West Wing: anyone else with me and Charlton Charlie?

Weegie Addick

Fantastic programme. Can watch same episode over and over and it's still entertaining. Got it all on DVD - have spent past 15 months watching the whole lot in order, finally getting to end of Series 7. Great script, great acting, great balance of drama and wit. If only American presidents were like that in real life...

Salad

Never seen it ... or The Sopranos ... or Six Feet Under ...

Ketman

For some reason if I miss the first episode of something like this I will refuse to join in later in the series as there seems to be little point. This is one of those Series, cannot belive it is up to series 7 already. I don't think ANY series has run longer than 10 & that was the legendary X-Files.

Salad

I thnik I'm the same Ketman.
Not seen 24 either.

F-Blocker

Absolutely love it and fully agree with Weegie.

Keep an eye out for "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" - should be on More4 later in the year. It's from Aaron Sorkin and the main West Wing producer guy. It's got Bradley Whitford (Josh), Timothy Busfield (Danny the journalist) and Matthew Perry in it. It's a "behind the scenes" at a Saturday Night Live type show. I've watched the first 13 episodes on download. Unfortunately it's been pulled in the US as the audiences don't quite get it (apart from the semi-intelligent ones - and we all know how few of them there are in the States). More4 will show the whole 22 episodes tho.

It's well written, acted and directed. You can tell it's from Aaron Sorkin - it's got a West Wing feel to it.

Weegie Addick

West Wing is a bit different - each episode is pretty self-contained. It helps to get to know the characters, but you don't have to watch it in sequence. Series 7 was the last one.

Anyone else watching re-runs of the X-Files on Living at the moment?

Red_Pete_in_Dubai

I do enjoy good American drama and I have all of the West Wing, the Sopranos, Six Feet Under, 24, Deadwood, Firefly & Lost on DVD. I am just getting into the new one - Heroes. Anybody else watching it?

suzisausage

we're still keeping up to date with lost, but apart from that and grey's anatomy i find it hard to keep track of more than a couple of the long running shows.

never watched 24, sopranos etc

kigelia

West Wing was one of the best shows in years. I tragically have all episodes on DVD and the two script books they released. It went a bit naff in the first seasons after Sorkin was dumped but was back to form for the final season or two.

I am rapidly falling in love with Heroes, is looking to be a fantastic series.

Weegie Addick

[cite]Posted By: F-Blocker[/cite]Absolutely love it and fully agree with Weegie.

Keep an eye out for "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" - should be on More4 later in the year. It's from Aaron Sorkin and the main West Wing producer guy. It's got Bradley Whitford (Josh), Timothy Busfield (Danny the journalist) and Matthew Perry in it. It's a "behind the scenes" at a Saturday Night Live type show. I've watched the first 13 episodes on download. Unfortunately it's been pulled in the US as the audiences don't quite get it (apart from the semi-intelligent ones - and we all know how few of them there are in the States). More4 will show the whole 22 episodes tho.

It's well written, acted and directed. You can tell it's from Aaron Sorkin - it's got a West Wing feel to it.

Will look out for that - thanks for the tip. Amazing that West Wing ran for so long really - there must be some semi-intelligent Americans out there!

Red_Pete_in_Dubai

The thing about Heroes is that it is supposed to about people with super powers from all over the world. In typical American style "all over the world" means one japanese guy who is the comedy act and one indian guy who doesn't have any powers himself but is investigating those who do. All the others are, of course, American!!

It is still, however, shaping up to be an excellent series.

Sco

I just don't commit myself to the TV anymore - saps my soul if I spend too much time in front of it.

"If people were square, would you feel the need to stare?
If they fed you all lies, could you not avert your eyes?
If you could swich them off and on, would you watch them all night long?
If they gave you drama, laughter and news, would it be them you'd really hate to lose?"

Charlton_Charlie

I missed the first series of West Wing, but got into it from the 2nd series... I've seen the 'Studio 60' trailers and thought it was already on our screens - obviously not, so will keep an eye out for it..

For those into these things, the direction on the West Wing was amazing...the tracking shots where you would follow a charcter around the building for a couple of minutes without interuption were something to behold.. I have very little time to watch TV / DVDs etc and so watch specific programmes, but fully intend to buy all the West Wing on DVD and then one day sit down and watch them all (again and again).

Have seen sporadic episodes of 24 and have enjoyed it and also been following Lost, but finding it increasingly frustrating, but I guess it's got me hooked (bit like Twin Peaks about 16 years ago)

Ketman

Of all the Yank shows I watch my favourite current crop that I have watched from start to date are 24, Lost, Battlestar Galactica & Nip Tuck all completely different but all class TV.

Weegie Addick

[cite]Posted By: Charlton Charlie[/cite]I have very little time to watch TV / DVDs etc and so watch specific programmes, but fully intend to buy all the West Wing on DVD and then one day sit down and watch them all (again and again).

It's well worth it -a great way to spend cold, dark winter evenings with a bottle of wine. The only trouble is, if you're anything like us, you always end up watching the next one and the next one and the next one and before you know it, it's 2 o'clock in the morning. So not recommended on a schoolnight!

ThreadKiller

yes,i have the whole set on dvd and thought it was an excellent series.i do enjoy quite a bit of american tv,24,prison break,lost,desperate housewives,heroes. just got loaned the entirety of the sopranos so am now ploughing through them.when that is done i may re-start the west wing.all so well written and with such good strong characters,love 'em.

valleyman1973

Have seen 18 episodes of Studio 60, a quality program, but the network has taken it of the air with six episodes to go, and by all reports they havent made them. Matt Perry of Friends fame is in it. It has very dry humour and i thought it was a success, but obviously the network didnt.

razil

Na, me like SG Atlantis, Galactica, and first series of 24

Shadow

The West Wing is my favourite TV series (followed by 24)

Great scripts, great characters and brilliantly acted by the entire cast.
If you have any interest whatsoever in the machinations of politics then it is a must see series. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I disagree somewhat with what someone said earlier about not worrying about watching the series' in order because each episode is self-contained. An awful lot of the "in jokes" and sub-plots need the knowledge you have acquired from previous episodes to truly appreciate the story-lines and how they got to the position they are in now.
The 20 second recap at the start of each episode isn't a substitute in any way at all.

Shadow

bingaddick

Got the first series on DVD. I still haven't managed to watch the whole of one episode. I'm just too busy!....:-)

SantaClaus

Heroes, Sopranos, The Shield, 24(waiting to see the new series), Prison Break, Rome (second series much better) and this show no one has picked up here 'Jericho'.

BlackForestReds

[quote][cite]Posted By: Salad Spinner[/cite]Never seen it ... or The Sopranos ... or Six Feet Under ...[/quote]


I'm the same..add in 24, ER...never watched them.

North Lower Neil

Bit of a randon one, but the brilliant West Wing is currently £50 for all 7 series on DVD, for anyone who may be interested....

Leroy Ambrose

X-Files was absolutely awesome television - right up to season six. It tailed off after that and became merely 'good' TV - still very watchable, but it didn't have that factor that 'made' you watch it every episode.

The only series for me that have come close are Twin Peaks (incredible entertainment) House (compelling) and Dexter (might very well be my favourite show of all time).

aliwibble

Hmm, that's very tempting Neil, thanks for the heads-up.

Curbey

Try HBO's "The Wire"

2nd Division & Proud

west wing is best thing on telly - ever imo
can watch over and again

closely followed by x-files - which i've just started watching (yet) again in order on dvd

Kap10

West Wing is a classic and reality is copying fantasy, majestic performance by Martin Sheen as President Bartlett and I am in love with CJ.

Studio 60 has been on one of the satellite channels and is out on DVD. Unfortunately by the time it came out (as opposed to West Wing) no American could take criticism and it was pulled after one series.

Another series that i enjoy which is a slapstick is Boston Legal, which does get away with attacking a lot of digs at the American system and political arena. Stars William Shatner who is excellent.

North Lower Neil

[cite]Posted By: Curbey[/cite]Try HBO's "The Wire"

I keep meaning to, will wait for it to come down in price than get it I think.