I'll be re-watching this. I loved the West Wing...I'm a big Toby fan.
The West Wing now on Netflix
- Thread starter Brolan
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That was more aimed at anyone who reads the topic and might not like the first season because it's a slow burn for a bit. The first two episode, the last one or two, a random episode I can't tell you why it's important, and the one the president has the flu. Are the important ones from the season.
Oddly the complete set is better. The season DVD have double sided disc for seasons 1-3. All work fine besides one disc.
Here you go.Aside from Sam, Toby, and C.J. (and for the smart-alecks, Bartlett and Mrs. Landingham have pretty defined jobs as well!), the character's job descriptions aren't well fleshed out. I really want to see the organizational chart Josh's office is working on for Mandy!
Leo pretty much runs the West Wing, he manages everything so that the President is freed up to focus on important policy decisions, and as such his job is arguably more demanding than the President's. Leo is also the only member of of the senior staff to be involved in military decisions and sits at the President's side in the Situation Room.
Josh is Deputy Chief of Staff, which is a fancy title that doesn't seem to mean much. His main role is to direct political affairs, it's his job to push the President's agenda through congress and the various government departments.
Toby is the Communications Director, so he orchestrates the President's message and decides how it's presented to the public, although he rarely deals with the press directly. He's also the President's main speech-writer. Sam is Toby's deputy, and he works with Toby on the speeches.
CJ is the Press Secretary and it's indicated that she technically works under Toby, but in practice she does her own thing and reports directly to Leo.
Mandy's job is to annoy people while they're trying to do actual work. She answers to Josh and she answers to Toby.
Donna is pretty much Josh's secretary. Her role in the first season is to not understand how the government works so that Josh can explain everything to the audience.
Charlie is the lowest ranked of the main cast and has no official role in policy, but he works extremely closely with the President and has a desk right outside the Oval Office. His job is to be the token black guy.
In practice, Josh, Toby, Sam and CJ are equals and have easy access to the President without having to go through Leo.
I think a lot of fans noticed the missing year, we just didn't care if it meant avoiding another season like the fifth.
My only problem with the DVDs is that season 3 is in anamorphic widescreen, which looks terrible on a widescreen TV. Also, the R2 DVDs have no special features, which is a pity as I would very much like to hear the commentary to Twenty Five. Just what was going through Aaron Sorkin's head, leaving the show with such an insane cliffhanger?
I've been surprised at lack of features too, apart from some ropey interviews on S1 collection. The set I've been watching is the old amaray one. I've heard there's a doco special feature on (US?) boxed set which has interviews with real-life politicos, and some deleted scenes. I'd like to see those when finish S7. That debate episode was interesting 
I think a lot of fans noticed the missing year, we just didn't care if it meant avoiding another season like the fifth.
My only problem with the DVDs is that season 3 is in anamorphic widescreen, which looks terrible on a widescreen TV. Also, the R2 DVDs have no special features, which is a pity as I would very much like to hear the commentary to Twenty Five. Just what was going through Aaron Sorkin's head, leaving the show with such an insane cliffhanger?
Haha! That's one of the only episodes I listened tout! He's like it's hard leaving in the middle of the story but he had to leave. The job was killing him and pissing NBC off. The thing I really like is his plan had them being Christains and not Muslims. I'm being vague for the newbies. He would connect it more to the season 1 storyline.
I don't know if the Netflix releases are in HD, but it was strange to see the first season in widescreen when I watched it recently.
I guess they'll never release the show on disc at this point though.
I guess they'll never release the show on disc at this point though.
Here you go.Aside from Sam, Toby, and C.J. (and for the smart-alecks, Bartlett and Mrs. Landingham have pretty defined jobs as well!), the character's job descriptions aren't well fleshed out. I really want to see the organizational chart Josh's office is working on for Mandy!
That is awesome! Thanks! But, you left out Mrs. Landingham.
And, as seen in episode 3, he bitch slaps the President when needed.
That makes sense, and fits nicely with his introduction in the first episode, as well as his lack of a task in episode 3, seeing as how the President was exercising his powers as Commander in Chief, acting without Congress.
And directs White House Tours when Leo wants to mess with him, right?
And, given her frustration at the Sam/Cuddy situation, it seems Toby answers to her, at times!
So, to be clear, she answers to Josh and she answers to Toby, right? I talked to my sister today and she echoed the comments in this thread: no one likes Mandy and she's gone fairly quickly.
She also seems to excel at making Josh's life more difficult, under the guise of helping him.
I liked how they addressed and quickly brushed off the issue of race in terms of Charlie by making a big deal about it and being told by an Admiral it's not a big deal.
A lot of the special features are on Youtube, including the documentary special. Honestly, they're not great, but I'd still like to hear some of the commentaries.I've heard there's a doco special feature on (US?) boxed set which has interviews with real-life politicos, and some deleted scenes. I'd like to see those when finish S7. That debate episode was interesting
Wow, I had no idea that was Sorkin's plan. That sounds so much more interesting than what we got. The first two episodes of season 5 are good for the most part, but the conclusion was rushed, poorly explained, and was just an excuse to rapidly return to the status quo. Revealing the kidnappers to be neo-nazis would have at least exposed the audience's biases in believing most terrorists to be Muslim.
I left out a lot of minor characters, I included Donna because she joins the main cast in season 2, although you could probably have figured out her job on your own.That is awesome! Thanks! But, you left out Mrs. Landingham.
He also gets Sam to write birthday ̶c̶a̶r̶d̶s̶ messages.
Not quickly enough, sadly. Because Mandy has no real role on the show, most of her scenes are detours from the plot that exist purely to justify her being in the cast, and that makes an already annoying character super-annoying.
They played it off as no big deal, but it kind of was a bit of a deal at the time. After casting the pilot, they found themselves in the uncomfortable position of having an all-white cast and they came under some criticism from the NAACP for it. That's why they cast black actors for Charlie and Admiral Fitzwallace.
Which wouldn't have been a problem if Sidney Poitier had been Bartlett, as it was originally intended.
I started watching last night. I never owned the DVDs so this is a real treat.
I think my thoughts on the show can best be summed up with: Donna
. It's not just that Moloney is gorgeous, there was just something I always found endearing about the character. I think I found her to be the move believable of the whole cast. And really, if it wasn't for her arc in the later seasons, I probably would have stopped watching.
On a side note, Whitford is one of the few celebs I can say I've met in my life time. He's just like Josh.
I think my thoughts on the show can best be summed up with: Donna
. It's not just that Moloney is gorgeous, there was just something I always found endearing about the character. I think I found her to be the move believable of the whole cast. And really, if it wasn't for her arc in the later seasons, I probably would have stopped watching.On a side note, Whitford is one of the few celebs I can say I've met in my life time. He's just like Josh.
I started watching last night. I never owned the DVDs so this is a real treat.
I think my thoughts on the show can best be summed up with: Donna
On a side note, Whitford is one of the few celebs I can say I've met in my life time. He's just like Josh.
Yes, but can he crank out the one-liners like Josh?
He is pretty funny, but I was speaking more of how Josh playfully pontificates with a slight air of sanctimonious snobbery. Albeit Whitford isn't nearly as intense.Yes, but can he crank out the one-liners like Josh?
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