I’ve been a diehard fan since day one, and I love the fact that the show isn’t the same cutesy saccharine-overload it used to be under Sorkin. I think line-by-line writing isn’t as bantery, which is always good. And while the quality of the dialogue itself has suffered, I think the show has VASTLY improved by introducing honest-to-God conflict between the characters on issues of policy and other big picture stuff.
My point is that while this may not be any more “realistic” a portrayal of a White House than Sorkin’s take, it’s a lot more satisfyingly melodramatic for a place that is supposed to be gambling daily with the biggest stakes in history.