Corridors of Power (West Wing)

Member Name: Andrew1911

Product:	West Wing
Date:	15/08/01 (134 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Intelligent, Involving, Funny

Disadvantages: not for idiots

I like being English. I like the UK (even Wales). This means I’m proud of most thing in it and made by it – except the BNP and West Highland terriers, which can F*** off. I also like the T.V – we make some of the best programmes in the world – and it shows. Go anywhere in the world where you can watch TV with satellite channels and I guarantee sooner or later you’ll see documentaries, news programmes (and Benny Hill) – all of which have been made hear.

However.

English drama sucks. Sucks big, fat, sweaty ASS. I don’t care what you say about the Bill or Casualty, compared to one American programme, they are pitiful.

The West Wing – for me (a non-Sky Digital owning person) – was a shining item in the TV listings. A reason to stay in on a Thursday. I will forgive you if most of you are scratching your heads, unware of this little gem, so let me enlighten you. The West Wing is a drama set in and around (but mainly in) the corridors of the White House. Contrary to what you might think, it mainly focuses not on the President, but on his immediate staff, and their deputies. In fact, in the first episode, the president didn’t appear till the last 2 minutes.!

The first season begins pretty much at the start of the President’s second (of four) terms of office..Unlike the real world, President Bartlett (played awesomely well by Martin Sheen) is “a liberal, bleeding heart, Communist son-of-a-bitch”, as one of his Congressman put it – i.e a Democrat, who barely won the election and is frankly struggling with a hostile Congress, a Vice-President who has his sights firmly set on the big chair, and a personal secret that could land him (and his friends) in very hot water.

This is a drama, but played with enough scope for (if not comedy) then funny situations. A good analagy would be Yes Minister, combined with the seriousness and drama of NYPD Blue. For
example: the pilot episode begins with the news that the President has sprained an ankle riding a bike into a tree (the Press Secretary to White house reporters “…In your press pack you can find pictures of President Bartlett refusing the assistance of a Secret Service agent – and then falling down again. Have fun, guys.”), whilst another of the President’s staff must deal with prospect of being fired after insulting a religious fundamentalist live on Sunday morning TV. Throw in a call-girl and a scheming Vice-President and that’s some good TV!


If this all sounds dull as ditchwater, it’s because you haven’t seen the cast in action. The scripts (both plots and dialogue) are as sharp as anything you’ve ever seen and the lines delivered at breakneck speed. Even though they often deal with unknown (to us anyway) concepts and organisations (OEOB? State of the Union address?), they more than make up for it in intensity and passion. The plots are intricate, each episode often containing multiple threads, which often spill over into subsequent episodes. In fact, one of the best points of the series is watching events unfold over the course of several episodes (for example, the nomination of a Supreme Court judge to his eventual approval by the Senate).

The true praise however must go to the dialogue and its delivery. The funny bits are funny, the dramatic bits are just awesome – and all of it delivered at warp speed and with the conviction and beliveabilty that only comes with really good actors

The cast can be broken down as follows : Martin Sheen as the President (well intentioned), his Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry (a recovering drug/alchohol addict but politically savvy), his Deputy, Josh Lyman (a cynical yet idealistic political player), the Communications Director Toby Ziegler (a brilliant but perpetually frustrated head of the media operation), his Deputy, Sam Seabourne –
a ex-lawyer whose inexperience of politics sometime shows (played remarkably well by Rob Lowe, by the way) and the Press Secretary C.J Craig, a sarcastic but vulnerable spokesperson for the President.

For me, the best characters are Josh and Toby. Josh can be described as a Chandler (Friends) type character; quick-witted and funny but with (huge) character flaws hidden not too deeply below the surface. Toby on the other hand, is usually morose, annoyed or frustrated (often all at once) but is the most passionate about the role of the Government and what is the Right Thing to Do.

The minor cast is also superb. Josh’s assistant Donna Moss, is used as a means to explain the more complex matters in each episode, usually done by engaging in what has become known as ‘pedo-conferencing’ (if you’re from Portsmouth, this has nothing to do with children) as Josh fills her in on what the coming day holds as they walk from one place to another. The other notable mention is the relationship between the Presidents ‘body man’ Charlie (a young African American) and his daughter, Zoe. The effects of this relationship gradually build up to the events first season’s end episode, a cliff-hanger which (if you’ve seen) is genuinely brilliant.

I cannot praise this series enough. If you haven’t seen it, get it from Blockbuster and watch it. If you like intrigue, excellent acting and above all INTELLIGENT TV, I can guarantee that you will love the West Wing.

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