Well my favourite show, The West Wing, came to an end tonight after 7 seasons. The last episode, ‘Tomorrow’, centered around Inauguration Day with President Santos and his staff moving in and President Bartlet and his staff moving out. I didn’t like it too much to be honest. I was hoping for a two hour series finale but it might have been overkill. I was also looking forward to the 1 hour retrospective the network promised a few months ago when the cancellation was announced but instead they just aired the pilot episode. I would’ve thought they would’ve have done a retrospective at least for John Spencer’s sake, who died a few months ago.
Toby doesn’t make an appearance but he gets a predictable Presidential pardon at the last minute. The episode didn’t even play on the heart strings of it’s fans except for one scene where Bartlet hands Charlie his copy of the Constitution.
The episode ended with Barlet on Air Force One unwrapping a gift from Leo’s daughter. Of course it was the framed paper napkin with words “Bartlet for America” written on them, the same one that essentially started it all. So that was a pleasant way of ending it. It was all a bit idealistic but then again the whole show was always between idealistic and realistic.
Aaron Sorkin who created the show is coming back to NBC with “Studio 60 on Sunset Strip” which is supposed to be a one hour drama about the behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show like Saturday Night Live. It will star Bradley Whitford who played Josh Lyman on the West Wing and Mathew Perry (who was also on the West Wing for a few episodes). I think it will have that “West Wing” feel to it but of course there’s no politics, which will suck.
So no more dramatic politics on TV. Except for Commander in Chief which I’ve tried watching a few times but with no hope. The characters are forgettable and that may be the reason they always have the character’s name and title at the bottom of the screen in every other scene.
I donâ??t know why I wrote this whole post but I guess this is just one of those times when Iâ??d be remiss if I didnâ??t.
Well goodbye West Wing.
We’re lagging behind I guess, I still watch it over here.Great show.
Ddid you know that a few university profs are using it as a teaching tool in the Political Science classes?
Shaden, If I remember correctly I think its on One TV…last summer I left them showing season 2 so I’m guessing it’s at 3 or 4 now. Depends on if Rob Lowe is still in any of the episodes 😀
Fad, yeah they did that here too but of course I never get in to any of the fun classes. 😀
actually some of the show’s consultants went to my school (kennedy school of government) and I know they would frequently mention it, and even our professors sometimes, which was always fund for us 🙂 It was sort of, for us as policy making students, the equivalent of ER for med students.
laila, wow, I had no idea you went to the kennedy school, that’s phenomenal. and you’re right, there’s a lot of well known consultants for the show. Dee Dee Myers, Clinton’s first press secretary, being a major one. I think CJ Craig’s character was based on her, the first female press secretary.