West Wing ep last night - 3rd worst ever?

coupland · 15-04-2005 8:16am #1

Although I was bleary eyed and flu-stricken, was last night's episode of the West Wing one of the worst ever (first in this category is the one where CJ goes home to give speech and the runner up is the one where the TV crew follow CJ around for the day).

It was predictable - Leo's rallying call was so heavily signposted... and almost nothing happened, except POTUS got the use of his legs back and we realised we missed Josh more than we realised...

I pray that it has not jumped the shark.... (http://www.jumptheshark.com/)

Anyhow,I'm going to watch the entire season from start to finish next weekend, I can't put up with the late Thursday
nights anymore....

holly_johnson · 15-04-2005 8:49am

Haven't seen it yet for precisely that reason... 20 past 11 for a show like that is just a joke.
I have it taped to watch tonight.

solice · 15-04-2005 10:01am

I have to agree. The epsiode where CJ goes home and gives a speech at her old school is just crap

Washout · 15-04-2005 10:03am

i had to turn it off half way through last night....I knew it wasnt going anywhere.

Josh and Donna were sorely missed.

mycroft · 15-04-2005 11:01am

Washout wrote:

i had to turn it off half way through last night....I knew it wasnt going anywhere.

Josh and Donna were sorely missed.

It's in Buffy season five mode, they've written themselves a series with a finite time frame, but now need to change the focus and direction if they're all going to be around next year (sans Sheen)

I expect we're going to see the series flip from Josh and his guy, and cowboy bob storylines, to last days in power stories in the white house. It may work, I dunno.

But you're right it did kinda suck, and WTF was all that NASCAR sh*t about?

ShaneOC · 15-04-2005 1:55pm

I've seen all of season six and while it contains one or two dodgy episodes overall it is a very good season. Much better that season five where it really lost it's way.

downandout · 15-04-2005 7:43pm

I must say I kinda like the messy disorientation of the last few episodes, the sense of time running out, allegiances falling, etc etc. The problem was Leo's circle time at the end - didn't we get the same inspirational we're-ain't-licked-yet speeches about a year ago, along with that threshold-of-tears look in Toby's eyes as he realises this is a noble cause still worth fighting for dammit??
Maybe they could start a war and let POTUS Sheen do a Roosevelt and stick around a while longer with Josh's cowboy as his Veep...

The Black Oil · 16-04-2005 1:14am

Hmmm the post Sorkin era...there are still moments of brilliance to be found but you have to look harder.

One comment I read recently was >>It used to be a slickly produced TV show, the camera work never due attention to itself; it was just well shot and tightly edited. Now it looks like a political version of ER - What's with all the hand held camera work and jump-cut editing<<

Thank you John Wells. :mad:

Season 5 is average.

The West Wing is best when it's quieter - character drama and tension rather than explosions. The end and the method used to get there is stupid - it's hard not to become sick of the bomb/shoot/kidnap style endings to series and what the hell was _________ doing there in the first place!?

banquo · 16-04-2005 6:58pm

Season 6 is much better than 5, and its had some great moments. last nights wasnt so bad, but it was definatley one of the weakest of the season. anyway, you're all in for shock at the end of the season if you haven't already read the spoilers.

Drastic · 16-04-2005 8:00pm

coupland wrote:

I pray that it has not jumped the shark.... (http://www.jumptheshark.com/)

You've seen season 5, right?

Although the ending last night was hamfisted slightly, it tried to imbue that starrey eyed feeling you got at the end of a seaon 1 episode.

if only they could forget they worked at the white house it could all be much better...The joy of the Sorkin West Wing was that it was all character based, not situation based..but you all knew that right?

and i miss those minute long stedy cam shots too...remember that one in the first episode where the camera followed Leo all the way round the West Wing from the front door throught the Oval office, to his office? that was cool

and someone really needs to remind snuffy walden thats he's the best at what he does.

Hope this gets better, but its getting there

banquo · 17-04-2005 7:21pm

Drastic wrote:

and i miss those minute long stedy cam shots too...remember that one in the first episode where the camera followed Leo all the way round the West Wing from the front door throught the Oval office, to his office? that was cool

yeah that was brilliant. bless thomas schlamme.

Season 2 was the best imo, but there were some 1st class moments in season 1...

The West Wing wrote:

Bartlet continues to read from the TelePrompTer.

BARTLET
...And how do we make the American dream of opportunity a reality for all? I came to
this hallowed chamber one year ago,.... and I see we’re spelling “hallowed” with a pound sign in the middle of it?

SAM
We’ll fix that.

BARTLET
The pound sign is 'silent'?

LEO
Move on, Mr. President.

BARTLET
I came to this hallowed chamber one year ago on a mission: to restore the American
dream for all our people, as we gaze at the vast horizon of possibilities open to us ...
in the 321st century... Wow, that was ambitious of me, wasn’t it?

SAM
[heads to the podium] Leo...

LEO
Let’s take a break.

BARTLET
We meant “stronger” here, right?

SAM
What’s it say?

BARTLET
I’m proud to report our country’s "stranger" than it was a year ago?

SAM
That’s a typo.

BARTLET
Could go either way.

The Black Oil · 22-04-2005 1:23am

Indeed season 2 was damn good.

Re: tonight, grrrr that jerky camera work. :mad:

holly_johnson · 22-04-2005 10:04am

I agree, was a bit off-putting.
Josh, knock on the damn door!!!!!
I found it really hard to hear some of the dialogue as well.
Ah well, season 5 box set posted on Wednesday, should have it on Monday woo hoo!

coupland · 22-04-2005 10:29am

Last night was pretty boring...one of those "set up" episodes to introduce us the campaign staff of the 3 candidates....nice to see "Home Improvement" mom in the cast...I think West Wing has done this type of casting better than most - Matthew Perry (Friends), Terry Quinn(Alias and lots more), Ed O'Neill (Married with Children), John Goodman (Roseanne), Oliver Platt ... the list goes on..

I hear there is another season on the way..... maybe they could rescue Ainsley Hayes back from CSI:Miami (beware of shows/fims with colons in them)...she put the sass into sassy

corblimey · 22-04-2005 4:49pm

I finally gave up on WW this season. I think it was the "CJ is a lesbian" episode that did it for me. It seemed all "seen it before, and much better written" to me, and I just went to bed early instead. Haven't seen it since, although with RTE's kamikaze scheduling of the show could mean I've missed nothing.

I don't have season 4 on DVD, I don't plan on buying season 5. I'll just stick with the first 3 seasons and pretend that it was cancelled after that.

coupland · 28-04-2005 8:41am

Once again the RTE scheduler pukes on 'The West Wing'...looks they are repeating the Pope show 'White Smoke' instead of the West Wing... I've had enough....I'm going to watch the entire season this weekend because I want my Thursday night sleep back again

holly_johnson · 28-04-2005 11:09am

coupland wrote:

Once again the RTE scheduler pukes on 'The West Wing'...looks they are repeating the Pope show 'White Smoke' instead of the West Wing... I've had enough....I'm going to watch the entire season this weekend because I want my Thursday night sleep back again

I don't believe it.... this is just too much... anyone know of a contact in RTE that I can complain to? It's a bloody joke the way they mess around with this show! I'm sick and tired of RTE taking the piss out of us viewers, especially to rehash programmes that have already been shown!

Tenshot · 28-04-2005 6:34pm

holly_johnson wrote:

I don't believe it.... this is just too much... anyone know of a contact in RTE that I can complain to?

I've just sent a compaint to complaints.review@rte.ie. The auto-responder said:

Comments about RTÉ programmes are recorded in our weekly Audience Reaction Log, which is discussed at the weekly editorial meetings: Television, Radio and News plus the Corporate meeting which is chaired by the Director-General and attended by key senior management.

So you never know, maybe if enough people complain it might actually get noticed...

(edit, 7pm) Just had a human followup as well, from Nina Ward, the RTE Information officer:

Sorry for the upset that this scheduling decision has caused you. Your comments will be logged and forwarded for interest and information to the Head of Schedule Planning.

So at least the comments are being read...

The Black Oil · 28-04-2005 9:53pm

Grrr, RTE just rolls over so easily sometimes. I suppose they feel it's their duty as we are a 'Catholic' country.

holly_johnson · 29-04-2005 9:12am

Thanks for the email address Tenshot, complaint below:

Hello,

I would like to complain about the constant last minute re-scheduling of The West Wing on RTE1.
This is an on-going issue, as it seems to me that if there is any thing else worth showing (in your opinion) you move or cancel The West Wing!
I have to say that I consider this programme to be one of the best on your channel, and consider it a good coup for RTE that it is shown here before E4, Sky etc.
So why annoy all of loyal viewers by constantly changing or cancelling? Last night was the final straw. As far as I am aware, that programme White Smoke was shown previously? The Brides of Franc was another example…. Nothing in the schedules about that one!

As you choose to show this programme so late (for reasons unbeknownst to me) I have to tape it and watch on Fridays. Imagine my pleasure when I turn on the video, settle down to watch and instead get Franc and his brides? Not good enough. Why is this programme on so late? There is no violence, bad language or sex; all that is contained is intelligent and witty drama. Do you think that this is too much for the average viewer?

Please, please take note of my complaints and

a) move the programme to a more sensible hour e.g. after the 9 o’clock news
b) keep it at that time
c) If programmes need to be rescheduled then pick on another show!

I await your reply

Ludo · 29-04-2005 9:43am

This really annoyed me last night as well and I will be mailing them now. The stupidity of this decision also lies in the fact that the people who may have been interested in seeing White Smoke are largely elderly (IMHO) and would most likely not see it at this late hour of the night. White Smoke should have been repeated on Net 2 around 7 when they had some other documentary on and left West Wing alone.

holly_johnson · 29-04-2005 10:19am

I think a campaign may have begun... see below for complaint from hubby as well...

Dear Sir/Madam

Yet again we, the licence paying public, are shafted by the irrational scheduling behaviour of RTE.

For once, RTE have secured a genuinely intelligent drama in the West Wing which is the anthesis of good television, containing no sex, violence or bad language, but continually treat the viewer with obvious disdain and contempt by:
a) Scheduling it at ungodly hours
b) Making it a lottery as to whether or not it will actually be shown on a Thursday
c) Making it more interesting for the viewer on the days it actually is shown by moving the timeslots around without warning.

Considering the amount of complete dross shown on RTE (Francs Brides - I mean..who cares?) the West Wing should take pride of place in the RTEs schedules and judging by the number of people who tune into this regularly (see "Boards.ie" for reactions on this matter) why do RTE continue to mess us around?

Whilst noting the obvious interest in all things to do with the Pope/Vatican etc at present, surely it would make more sense to have shown White Smoke either after West Wing or during the Sunday Night scheduling where, and let's face it, there's nothing worth watching anyway.....

In this era of RTE fighting to compete against the quality outputs of BBC and against the digital multichannel influx, please let the one decent program on this station (despite it being a foreign purchase) have it's place and leave it unmolested.

I would appreciate your views or comments on this matter

Regards

Hotblack Desiato · 30-04-2005 2:06am

Subject: THE WEST WING postponed with no warning
Date: Thursday 28 April 2005 23:07
From: ninja900
To: complaints.review@rte.ie

Give it a rest with the Pope stuff already.

Random schedule cancellations for weeks now.

Enough!

Can you not put that stuff on at 3 in the afternoon when the old biddies who
might actually watch it are not fast asleep in bed?

The Caine Mutiny last Sunday was cancelled as well, with no warning. Was
looking forward to that. Goodness knows if or when it'll be on again.

Let's hope Pope Benedict has a long reign, that way we might actually get to
see some of the advertised programmes.

Yours angrily

Disgruntled licence payer.

Dear ninja900,
Sorry for the upset that this scheduling decision has
caused you.
Your comments will be logged and forwarded for interest
and information to the Head of Schedule Planning.

Best regards
Nina Ward
RTE Information Officer

Yeah right!!!!! :rolleyes:

coupland · 03-05-2005 7:44am

What's the betting that they show the wrong episode this Thursday night? Anyone recall a couple of seasons back that RTE showed the 2 episodes in wrong sequence - what's worse they chopped 10 minutes off the second episode because the incorrectly shown episode the week before had shown Rob Lowe leaving the show....conspiracy theories abound...

I watched the whole of season 6 (yes season 6) on Friday/Saturday...hey what are lazy Bank Holiday weekends about?

Coup

The Black Oil · 05-05-2005 10:31pm

Aertel says tonight's episode is down for 22:55, but that could end being, 23:00, 23:05, 23:10...

aidan_walsh · 06-05-2005 12:53am

As it happens, it was right on time.

holly_johnson · 06-05-2005 8:22am

Makes a change... perhaps they may have actually listened to the complaints?

Nah, who am I kidding. Must be pure luck.

banquo · 07-05-2005 5:48am

but the listing on sky digital [and in the papers] said that this episode was titled "Freedonia" - next weeks episode.

***** couldn't be ars*d. but the big question is: why bother paying for a hit series like the West wing and then being this way/that way about airing it, occasionally on time.

i hate it, i hate it , i hate it. [the situation with rte, not TWW. *i love* TWW.]

The Black Oil · 13-05-2005 12:04am

Decent enough episode tonight. Not a great fan on these on the trail/in the field episodes. Good ad by Santos, would have liked to see some of the debate though.

Manach · 13-05-2005 9:31am

Enjoyed the scene with Donna berating the chickenman.

Tristram · 14-05-2005 2:59pm

RTE do tend to mess us around when it comes to scheduling TWW.The programme has fallen off a lot since S stopped writing but i still enjoy watching it.At the moment I actually prefer the on the road eps altho I also wud have liked to have seen some of the debate.

The Black Oil · 19-05-2005 11:35pm

Enough with the jerky camera work, it isn't needed to reinforce the anger of the characters. Poor Toby.

Tristram · 20-05-2005 1:51pm

Yeah it was quite blatant last nite alrite.Its not necessary.The force shud come from the dialogue not dizziness.

Washout · 03-06-2005 9:07am

last nights episode was defo most excellent.

I enjoyed the whole "no hope" situation turning to "there is a light" for Santos.

must find out how primary nominations works.

Gileadi · 03-06-2005 5:54pm

not sure if its relevent but,did anybody notice the actor who play Matt Santos in Star Wars 3 (the senator who takes leia)

last nights episode was quite good alright. the jump from no hope to winning the primary was done pretty dramatically but you can only think with so much camera time given to him this series he has to make it to vice presidancy at the very least in the next series

how many are there left in the current series?

RainyDay · 11-06-2005 10:35pm

Who played Kate Harpur's CIA source (Andy) in this week's CUBA episode - He looked a bit like James Woods or even Woody Harrelson, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't either of those.

OFDM · 12-06-2005 12:06am

RainyDay wrote:

Who played Kate Harpur's CIA source (Andy) in this week's CUBA episode - He looked a bit like James Woods or even Woody Harrelson, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't either of those.

Bongo?

I never really liked TWW until this season - I really like the Santos episodes, hope he ends up Bartlett's replacement next season.

Washout · 17-06-2005 9:00am

If i was an american Id consider myself a democrat voter. but after watching last nights episode ID vote for the Republican canditate no mater who the democratic nominee would be.

Good to see Bruno back too.

dahamsta · 17-06-2005 9:21am

Most Americans base their political beliefs on fiction, so you'd fit right in...

Tristram · 18-06-2005 3:00pm

lol

*applauds*

Washout · 22-06-2005 9:00am

dahamsta wrote:

Most Americans base their political beliefs on fiction, so you'd fit right in...

lol good one

banquo · 24-06-2005 12:13am

that was quite good now. and next week is the season finale, which i've already seen and can say is QUITE excellent.

Telefís · 24-06-2005 12:46am

Nooooo!
The last one?!

Yeah it was pretty good last night - high point was Bartlett's listing to Leo about how he was feeling: 'irked', 'pissed' etc

Nice to laugh out loud once in a while

Manach · 24-06-2005 10:55am

Enjoyed it as well, especially when there might actually be a contest next series between a viable articulate Republican vs which of the 2 ,Russel/Santos, get the nod next episode.

Washout · 24-06-2005 11:07am

Manach wrote:

Enjoyed it as well, especially when there might actually be a contest next series between a viable articulate Republican vs which of the 2 ,Russel/Santos, get the nod next episode.

It seems to me they are setting it up so it seems like Vineck is going ot run away with it but I bet there will be a twist like a scandal or something before the elections whih makes it seem closer.

The Black Oil · 25-06-2005 12:43pm

Looking forward to the last episode. Did much happen last week, In God We Trust was it? I missed it. :rolleyes:

aidan_walsh · 30-06-2005 11:02pm

"This is where we bring the party together to prove that we can govern with maturity and integrity.

Now, speaking order; Rock, Paper, Scissors on three..."

Haven't laughed so hard with the show in a long time.

Nightwish · 30-06-2005 11:47pm

well what did ye make of the season finale? i think baker and russell were too easily crippled, however the democratic running ticket is a good one.
vinivk looked dead evil at the end...he'll probably win

dahamsta · 30-06-2005 11:56pm

The nominee decision was a bit of a let-down after the big build up, but still, the last few episodes have been much better. I was beginning to worry at the start of the season, I just hope we don't see a resurgence of those kind of episodes.

adam

Washout · 01-07-2005 9:49am

I thought it was a brilliant episode.

When Santos was on the podium giving his speech and the look on Bartletts face at the end...knowing that this was the guy who was the only choice. brilliant drama.

And Vinick at the end. Kind of reminded me of a Gandalfs comment at the end of the two towers movie.

aodh_rua · 01-07-2005 11:07am

I've thought some of the election episodes were a bit hit and miss , but I really enjoyed last nights one. Now it's just the long wait il next year and the election!

On a side note, given that Alan Alda was one of the original options for Bartlet it's a nice touch that he's now one of the candidates.