West Wing

I was a Nebraska farm kid when we got our first television one August afternoon in 1954. I was fascinated by "Victory at Sea", loved Sid Ceaser and even remember "December Bride".

Few television programs meant much to me through high school, college and during my military career. Television provide good sports coverage and decent news, especially when CNN came along. I liked "Gunsmoke" in it's day and "Mission Impossible" was worth remembering what night of the week to watch.

I became a "MASH" fan as it went into syndication and recently "Law & Order" and "JAG" attracted me enough to catch up on their first years via USA Network and A&E. But to a great extent I must have fallen through the cracks of the demographics charts that television executives use to select and schedule their products.

That is until this past winter when I caught episode number 16 of writer Aaron Sorkin's "West Wing". I'd seen the ads for the program and it looked like something I might like, being something of a politics junkie. That first ep (notice how quickly I pick up the vernacular?) was titled "20 Hours in L.A" and wasn't particularly riveting. I didn't expect much and wasn't disappointed.

I watched the next couple of episodes, "The White House Pro-Am" and "Six Meetings Before Lunch" and couldn't figure out what those titles were all about but had decided I really liked the writing and the acting.

Then came "Let Bartlet be Bartlet" and all the potential of this program was evident. Here was a television series that provided an incredible civics lesson to a public that, for the most part, has probably forgotten that there is a topic of study by that name.

Not only that, but they were capturing the essence of our current public debates on the greatest issues facing American society. But the best part is that the program is absolutely spell-binding. I don't remember ever consciously ensuring that I won't need a bathroom break in the next hour except for maybe important business meetings and Nebraska football games. I have yet to miss a minute of "The West WIng" for biological reasons, but I tape it every week just in case.

I've watched the summer reruns and have nearly completed a library of those 22 episodes on video tape. I'm missing four and that is among my biggest regrets of the past year.

"The West Wing" is a must for representation on my web site and I've included it here. I expected to spend a significant amount of time and energy on the page but my search for links assured me that nearly all the obvious approaches to study of the series have been well covered by our fellow fans.

So until I think of a novel and compelling way to present a "The West Wing" study, I'll be content with developing a link list.

18. "Six Meetings Before Lunch"

Bartlett: Do you think I could have taken George Washington?

Charlie: Take him at what, sir?

Bartlett: I don't know, a war?

Charlie: Could you have taken George Washington in a war?

Bartlett: Yeah.

Charlie: Well, you'd have the Air Force, he'd have the Minutemen.

Bartlett: Minutemen were good.

Charlie: Still, I think you'd probably take him.

Bartlett: Yeah.

17. "The White House Pro-Am"

Josh: This, right here, this is the reason why you have a reputation as a pain in the ass.

Toby: I've cultivated that reputation.

--
Josh: You like winning, don't you?

Toby: Saves you from having to say the word please.

8. Enemies

C.J.: What do you want me to do?
                                      Leo: Deal with it.
                                      C.J.: You're a real details man, aren't you, Leo?
                                      Leo: Deal with it.

11. Lord John Marbury

Mrs. Landingham: How are you, Josh?
Josh: I've been subpoenaed.
Mrs. Landingham: Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Would you like a cookie?

21. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

Toby: Since when are you an expert on language?
                                        C.J.: In polling models?
                                        Toby: Okay.
                                        C.J.: 1993. Since when are you an uptight pain in the ass?
                                        Toby: Since long before that.

1. Pilot
Sam: Well this is bad on so many levels

19. Let Barlet be Barlet
I serve at the pleasure of the President

TOP

Thank you for visiting,
come again.