West Wing Complete Boxset

[Bob The Skutter]

Amazon.co.uk is currently selling the complete West Wing Boxset for £49.98. And I keep hearing how good the show is, but I've never seen it, but it seems to be a bit too good of a bargain to turn down. So what's the general opinion here, is it worth the blind buy?

 

[Cicero]

Completely. Particularly in its first four years, The West Wing is the best regular series in the history of American television. It won the best drama Emmy four years running for very good reason.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Completely. Particularly in its first four years, The West Wing is the best regular series in the history of American television. It won the best drama Emmy four years running for very good reason.

Agreed. The first four years, in particular the first TWO, are AMAZING. Great writing, great characters. Season 5 is a major let down...to me anyways. Season 6 and 7 slowly make there way back up...but never achieve Season 1 and 2.

The major reason for the decline: the loss of series creator and major writer Aaron Sorkin. He was let go from the series because of falling behind in schedule and, I believe, some personal issues.

I have the first three seasons on DVD and will get the 4th...but that's it for me. (Yes, I didn't like the rest that much...but, I think I'm in the minority on that one.)

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Absolutely must buy! That's an excellent deal, so definitely get it. As others have already said, the first four seasons are pure gold, while the following three aren't as strong (Sorkin's absence is strongly felt). While they're good seasons (and better than most stuff today), the final three seasons pale in comparison to the first four.

 

[Hermiod]

Amazon.co.uk is currently selling the complete West Wing Boxset for £49.98. And I keep hearing how good the show is, but I've never seen it, but it seems to be a bit too good of a bargain to turn down. So what's the general opinion here, is it worth the blind buy?

Fuck yes. Sorry, but there's no better way to put it.

 

[Tomato]

Yes!!! Yes!!

 

[Bob The Skutter]

OK, it's ordered. And I'm blaming you all if I don't like it.

 

[Hermiod]

On thinking about it, the only thing wrong with buying the whole lot as a set is that if you start watching it you won't get up out of your seat again until it's all done.

That happened to me every time with each season boxed set. I burned through a few of them over the weekend after I received each one.

 

[John Clark]

I'd say it's a must buy too. I've been working my way through them again.

 

[DanCPA]

On thinking about it, the only thing wrong with buying the whole lot as a set is that if you start watching it you won't get up out of your seat again until it's all done.

Not true, there are going to be some S5 and S6 episodes that will make him want to run to the nearest bathroom to throw up!

 

[Hermiod]

^Can't say I experienced that particular problem.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Neither have I. I don't think there's a single outright bad episode of The West Wing (okay, maybe "Access"), rather the later episodes are just weaker than the earlier seasons (as I said before). Well, some people have a special ire for "The Long Goodbye," but that was a season 4 episode!

 

[DanCPA]

I hated some of the story lines in S5 and S6.

The whole thing with CJ's dad ( I don't remember what season that was) was just bad...
And the lesbian story line was just bad too

 

[The Nth Doctor]

"The Long Goodbye," which featured the only appearance of C.J.'s dad was in season 4 (just before Election Day). There were multiple episodes prior to that episode that referred to her father (particularly her email to him in season 2's "The Stackhouse Filibuster").

 

[Professor Zoom]

Neither have I. I don't think there's a single outright bad episode of The West Wing (okay, maybe "Access"), rather the later episodes are just weaker than the earlier seasons (as I said before). Well, some people have a special ire for "The Long Goodbye," but that was a season 4 episode!

For me it wasn't any specific episodes that were BAD...but I do think there were some character moments that were HORRIBLY...uncharacteristic. Some of the characters suddenly started acting...not of themselves.

For example...

Spoiler: Stuff from later seasons..

Leo being jealous of that one blonde NSA person and her relationship with the President. Or Toby and Josh getting personal and fighting like school kids. I just didn't believe ANY of those moments...it felt like the writers did it so there could be conflict between the characters. Which there had been before...but it was about issues not personal petty things.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I agree there were some character assinating going on in the later seasons. Along with what you mentioned...

Spoiler: More stuff from later seasons

Toby being the leak. The way Amy unceremoniously departed. Will going gung-ho for Bingo Bob. Lastly, the big wedding episode of season 7 should have been Charlie and Zoe!

However, on the flip side, there were some very good character moments. The handling of Leo's death. Donna and Josh's relationship. Charlie's departure from being the President's body man to C.J.'s special assistant, as well as his relationship with Bartlet.

 

[bigdaddy]

Yes the characters were dead in the later seasons, just terrible what that ER asshole did to the show.

However 50 pounds is a great deal, well worth it. I bought the seasons separate for $15 last year from Best Buy.

 

[LeadHead]

The major reason for the decline: the loss of series creator and major writer Aaron Sorkin. He was let go from the series because of falling behind in schedule and, I believe, some personal issues.

Agreed that the decline was because Sorkin left. The tone and clarity of the writing was just never the same after he was gone.

Sorkin wasn't let go, he left. NBC really got on his case and demanded more world crises, as evidenced by the humongous amount of time spent in the situation room in season 5.

 

[Mysterion]

^Can't say I experienced that particular problem.

Me either. Even at it's worst, TWW was still better than most of the other crap on tee-vee.

 

[Cicero]

Neither have I. I don't think there's a single outright bad episode of The West Wing (okay, maybe "Access"), rather the later episodes are just weaker than the earlier seasons (as I said before). Well, some people have a special ire for "The Long Goodbye," but that was a season 4 episode!

'The Promise of a Generation' was excellent, but otherwise the episode was very much deserving of a special ire. It was like a late-season episode during the Sorkin years, but without the charm and effort (and excellent casting) of the later years.

Sorkin wasn't let go, he left. NBC really got on his case and demanded more world crises, as evidenced by the humongous amount of time spent in the situation room in season 5.

I'm pretty sure Universal's concern involved the increasing lateness of scripts, which was driving the already expensive show wildly over-budget. Sorkin blamed his drug abuse problems at the time (a relapse precipitated by his breakup with Kristen Chenoweth?) for both the post-Season 2 drop in quality and his eventual departure from the show.