The West Wing Season Seven: The Campaign Trail

[kassygreene]

Josh had just come into the room to see an assortment of people he probably hadn't seen together since before Toby was fired.  These were people he loved, together again.  I'd smile too, if that sort of scene ever happens in my life.

Edited May 16, 2017 by kassygreene
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[oceanblue]

Plus, if Vinnick had won, Josh's role at the library was likely the Executive Director (the man of the hour).  So this would be a big day for him and he'd be happy.   Getting the current President would be a big deal.

[Melancholy]

Random though. I LOVE Vinick lying to George Rohr about him having approval of Vinnic's judge selection. And then, Vinick being so self-righteous that he doesn't see the problems with lying to George Rohr, especially after George Rorh, himself, also made a phony promise about not leaking the promise to the press. Shelia's outrage delights me as well. It's one of the most underrated TWW comedy scenes. 

Edited June 12, 2017 by Melancholy

[Zola]

On 2017-6-12 at 3:19 AM, Melancholy said:

Random though. I LOVE Vinick lying to George Rohr about him having approval of Vinnic's judge selection. And then, Vinick being so self-righteous that he doesn't see the problems with lying to George Rohr, especially after George Rorh, himself, also made a phony promise about not leaking the promise to the press. Shelia's outrage delights me as well. It's one of the most underrated TWW comedy scenes. 

 

I loved that scene too, especially Sheila's barbed retort "I LIED!!!" Certainly put Vinick back in his box. 

But then again we're talking politics ,and with politics you'll find attached a whole bunch of stuff, not least, lies, bribes, duplicity, hypocrisy. short-term amnesia etc. 

Et Tu, Vinick? 

[Guest]

I think out of all the dumb plot lines, the plot line of Helen's underwear is one of the dumbest. It's like they wanted to have a story about the press crossing boundaries, but they didn't want to actually have anything scandalous, so they went with underwear?

[Guest]

In my rewatch, Leo just died. :(  Cue me more upset than the first time I watched it, but that's irrelevant. 

My question is that I wonder if (had the show continued), Josh would have expressed any guilt over Leo's death. Not that he should feel guilty, but I think it would have been a very real development that he felt responsible for Leo's death.  Campaigning taking a toll on Leo and he was the one who brought Leo up for vice-presidency.

[BW Manilowe]

19 hours ago, deaja said:

In my rewatch, Leo just died. :(  Cue me more upset than the first time I watched it, but that's irrelevant. 

My question is that I wonder if (had the show continued), Josh would have expressed any guilt over Leo's death. Not that he should feel guilty, but I think it would have been a very real development that he felt responsible for Leo's death.  Campaigning taking a toll on Leo and he was the one who brought Leo up for vice-presidency.

I thought Josh expressed at least a certain amount of guilt about it when he & Donna were at the hospital, or at some point when they got back to the hotel after. I feel like I remember Josh being all upset & stuff, & Donna having to "talk him off the ledge", as it were, by telling him he wasn't responsible for getting Leo killed because Leo didn't do anything he didn't wanna do; Leo was on the campaign/ticket because he wanted to be, not because his dead best friend's son was running the campaign.

[Guest]

Just now, BW Manilowe said:

I thought Josh expressed at least a certain amount of guilt about it when he & Donna were at the hospital, or at some point when they got back to the hotel after. I feel like I remember Josh being all upset & stuff, & Donna having to "talk him off the ledge", as it were, by telling him he wasn't responsible for getting Leo killed because Leo didn't do anything he didn't wanna do; Leo was on the campaign/ticket because he wanted to be, not because his dead best friend's son was running the campaign.

I stopped it right after they found Leo and didn't remember that from my first watch. Thanks!  I totally agree that Josh wasn't in any way responsible, but I thought it would be a natural "what if" for Josh to think/feel.

[Guest]

Election Night II and Requiem just killed me again last night. So well done, for the most part.

Part of my emotion during Requiem specifically is that I didn't feel the actors were acting at times. Normally, I'm good at separating real life and fiction, but not these episodes. Specifically during the funeral, the emotion felt so raw that I felt like I was watching the actors grieve John Spencer, if that makes sense.

[eyebleach]

In interviews I've read about John Spencer's passing - this is absolutely accurate.  While the cast was clearly in character, the emotions they were expressing were completely real.  I am curious to hear once TWWW gets to that part, how Josh Malina talks about it.

[BW Manilowe]

On 8/25/2017 at 8:34 AM, eyebleach said:

In interviews I've read about John Spencer's passing - this is absolutely accurate.  While the cast was clearly in character, the emotions they were expressing were completely real.  I am curious to hear once TWWW gets to that part, how Josh Malina talks about it.

I agree. Everything I've read about the filming of Leo's funeral/wake (the thing where, like, Bingo Bob made the comment that was something kinda tacky like Leo's death made him schedule a doctor's appointment, then later on the Bartlets had a group of staffers/former staffers up to the Residence to reminisce about Leo) is the same as @eyebleach said. At least some of the events they described involving Leo may have been fictional, but the emotions they showed in character over Leo's sudden passing were equally, if not more, felt in real life by the actors involved over the apparently unexpected death (there were some rumors John Spencer had been sick in real life around that time, & so maybe his death wasn't as unexpected as it seemed) of their beloved friend & colleague, John Spencer.

I never thought of that before, but you're right--when Josh Malina's podcast about that ep comes up it really should be a good 1. I wonder who they'll get to discuss it with them; I mean it's a kinda tough subject, in general, & may still be tough for them to discuss in relation to John even after all these years since John's passing. Could be interesting if they get Gary Cole, since his character Bingo Bob was being rather tacky about Leo's death in the episode as I remember.

[UYI]

Well, I did it.

Last night I finished season 7. I committed myself back in March to watch an episode, multiple episodes, or at least part of an episode of this show every day until I was finished, and I finally made it. And I'll be honest, while I knew John Spencer had died in real life, and I suspected that meant that Leo was killed off too, I didn't know how it would work itself into the show going in, so I had no idea that Leo would die on Election Night. 

There was a LOT less of Josh & Donna as a couple than I expected there to be. I actually didn't mind them together all that much, but I was surprised by that.

And yes, I enjoyed this season immensely BECAUSE of the campaign stuff. I am more familiar with the campaign world than I should probably disclose here. :)

I'll miss it, but I'll watch it again someday; I think my mom is finally on board on watching it with me. She HATED Timothy Busfield as Elliott on thirtysomething, though, so I'm curious what she'll think of Danny. 

[Zola]

Pleased you enjoyed S7. It is not a perfect season by any measure, but the campaign story-arcs saved it from mediocrity given the silly goings on back at the White House (i.e. space shuttle, and the gradual winding down of the Bartlet administration etc.)

As for the Josh-Donna Thing, well I think we all knew it was going to happen.... eventually! Just pleased it didn't overly dominate the season.

[Leo]

In the final episode of the West Wing Josh wakes up with a lady, and everyone says it is Donna, but if you look at the brief scene (only about a second when you see her face), she has dark hair and dark eyebrows.  So is it someone else?  What's the story on this?

[Zola]

1 hour ago, Leo said:

In the final episode of the West Wing Josh wakes up with a lady, and everyone says it is Donna, but if you look at the brief scene (only about a second when you see her face), she has dark hair and dark eyebrows.  So is it someone else?  What's the story on this?

 

Hi, and welcome to the forum and in particular the West Wing forum.

I took a quick look at those first couple of minutes of "Tomorrow" and even though you're right in saying she has dark hair and brows, but personally I think it is still Donna but cast in early morning shadows from a nearby window. 

[Aethera]

Yep it’s definitely Donna. It’s just dark. You can clearly see her face for several seconds.

[Guest]

On 8/20/2017 at 10:27 PM, deaja said:

I think out of all the dumb plot lines, the plot line of Helen's underwear is one of the dumbest. It's like they wanted to have a story about the press crossing boundaries, but they didn't want to actually have anything scandalous, so they went with underwear?

I watched this episode again this week and wanted to reiterate my thoughts.

Overall, I like Helen’s character, but she could be insufferable at times!

[Zola]

On 7/11/2018 at 5:18 PM, deaja said:

I watched this episode again this week and wanted to reiterate my thoughts.

Overall, I like Helen’s character, but she could be insufferable at times!

I think it was down to poor writing of a female character again - She had many good points, but plenty of annoying ones, not least her little hissy fit regarding the extra security around her Houston home along with staff workers in her home during the campaign; and the number of servants and agents cramping her style at the White House amongst other little complaints that bugged me no end. 

Never quite took her seriously, and never warmed to her either.  That said the writers did a very good job with the Sheila Brooks character working as campaign manager for Vinick - far more endearing and easy on the eye (and ear!)

Edited July 21, 2018 by Zola