second showing of the episode) they just read the essays; no dialog, just silence. Finally Toby (who had been giving Wil a hard time) says "Stop reading. Yours is better".

    I just love that scene. The pleasure of watching them devour the written word for what seems like an eternity just brings a good juicy taste to my mouth.

    Wil then remembers he has an envelope from Sam for Toby, who asks why he didn't deliver it the day before and Wil says "Well, hey I'm not your personal Fed Ex man".

    In the message, Sam has written "Toby, he is one of us".

    Weary Wil, who is just leaving for a well deserved vacation in the south of France, agrees to help Toby write the speech in three weeks when he gets back and is walking out the door as Toby is reading Sam's note. Just as Toby gets finished, Wil walks back in the office and says "Or we could start right now..."

    The look Toby gives Wil is priceless; full of gratitude, mixed with a little jealousy but most of all a rejuvenating inspiration to get on with the business of "serving the President".

    Karla and I remembered it from the NBC broadcast and at the time we both remarked that it was probably the only time in network history that two main characters in a filmed drama just sat reading quietly like that.

    Just loved it!

    Wow, I've written my own essay here.

    "I give it a D minus; get a bigger shovel next time, mister!"
     
    Steve Hoffman, Jan 28, 2004
    #1
  2. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Is that from the 2nd season? I'm still watching the first season on DVD. I missed this show the first time around, but man is it good! :thumbsup:

    Have they jumped the shark yet?
     
    CardinalFang, Jan 28, 2004
    #2
  3. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
    They have jumped the shark so vigorously this season that they probably could have jumped the entire ocean, IMNSHO.

    Regards,
     
    Ken_McAlinden, Jan 28, 2004
    #3
  4. Jeffrey

    Jeffrey Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    South Texas
    Hi Steve,

    WOW, you really do dig The West Wing! Thatsa very nice/accurate review of that episode and really shows your appreciation for the show's details/depth. I find most shows rather slow and boring the first go around but The West Wing is one of the very few shows that i notice new things about when watched a second time.

    -Jeffrey
     
    Jeffrey, Jan 28, 2004
    #4
  5. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    It's one of the few shows on Network TV that almost always has impeccable writing, no matter what your political persuasion.
     
    Steve Hoffman, Jan 28, 2004
    #5
  6. Jeffrey

    Jeffrey Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    South Texas
    Hi Steve,

    I agree.... the writing is exceptional and the acting has also been VERY good. Not many shows can say that and lose one of their original "star" actors (Rob Lowe) and not slip a beat in the process. IMO, the show is just as strong wo/ Lowe.

    -Jeffrey
     
    Jeffrey, Jan 28, 2004
    #6
  7. Drew

    Drew Senior Member

    Location:
    Grand Junction, CO
    Not owning a TV can cause you to take many things out of context. I walked thru Best Buy last year and saw a clip of West Wing. Then I turned to the salesperson and asked "when did Martin Sheen become President?" :laugh:
     
    Drew, Jan 28, 2004
    #7
  8. Rich Malloy

    Rich Malloy Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco, CA USA
    Until this season, that is. The dropoff is so excruciating that I've stopped watching what was my very favorite show only last year, and the year before that, and the year before that....

    But I do catch the reruns on Bravo, which are still among the very best stuff on TV, even on second, third, fourth viewing.
     
    Rich Malloy, Jan 28, 2004
    #8
  9. Mister Kite

    Mister Kite Uncle Obscure

    Location:
    Columbia, MO
    I agree 100%, Rich. I am such a huge fan of this show, but the last few episodes have been downright painful to watch. Sorkin is sorely missed. Even at his preachiest (which happened a little too frequently in the third season), he wrote rings around the current scribes!

    Meanwhile back to the topic at hand...

    Steve, I remember reacting much the same way as you to that exchange between Will and Toby. Yet another classic moment in a series that used to deliver them each and every week.
     
    Mister Kite, Jan 28, 2004
    #9
  10. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    I'll be finished with the first season DVDs soon... anybody know when season two is coming out?
     
    CardinalFang, Jan 28, 2004
    #10
  11. Jeffrey

    Jeffrey Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    South Texas
    Hi,

    I believe it's due out this Fall! :)

    Was your Season 1 box in good shape or did ya have some problems w/ some of the DVD's?

    -Jeffrey
     
    Jeffrey, Jan 28, 2004
    #11
  12. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    I just finished Disc 3. So far so good! :thumbsup:
     
    CardinalFang, Jan 28, 2004
    #12
  13. Steve D.

    Steve D. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood Hills, Ca.
    The West Wing "Pilot"

    I happened to catch the feature "The American President" on Showtime last night. Aaron Sorkin's deft writing with its fast paced overlapping dialogue was of coure the inspiration for the West Wing series. The long uncut takes as characters traverse the White House halls exchanging intricate and intelligent repartee was carried over from the feature to the series with ease. This dispite a much shorter and more frantic shooting schedule and aided by steady cam and wireless microphone techology. It was also nice to see this film, which now airs regularly on commercial tv, without the barrage of breaks. Certainly Michael Douglas as the President might have been Sorkin's first choice in the tv series. But Martin Sheen who portrayed Douglas' chief of staff does an extremely competent job in a role that was originally written as a now and again character with the emphasis to be placed on the President's staff and their day to day problems. A testament to Sheen's ability to take this role and run with it is now evident in how much screen and script time is devoted to Sheeh's character. In closing my favorite episode(s) were the season ending assassination cliff hanger and the following opening season resolution. I couldn't wait to see how each of the characters was affected by this disturbing and incredibly tense scene. When "to be continued" came up on the screen I was still stunned.
     
    Steve D., Jan 29, 2004
    #13
  14. GaryW

    GaryW New Member

    Location:
    Salt Lake City, UT
    I also couldn't agree more. Every week I say; "That's it, I'm not going to watch this anymore, it's just too painful", but I still find myself watching. The episode where they are attending the funeral of a past president had me screaming at the tv set. Excruciating indeed. It will be nice to have the previous seasons on dvd, sad to see it end before it's time. Hope Sorkin does something new soon, hopefully on HBO where he could go all-out.
     
    GaryW, Feb 1, 2004
    #14
  15. Steve D.

    Steve D. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood Hills, Ca.
    Gary,
    Good comment, turning Sorkin loose on HBO. Can you imagine, had The West Wing been on HBO without the commercial network constraints.:edthumbs:
     
    Steve D., Feb 1, 2004
    #15
  16. Mark

    Mark I Am Gort, Hear Me Roar Staff

    Location:
    Connecticut-The College Basketball Capital
    If you enjoy "West Wing," see if you can find either DVD or reruns someplace of Sorkin's real masterpiece, IMHO, "Sports Night." This is where that great writing and the style of the handheld camera following two actors tossing lines back and forth while they walk, a la Josh and Donna on "WW." It was only on for about half a season a few years back, but, man, was it good!
     
    Mark, Feb 1, 2004
    #16
  17. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Yes, excellent show. I'll have to pick up that DVD! :thumbsup:
     
    CardinalFang, Feb 1, 2004
    #17
  18. Mister Kite

    Mister Kite Uncle Obscure

    Location:
    Columbia, MO
    Here you go, Keith, straight from TV Shows on DVD.com:

    Cheers!
    Gary
     
    Mister Kite, Feb 4, 2004
    #18
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