Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search
Spoilers, New Topics & Co
Celebrating 25 Years Of The West Wing

Where to start?

April Bloodgate

By April Bloodgate
in The West Wing

  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

April Bloodgate

April Bloodgate

I've never seen an episode of the show. (Le gasp! I know.) If I were to try to watch it now, where should I start? Will the first episode (or two) draw me in, or should I start on a different season? Does it hold up for someone who never watched it when it first aired? Thanks!

  • Love 2
Link to comment
Guest

Guest

I've never seen an episode of the show. (Le gasp! I know.) If I were to try to watch it now, where should I start? Will the first episode (or two) draw me in, or should I start on a different season? Does it hold up for someone who never watched it when it first aired? Thanks!

 

As the resident newbie, I feel qualified to answer these.

 

Background, I watched my first episode in August. It was around the 4th episode that I really started enjoying it - prior to that I was watching because friends told me it would get better.  But around episode 4, I started getting into it.  I really was hooked at episode 6.  The end of season 1 is when I routinely started sacrificing sleep for The West Wing.

 

I would start with Season 1, Episode 1.  It makes the most sense storywise, and it really is a good introduction to the main characters for the most part. If you jump in at any point after that, you might not understand what is going on exactly.

 

I think my troubles jumping in at first were partly that it moves quickly and there are a lot of characters.  But it's worth the jump.  

 

I never watched it when it aired at all, knew very very little about it, but it definitely stands up to the rewatch. Some things are a little dated - like some of the gay rights stuff seems so strange because you forget how much public opinion has changed in even the last 5 years, and some of the technology is noticeably out of date, but nothing so bad that you get pulled out of the story. 

Link to comment
Kohola3

Kohola3

I came late to the game when it was still airing. The TV critic in the local paper was gaga over TWW and  I guess I should have listened to him.  Had to wait for the reruns that season to start from the beginning.

 

I, too, would advise starting with S1E1.  It just gives you a better understanding of the characters and their places in the hierarchy.

 

With that said, hopefully you will love it as much as we do wherever you start!

  • Love 4
Link to comment
eyebleach

eyebleach

Definitely start at the beginning.  There are some series I might advise skipping ahead (Sex and the City, I'm looking at you with a lot of side-eye for season 1) but this one is important to get from the start.  One thing to remember - originally the President was not supposed to be a major character.  That changes pretty quickly but if you start by hopng for tons of Martin Sheen from the get-go.  Hold on, you'll get there.

  • Love 2
Link to comment
Melancholy

Melancholy

(edited)

Hello, April. Am I right in assuming that you've come over from Parks and Recreation and its legion West Wing connections in cast, storylines, and...to some extent, vibe?

 

I would also start at Season 1, Ep 1 and just go in order. TWW is quite serialized, even though many of the eps also work as on-offs. IMO, the series starts off excellent. I don't even rate S1 as highly as others within TWW seasons- but many consider it one of the best seasons. You'll see- I think it's middling for TWW but still very, very good. It is very much a picture of the second-term Clinton years. S1 started in 1998. However, I actually think that's part of the charm. TWW isn't dated- but it's a cool mirror of the Clinton and later Bush moods and even a tad pre-Obama moods. 

Edited by Melancholy
  • Love 2
Link to comment
AriAu

AriAu

I watched it when it aired and did not start until Episode 4 of Season 1 and was hooked before the end of the episode. If there had been binge watching, I would have never slept, but the week between episodes was actually great.

That being said, I would start with the Pilot. It is a little slow to start and they do spend a good amount of time introducing you to the characters, but stick it out, if for no other reason, the greatest entrance by a character E V E R.

  • Love 2
Link to comment
Guest

Guest

I watched it when it aired and did not start until Episode 4 of Season 1 and was hooked before the end of the episode. If there had been binge watching, I would have never slept, but the week between episodes was actually great.

That being said, I would start with the Pilot. It is a little slow to start and they do spend a good amount of time introducing you to the characters, but stick it out, if for no other reason, the greatest entrance by a character E V E R.

 

Can you tell who you're talking about? But spoiler tag it?  I have a guess, but I want to make sure you mean who I think you mean.

Link to comment
April Bloodgate

April Bloodgate

  • Author

Hello, April. Am I right in assuming that you've come over from Parks and Recreation and its legion West Wing connections in cast, storylines, and...to some extent, vibe?

You're right that I'm a Parks fan, of course. But other than Rob Lowe, I didn't know of any connections. I'm thinking of hopping on board because of all the positive talk about it lately on the podcast, especially from Joe. There hasn't been a show yet that EHG has recommended that I didn't like.

 

Thanks to everyone for the responses! I guess I'm going to start from the beginning. :)

  • Love 2
Link to comment
betsyboo

betsyboo

(edited)

I've never seen an episode of the show. (Le gasp! I know.) If I were to try to watch it now, where should I start? Will the first episode (or two) draw me in, or should I start on a different season? Does it hold up for someone who never watched it when it first aired? Thanks!

Is it a Christmas miracle?? Have we watched Deaja's journey almost to completion, dreading the end, and Santa brought us a newbie!? Andy was right; it really IS the most wonderful time of the year! <claps like a 5yo at a Laurie Berkner concert>

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year

With the kids jingle-belling

And everyone telling you "be of good cheer"

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Edited by betsyboo
  • Love 4
Link to comment
kassygreene

kassygreene

I watched it when it aired and did not start until Episode 4 of Season 1 and was hooked before the end of the episode. If there had been binge watching, I would have never slept, but the week between episodes was actually great.

That being said, I would start with the Pilot. It is a little slow to start and they do spend a good amount of time introducing you to the characters, but stick it out, if for no other reason, the greatest entrance by a character E V E R.

The Pilot sets up many many things, including the aforementioned beautifully timed entrance of the spoiler, but also giving Janel Maloney enough sweet lines and business that Brad Whitford went to Sorkin & Schlamme (some accounts say on bended knee) begging to keep her, and I think my favorite part was that Act One began with a very lengthy (my memory insists it was 8 minutes) walk-n-talk (often referred to by fandom as a pedi-conference).

  • Love 3
Link to comment
BizBuzz

BizBuzz

OMG, another potential Wingnut???

 

How could my life get any better???

 

::giggle::

 

But seriously ... I can't say more than already has been said, start from the beginning.  The Pilot is all kinds of awesome in introductions.  

 

My very first episode was in the second season, Shibboleth.  I can't remember exactly if they were in the 4th season by then (live), but I scrambled to start watching from the Pilot at that point.  I refused to watch live until I got caught up.  In those days, it wasn't all that easy!  LOL

 

Like any show, this has it's ups and downs.  However, just stick with it because it always gets better.  

  • Love 1
Link to comment
April Bloodgate

April Bloodgate

  • Author

Is it a Christmas miracle?? Have we watched Deaja's journey almost to completion, dreading the end, and Santa brought us a newbie!? Andy was right; it really IS the most wonderful time of the year! <claps like a 5yo at a Laurie Berkner concert>

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year

With the kids jingle-belling

And everyone telling you "be of good cheer"

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Aww, it's so nice to have people be excited that I'm going to join them in their pop culture love. Also, @betsyboo, my mom is a redhead named Betsy, so I'm happy to have you guide me on this journey. :)

I'm probably the only one sitting here waiting for April Bloodgate to post that she's started, right?  

 

Carry on.

haha Glad you're excited for me. I take it there is really good conversation in the episode/season threads. I'll be starting either tonight or tomorrow.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Guest

Guest

Until you finish the each season, you might want to avoid the thread for that season.  Because each season thread there are spoilers throughout.  You could always discuss in this thread?  Maybe BizBuzz should weigh in.  Unless you post in the season thread without reading all the posts above yours?  That way you won't be reading us discussing the season finale while you're on episode 2 or something.

Link to comment
BizBuzz

BizBuzz

HA ... how about this ... and this really depends on how much April does/doesn't want to be spoiled. 

 

We could start a new season to season thread, and then when done ... we could merge it with the first thread?  We could actually close the first thread and treat is as brand new?

 

What do you think deaja, mod to mod?  Do you think that would work?

Link to comment
betsyboo

betsyboo

Aww, it's so nice to have people be excited that I'm going to join them in their pop culture love. Also, @betsyboo, my mom is a redhead named Betsy, so I'm happy to have you guide me on this journey. :)

haha Glad you're excited for me. I take it there is really good conversation in the episode/season threads. I'll be starting either tonight or tomorrow.

Nice!! Sadly, I'm your run-of-the-mill blue-eyed Irish blonde. My pic is old-school Sydney Bristow (which you probably know, but since we had to explain M*A*S*H in a different thread today, I'm feeling a little defensive about my years..... :-))  Bitter, party of one...)

Link to comment
Guest

Guest

HA ... how about this ... and this really depends on how much April does/doesn't want to be spoiled.

We could start a new season to season thread, and then when done ... we could merge it with the first thread? We could actually close the first thread and treat is as brand new?

What do you think deaja, mod to mod? Do you think that would work?

I think that would work. It seems like this board has mainly a group of regulars posting, so I don't think it would be disruptive to the board as a whole. :)

Link to comment
April Bloodgate

April Bloodgate

  • Author
(edited)

Nice!! Sadly, I'm your run-of-the-mill blue-eyed Irish blonde. My pic is old-school Sydney Bristow (which you probably know, but since we had to explain M*A*S*H in a different thread today, I'm feeling a little defensive about my years..... :-))  Bitter, party of one...)

Yes, I did recognize that photo as Jennifer Garner in Alias. But I figured you must identify with it in some way, so maybe you're a redhead at heart.

Edited by April Bloodgate
  • Love 2
Link to comment
April Bloodgate

April Bloodgate

  • Author
(edited)

So, sad news. I went to watch the first episode on Netflix last night, and it says that the series is only available on Netflix through 12/25/15. :( I'm obviously not going to finish the whole series in 11 days, so I didn't start an episode last night. I guess I'll have to see if the library has the whole series on DVD, but it's going to be a pain. :(

Edited by April Bloodgate
  • Love 2
Link to comment
Moose135

Moose135

(edited)

So, sad news. I went to watch the first episode on Netflix last night, and it says that the series is only available on Netflix through 12/25/15. :( I'm obviously not going to finish the whole series in 11 days, so I didn't start an episode last night. I guess I'll have to see if the library has the whole series on DVD, but it's going to be a pain. :(

 

Shouldn't be a problem for you...

http://exstreamist.com/is-netflix-removing-the-west-wing-sources-say-no-need-to-panic/

Edited by Moose135
  • Love 4
Link to comment
Guest

Guest

IT BETTER NOT BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THEY TAKE AWAY MY PRECIOUS WEST WING ON CHRISTMAS?!?!?!?  

 

Well, Netflix and I will have serious issues. ;)

Link to comment
BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

IT BETTER NOT BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THEY TAKE AWAY MY PRECIOUS WEST WING ON CHRISTMAS?!?!?!?

Well, Netflix and I will have serious issues. ;)

You may have to get Santa--or whomever--to get you either the individual season or complete series boxed set DVDs for you for Christmas, so you can (re)watch without being Netflix dependent, if need be (though I totally believe Netflix will be able to renew their streaming deal before Christmas).

I'm pretty sure at least the individual seasons should still be available, at least at Amazon &/or Barnes & Noble. By this time--since the show ended almost 10 years ago--the sets should be pretty cheap (under $20 each).

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Guest

Guest

Oh, I already checked the price on Amazon for the whole series. And confirmed my library has them.

 

I'm not as insane as this post makes me sound, I promise. ;)

Link to comment
DebbieW

DebbieW

Sometimes Netflix releases that statement to get an upper hand in negotiating rights to certain shows because the fans (myself included) go ape shit and they use that info during talks.

 

It happened last year with Doctor Who and a few other BBC shows.

  • Love 2
Link to comment
April Bloodgate

April Bloodgate

  • Author

I think that would work. It seems like this board has mainly a group of regulars posting, so I don't think it would be disruptive to the board as a whole. :)

I doubt I'll have something to say about every single episode, but I'm sure I'll want to discuss some things before the end of each season. So just tell me where I can post spoiler-free, and I'm there. Thanks!

  • Love 1
Link to comment
BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

Costco has the box set...I know because my sister bought it for me, without knowing that I already own 6 of the 7 seasons and one guess on the one I did not waste the $$ on!

If you want/need it, Amazon.com (US site) currently has the Complete Series Boxed Set for $71.99 (item price before adding in shipping & handling--but that price also qualifies it for free shipping if you don't have Amazon Prime free shipping & don't want/need it for Christmas). That's 76% off the Suggested Retail Price (& I'd consider it a very good deal--so good I took advantage of it yesterday, & I already have all 7 seasons on separate DVDs).

  • Love 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...