Saturday, January 13, 2007

Devastated

In tears last night. After five years and 154 episodes we watched the final two episodes of West Wing series 7. As the new president sat with his new chief of staff we realised we were never going to know how they got on for West Wing was the story of the Bartlett presidency not the next one.

Fascinating insights into the behind-the-scenes activity which takes a departing president's furniture out of the White House and brings in the newcomer's while the inaugural address is taking place. All the stuff we learned about the speed of required decision making, the ability to hold meetings that last twenty seconds and the loyalty of a team all working to one purpose (which doesn't exclude serious arguments behind closed doors) was wonderful.

Only choice we have now is to look up everything that Aaron Sorkin ever did and buy that too. So rarely does a TV programme go beyond making me short-term happy and actually educate me the while. What's next?

7 comments:

Mike Peatman said...

It's a series I never caught and never got into, although I suspect it would be a real favourite. I got into MASH 10 years late, so there's still time!

Anonymous said...

Another TV programme I seem to have missed. Still, following the recommendation I can always borrow somebody's DVD set and watch it at a convenient moment (but do I get any of those?).

Finker said...

WW and I have been finished for a few weeks now and I am still grieving. The pain doesn't fade St. People try to offer me comfort, but it's all been too much for me. I continue to gently weep.

Steve Tilley said...

Andy I just removed your comment. I'm sorry but it contained a plot spoiler and thus broke one of my golden rules. Hope you understand. I almost never remove comments.

Anonymous said...

*delurk* Hi Steve. With regards to 'What next?' - if you're after some seriously good telly, then I can't recommend The Wire highly enough... Intelligent, thoughtful, realistic, rewarding - it's a real cliche, but it's a novel for television. Deadwood's also pretty much unmissable... *relurk*

Andy said...

Wow! I totally didn't realise that it was a spoiler (coming after you'd said that you'd finished the lot!).

Not to worry!

:)

Steve Tilley said...

Spoiling it for others mate, not me. Most of the last series no-one knows who the next president will be.