How Did You Discover The West Wing?

[CM-BlueButterfly]

Did you follow the show from its very first episode or did you discover it later? Were you hooked from the very first episode that you watched or did it not “click” until a later episode?

[Browncoat]

I followed (and was hooked) from the very first episode, and it was this show that led me to what was then Television Without Pity.  In a later episode, Aaron Sorkin name checked that site, and I had to see what it was all about.

[ProudMary]

First episode for me, too. I was hooked right from the start. It didn't hurt that it was one of the best pilots ever created. As a busy working mom of two young kids at that point, I really didn't have time to watch TV, but I made time for The West Wing right from the beginning. It was worth it.

[Anela]

I didn't watch it, when it aired. I can't remember what I was watching - I don't think I was watching much TV, at the time. I was addicted to the internet, and reading a lot. 

I finally binged it seven years ago, starting January 21st, I think. 

[Sarah 103]

My older brother introduced me to the show after it had been on the air for multiple seasons. I was going to college in DC. He bought me the first season on DVD, and I was hooked. I caught up with the previous seasons and then started watching later seasons live. 

[Moose135]

I was a fan of Sorkin's work back to A Few Good Men. Loved The American President and followed him to Sports Night. When I heard about The West Wing, I knew it would be a regular show to watch, and couldn't wait for the premiere.

[Morrigan2575]

I watched the pilot (when it first aired) and was hooked...it got shaky towards the later seasons but, one of the nest shows ever made, IMO

Edited September 22 by Morrigan2575

[Calvada]

5 hours ago, Moose135 said:

I was a fan of Sorkin's work back to A Few Good Men. Loved The American President and followed him to Sports Night. When I heard about The West Wing, I knew it would be a regular show to watch, and couldn't wait for the premiere.

This was my experience too - a fan of Sorkin.  Also I've always been a political junkie, so I thought this would be my type of show.  I loved the pilot and it was must-see TV until the end.  

[Bastet]

I had been an avid Sports Night viewer its first season, so - as a political junkie - when it was announced Aaron Sorkin would be doing another show, this time set in the White House, I was all over this like stink on shit from the beginning (I drifted away somewhere in season five, I think, or maybe six).

[Orcinus orca]

I had heard of it when it aired but figured I wouldn't be interested in a program about politics.  However, the Detroit Free Press TV Critic (back when there were actual newspapers that got delivered daily - I think his name was Mike Duffy) was a huge fan. I always liked what he liked so tried it out on the summer reruns and was totally hooked after viewing the pilot.

I admit that I did not follow through until the  end; Season Five was the last one I watched at that time.  Life left me less time to watch (even when I had episodes stored on my VCR tapes) and I was not as happy with the stories.

[jah1986]

I watched the pilot with my dad. I was interested to see Rob Lowe lead a tv series. Then "supporting" character Jed Bartlett walked into the room and it was instantly clear that Rob Lowe would not be leading this show. It was must see tv for me until about season 5. I tuned back in for season 7 but it wasn't the same by then. Still will do a rewatch now and then, last time got to introduce my mom to the show and she loved it.

[General Days]

I watched when it first aired, and loved it, but I stopped when Aaron Sorkin shoehorned "Isaac and Ishmael" into the beginning of season three.

It's not that the storyline offended me — the existence of the episode did. I was entirely turned off by Sorkin's hubris. It found it grotesque that he would mine the tragedy for a fictional TV show, before all the smoke had even cleared from Manhattan. I couldn't stop thinking about the people who lost loved ones on 9/11. I couldn't stop wondering if they used to watch The West Wing together, and how they might feel.

I eventually watched the whole series (and rewatched, and rewatched), but it took me a while to even want to. I'm glad I did. It's one of my favorite shows, but when we're doing an in-order rewatch, I still bristle at the start of season three.

 

On 9/22/2024 at 11:36 AM, Anela said:

I didn't watch it, when it aired. I can't remember what I was watching - I don't think I was watching much TV, at the time. I was addicted to the internet, and reading a lot. 

I finally binged it seven years ago, starting January 21st, I think. 

 

I kicked off a binge of TWW on January 20, 2017. I'd been subsisting on Hallmark Christmas movies for the two and a half months prior. 

[Skooma]

On 9/22/2024 at 11:36 AM, Anela said:

I didn't watch it, when it aired. I can't remember what I was watching - I don't think I was watching much TV, at the time. I was addicted to the internet, and reading a lot. 

I finally binged it seven years ago, starting January 21st, I think. 

Yeah me too.  I don't remember if it was 2017 or not.  They were running it on a cable TV channel anyway.

And it ran opposite of The Amazing Race back on it's original run when I first heard about the series a few years in and I didn't have TIVO back in the day (still can't afford DVR) and the first classic, wonder-filled few seasons of The Amazing Race I would not have missed for anything.

[Woopwoopkitty]

I don’t remember how I knew about the show but I did watch it from the beginning and later bought the DVD set. What I do remember is that searching for some TWW info on the internet led me to TWOP……and here we are.