I am a big fan of the ‘West Wing’. Excellent writing, good acting.
I live in the UK, but have the first 4 seasons on DVD. Most satisfying (especially ‘In Excelsis Deo’, which moves me to tears every time. 
).
I also pop into ‘West Wing’ websites, and worryingly there appears to be a massive backlash (from some point past season 4) against the show. Allegedly Aaron Sorkin is gone and so is the quality.
Is this true? :eek:
When exactly does it happen?
While some people don’t like seasons 3 and 4, I think they held up pretty well. However, once once Sorkin wa ousted both the dalogue and the plotting took a deep pluncg in quality, to the point where I had a hard time reconcilliating the characters with what was coming from their mouths. I saw the first three episodes of season five and decided that this bastardized version of one of my favorite shows was worse than nothing, and quit watching.
Ditto. 
Once upon a time there was a group of Dopers who would get together and discuss the episodes after each West Wing. This doesn’t happen anymore, AFAIK. It all fell apart when the show lost Sorkin. Losing Sorkin alone wasn’t the biggest deal, although the WW universe was created in his head and all of the plot threads and continuity seemed to come from there, if not also the best dialogue. But in the last season the whole “look and feel” of the show changed. The lighting changed, the characters changed. I got involved in following West Wing about the third season, and was able to catch most of the previous shows on cable reruns here. But I just couldn’t love the fifth season, so I also stopped watching. I’d watch again only if they brought Sorkin back OR I heard some of the previous devotees raving about the new episodes here.
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth I got involved in following West Wing about the third season,[/QUOTE]
Does your name come from the second season episode?
No, that was a happy coincidence. I’m fairly certain my username predates the episode, and if not it certainly predates me viewing that episode.
We began watching during the Labor Day marathon on Bravo; Mrs. Plant rents CDs.
While she anxiuosly awaits the rest of season two, I’m not looking forward to Mrs. Landingham.
Aaron Sorkin, in my opinion, is one of the most brilliant writers ever, and his way with dialogue is absolutely unmatched. His leaving WW is truly the worst thing that ever happened to the show, and my interest in the show has waned accordingly.
I’m also with Alessan - it just took me about 5 shows (I kept hoping)… but last year sucked.
I am, strangely enough, going to try and watch this Wednesday. It’s the first episode of season 6. And I’ll give it one last shot. But I’m not expecting much. And if something else is on TV, then I probably won’t watch.
It’s absolutely true that the first several shows of season five were awful.
It’s also true the quality increased over the rest of the season, and that by the end the show was certainly watchable again, if not as good as the Sorkin years.
I’ll tune in for the beginning of season six, but I think this will be the last season. The rumors are that they will introduce major Republican characters, with an eye toward a huge battle over the next election and maybe even a Republican presidency. My prediction: it will never get that far.
Would I be ruining a lot of good surprises if I started watching the show again this year? For various reasons, I lost interest and missed pretty much all of the last two seasons. I was planning on catching up on the DVDs, but I don’t know if I’ll want to pay for these later seasons if they’re as bad as everyone says.
Though that may be what the series needs for a ‘shot-in-the-arm’. Look at what the change in total cast did for “The Practice”.
The last few eps were pretty good, but the first few of the last season were downright painful to watch. I will watch this season.
Count me in as another very faithful viewer who stopped watching after Season 4. I hated the Zoe kidnapping storyline - it was unworthy of WW. And the dialogue just wasn’t there anymore. I wasn’t happy when SRob Lowe left, but I ended up liking Ben’s character well enough. I just couldn’t care about the show anymore. Two nights ago I went over to the Television Without Pity website and read the 1 paragraph synopses for the season. I didn’t feel I missed anything by not seeing the eps.
StG
They are some of the more popular episodes and as such are featured in the Bravo marathons. Have I fallen in with WW snob, er, purists? 
I think the Zoenapping episodes were very well done, if atypical to the series; pity the resolution in season 5 was so pathetic.
I think that was my problem with the “Zoenapping” plot, too. It had good potential, but it was wrapped up so haphazardly, like midway through the arc some producer said, “Eh, never mind, I don’t want to do that anymore.”
I guess I liked WW when it was doing what it did best - run the country. Mind you, there were things I liked about the Zoe storyline. John Goodman’s character and that whole thing was brilliant. But the idea behind the kidnapping, and the resolution? meh.
Tell me, those of you who still watch - are Zoe and Charlie together? That’s why I read the synopses, but I didn’t get any good idea.
StG
It was cancelled because the quality sucked and viewers didn’t turn in. The new characters got Emmys and their own spin off (which is getting horrible reviews). But the show itself was sacked.
So, are you predicting Emmys for Jimmy Smits & Alan Alda?
Sorkin is indeed a great writer, and indeed the writing suffered when he left. But… His writing is just a method. He writes close to the bone. That is, he doesn’t plan anything ahead, or push his dialogue toward a goal. He just lets it take him where it takes him. Other people can learn and master the method. So I see no reason why it can’t get better. I enjoyed season 5, and I like the Zoe-kidnapping era. Frankly, it’s nice that the characters are a bit less Ayn Randish — quite often the dialog consisted of speeches. I think the story of what happens to Donna (and by extension, Josh) will be interesting.