kevin75

i was in walmart today looking at the latest tv guide and was noticing a good article by matt roush who usually has a good head on his shoulders about quality tv. so i was checking on the website and here are a couple questions from the "ask matt" column:

Question:
I love The West Wing's new season. It's fresh, funny, smart and unpredictable. It has been one of the best shows so far this season, not to mention the incredible performances by the entire cast. I think that this year Martin Sheen should carry home the elusive Emmy. Allison Janney won last year, but in this season she actually deserves it. Hopefully, Bartlet's final term will end as nicely as this season started. Nonetheless, I read your latest review and I have to disagree. If NBC decides to move forward with a new president in charge, it will be a risky move but not a total disaster. Every critic in town was appalled by David E. Kelley's choice of changing the entire cast of The Practice, even its leads, and then the man created a wonderful spin-off. James Spader was the best change executed by the fading Practice. I am just saying that maybe John Wells could be lucky enough to build a new White House. Of course the possibility of disaster is always there, but at least the risk will be exciting. — Chris

Matt:
As I wrote in my review, I agree that this season is miles more entertaining than last year's. You make a good point and cite a strong precedent in the transition from The Practice to Boston Legal. The difference here is that The West Wing will still be, for all purposes, The West Wing — not a new show with a new tone, just inhabited by a new leader and a new staff. My argument is that this seems to me a case of NBC, John Wells and Warner Bros. milking a franchise past its natural end point, greedily holding on to one of the few brand names the network still has left. It would be like keeping Cheers going if Sam had sold the bar and new barflies began to occupy the stools. But since I try not to make judgments in advance of actually seeing a show — far be it from me to discourage any producer from taking, as you say, a "risk" — I will stay tuned through the transition into next season and see if The West Wing truly has life beyond the Bartlet presidency. I would like to be pleasantly surprised, but I still strongly believe the dignified way to go is to let The West Wing end when Bartlet & Co. pack up for good.

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this is why i, for one, am not liking what is going on much now. i always thought that this would be best served as a finite show, being about the bartlett presidency. the way they are doing things now, you don't see the west wing or the characters we have grown to care about half the time because the writers are focusing on the campaign

and here's another one (possible spoilers):

Question:
I read your recent review of West Wing and largely agree with your assessment of how it's evolving. My question is: Does anyone know, notably NBC, whether the series will continue after this season? I thought I read that the new election (Jimmy Smits vs. Alan Alda) would occur this coming fall as the pivot for another year. That leads me to think that the series will try to continue under a Smits administration, too. I would only hope that Bartlet, Leo and some of the original cast would somehow stick around, even in limited appearances. — Dan B.



i think the last sentence sums it up nicely.

also, trying not to put too much more in, here is the link for roush's review of TWW this season: http://www.tvguide.com/search/editor...rticleId=99972

dcprules

I'm liking some of the stuff they have been doing so far with Smits and Alda, but I agree it's definitely different than The West Wing. It's great seeing Josh out of the White House and in the real world, and that's a nice change of pace. Still, though, it's hard to make a show focusing on two different separate areas. Lately, there has been a show with Bartlett and than one with Smitts/Alda. Considering that Bartlett has only one more season (at most) left, they really should be focusing more on him (like Leo said, only 365 days left). Again, though, I like how they are getting The West Wing out of The West Wing. It's nice to see the sights.

Total sidenote: If they do another season, I'm hoping for Alan Alda. I just think it would be cool for him to be president.

Red Dog

If they are truly moving to a new administration, I hope they do what was suggested: make a whole new series like DEK did with The Practice/Boston Legal. Given that we are talking John Wells and NBC, I doubt that will happen.

Breakfast with Girls

I'm not a regular viewer, but this season has pulled me in with the campaign.

Red Dog

Food for thought for NBC execs: last week's episode was the lowest rated first-run episode in the entire run of the series.

djbrown

All sorts of factors are working against the current form of The West Wing (Sheen's contract, the end of his Presidency, etc...) where a pretty drastic shakeup is necessary. Even if it was ending this year, there'd be no way to avoid the topic of a national election in a show about the inner workings of the White House.

Bottom line (and I can't believe I'm going to say this): Wells was given a pretty taunting task of putting a show in transition, and he's done a pretty good job of doing it. This season blows away last season in terms of quality.

retihsuhnt

Last week was the first episode I purposefully missed. I have officially given up on The West Wing.

Come next season I might actually be down to only five (5) shows I watch on a regular basis.