The final episode was good, though I actually liked the next-to-last ep that focused on CJ, Toby and Danny a lot more.
Thanks for seven great (well, maybe more like five great, one good and one poor) seasons, West Wing.
"He looks like a perverted roofer who knocks off early on warm spring days to drink beer and ogle teenage girls at the river, but wrestles like a man who actually cares about his job." ---DVDVR's Raven Mack on "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray
I'm surprised CJ became such a focus of the orginal cast and their departure. She's a great actress and capable of being their avatar. But I always preferred a 15-years-later scenario as we see Charlie take the oath of office. He's the next generation of that cast and the one that had the most to gain and learn from their decisions and influence. As the show revealed, he IS the son figure for the president.
I like the parallel of Bartlett appearing in the White House with a cane in the pilot and the last episode, but I'd rather he not have him the last line. The show was much more about the office staff, not the president. The absence of Toby in the final episode is unpardonable, but it was nice to see the background cast get a moment (the Secret Service chief, the two aides, Carol, the one reporter from the press breifings). I was also glad to see Mallory even in that awful, awful feathered haircut.
So, does Josh keep Margaret as the chief of staff's secretary? Where was her last hurrah?
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Good last episode. Since he has a storyline around him despite not appearing, at least Toby didn't get completely Potsie'd. Would have been nice if they had Sam interact with C.J., Charlie, Bartlett or even Will at some point. Alan Alda really earned a paycheck for all the work he did in this episode. Have they ever explained Margaret's pregnancy disappearing very rapidly? Nice touch having Santos go 'What's Next', ala Bartlett. Anyone have any clue where they were going to go with the last several episodes if John Spencer lived? On Charlie being the next generation: Charlie was more 2 generations to come though. Until he left, Sam was the one who was being groomed to become President(needing to be in the room, someday it will be you making the decisions etc.), and then he gives the 'Welcome Home' line when he returns to the White House.
Originally posted by redsoxnationOn Charlie being the next generation: Charlie was more 2 generations to come though. Until he left, Sam was the one who was being groomed to become President(needing to be in the room, someday it will be you making the decisions etc.), and then he gives the 'Welcome Home' line when he returns to the White House.
I can see the possibility with Sam, but he was too often shown as a comic relief, someone who tripped over his own neebishness and single focus on his job. I liked him a lot more when he came back this year as he had the separation from teh White House to tell Josh to get his priorities straight. This version of Sam could have been groomed for the office, but not the one we saw previously, even as he lft for the Orange County race. I mean, he couldn't land Mallory, a girl who was practically reeling HIM in.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by redsoxnationAnyone have any clue where they were going to go with the last several episodes if John Spencer lived?
Remember the opening scene in the season premiere when it's three years in the future and they're all in the Bartlett Presidential Library? Josh enters and says "The President is here," but they didn't show who walked in. I thought it was just to preserve the Santos/Vinick tension, but now I think it may have been originally planned for Leo to come walking into the room as the President. They would've had to explain an unfortunate end for Santos, but it would've tied up nicely to the Jed/Leo dynamic ("This should be you...") and would've been kind of fitting in with the series' original staff-centric concept by having the old chief of staff take over as POTUS.
"He looks like a perverted roofer who knocks off early on warm spring days to drink beer and ogle teenage girls at the river, but wrestles like a man who actually cares about his job." ---DVDVR's Raven Mack on "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray
I wish they had given the final episode more time. If Will & Grace can get two hours, certainly the West Wing can as well. I did read that they wanted to do a retrospective hour, but there was debate on whether the cast would get paid for it or not, so they went with the pilot episode.
Much like real presidents, you can certainly see President Bartlett's aging from the first to the final episode.
I also agree the final scene should have shown the current staff getting to work.
I will miss the show. Even at its worst, it wasn't all that bad.
Originally posted by The GoonI wish they had given the final episode more time. If Will & Grace can get two hours, certainly the West Wing can as well. I did read that they wanted to do a retrospective hour, but there was debate on whether the cast would get paid for it or not, so they went with the pilot episode.
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