All Episodes Talk: Walk With Me

[oakville]

35 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

 Did they have cell phones small enough to cart around back then?  I remember my 1st mobile phone in the nineties was enormous and heavy!

Mandy was talking on a hand held cellphone while driving in DC during the episode . It wasn't that big.

[caitmcg]

38 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

 Did they have cell phones small enough to cart around back then?  I remember my 1st mobile phone in the nineties was enormous and heavy!

Sure. I got my first at the beginning of 2000, and it was one of those little Nokia “candy bar” phones that was around 4 inches long.

[Moose135]

2 minutes ago, oakville said:

Mandy was talking on a hand held cellphone while driving in DC during the episode . It wasn't that big.

And in the pilot, Toby is trying to use a cell phone on the airplane, and it wasn't a huge phone.

[PeterPirate]

This talk about cell phones makes me think about the flip-open phones used by Fitz and Leo during musical montage at the end of season 3.  

And let us not forget about the plot device in the pilot about switched pagers.  

[Kohola3]

6 hours ago, PeterPirate said:

And let us not forget about the plot device in the pilot about switched pagers.  

Which was probably the reason for not using cell phones at that time.

[txhorns79]

Finished up my rewatch with Tomorrow.  You are telling me that Donna is going to have Jackie Kennedy's White House portrait in her office?  I feel like that portrait would be in a public room, not a private office.  Even if it was going to be in someone's office, I feel like it would be in Helen's not her Chief of Staff.     

[oakville]

I just finished watching the first season. It's such a great show to watch. The domestic political issues haven't changed that much in 20 years.

I was shocked by the assassination attempt as a cliffhanger.

[Kohola3]

9 minutes ago, oakville said:

I just finished watching the first season. It's such a great show to watch. The domestic political issues haven't changed that much in 20 years.

 

Enjoy!  Once you get started, it's hard to quit.  I think I can recite most of the dialog for the first few seasons!

[Moose135]

2 hours ago, oakville said:

I just finished watching the first season. It's such a great show to watch.

I tell you what, let's forget the fact that you're coming a little late to the party and embrace the fact that you showed up at all.

😄

[oakville]

3 hours ago, Moose135 said:

I tell you what, let's forget the fact that you're coming a little late to the party and embrace the fact that you showed up at all.

😄

I am watching the season premiere of season 2. Secret Service agent Ron Butterfield should have won an Emmy for his performance in this episode.

He gave Toby justification for Bartlett refusing to have a canopy when he exited the town hall. Butterfield told Toby that the gunmen were killed in 9.2 seconds & that Bartlett & Zoey were safe. Butterfield said "It was an act of mad men & the Secret Service doesn't comment on procedure"

[Moose135]

I love that scene between the two of them!

[Bastet]

I love Ron Butterfield!  The actor's voice and presence are perfect for the role. 

I love him with Bartlet in the car after the shooting (and I love Bartlet with him, worried about Butterfield's hand), and I love him with Toby in that scene about protection procedure:  "I would never let you not let me protect the president. You tell us you don't like something, we figure out something else."

[Guest]

20 hours ago, oakville said:

I just finished watching the first season. It's such a great show to watch. The domestic political issues haven't changed that much in 20 years.

I was shocked by the assassination attempt as a cliffhanger.

Welcome!

On another note, I saw Martin Sheen trending on twitter Sunday and feared the worst. Thankfully, it was his 80th birthday!

[PeterPirate]

This Martin Sheen-narrated documentary about Andrew Jackson appeared on my Youtube feed.  It's over 40 years old, but still relevant today.  

 

 

[PeterPirate]

Also, in keeping with the current trend of giving a certain nickname to people who inappropriately stick their noses into other people's business, there's this from Take Out The Trash Day: 

Josh - Her name is Karen Larsen.  She worked on the Vice-President's campaign and in his public affairs office.  Aides thought she was getting a bit of a crush on Hoynes, so they moved her further away.

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by PeterPirate

[blondiec0332]

On 8/3/2020 at 1:02 PM, oakville said:

I was shocked by the assassination attempt as a cliffhanger.

 

On 8/3/2020 at 6:14 PM, oakville said:

I am watching the season premiere of season 2. Secret Service agent Ron Butterfield should have won an Emmy for his performance in this episode.

Those are easily my two favorite episodes. I remember watching the season one finale live and being horrified I would have to wait till September to find out who survived.  Back then West Wing was appointment TV for me. Never missed an episode. I've since rewatched it twice on DVD (I got them from my library). I've also been known to sometimes pull up the above mentioned episodes online and rewatch them. They are just that good.

The actor who plays Agent Butterfield Michael O'Neill has been in tons of stuff. He is one of those guys when you see him you say hey I know him.  He was the grief stricken gunman who shot Derek Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy in season 6.

[oakville]

I am enjoying watching the second season. I like the addition of Ainsley. She is very funny.

It seems that Jed is very reluctant to implement Toby's policy ideas.

[Kohola3]

I was just reading about several Native American women who won in the primaries and were supported by Emily's list. I always think of this scene when I hear that name.

TOBY He likes the work that you did with that girl's group with the stupid name.

C.J. Emily's List?

TOBY Yes.

C.J. That girl's group with the stupid name?

TOBY Yes.

C.J. Emily's List -- "early money is like yeast".

TOBY Yeah. C.J. "It helps raise the dough".

TOBY I get it.

[Moose135]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

I was just reading about several Native American women who won in the primaries and were supported by Emily's list. I always think of this scene when I hear that name.

I know I've said it before, but maybe not here - I watched the entire series from day one, and have watched the DVDs a million times. Until I received a fund raising solicitation from them a couple of years ago, I had no clue that "Emily" was an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" I just thought it was the name of the woman who started the group.

Edited August 6, 2020 by Moose135

[Kohola3]

1 minute ago, Moose135 said:

I had no clue that "Emily" was an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast"

That was always one of my favorite scenes (when CJ falls in the pool) so it always stuck with me.  

[blondiec0332]

15 minutes ago, Moose135 said:

I know I've said it before, but maybe not here - I watched the entire series from day one, and have watched the DVDs a million times. Until I received a fund raising solicitation from them a couple of years ago, I had no clue that "Emily" was an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" I just thought it was the name of the woman who started the group.

OMG. I consider myself pretty savvy about politics and I did not know that.  Thank you Moose.

[Moose135]

18 minutes ago, blondiec0332 said:

OMG. I consider myself pretty savvy about politics and I did not know that.  Thank you Moose.

In their printed material, they use "EMILY’s List" so it's a little more obvious then when it is just spoken aloud.

[Bastet]

I was already an EMILY's List supporter when that episode aired, and as soon as Toby said "that girls group with the stupid name", I knew that was going to be what he was referring to (because, though I generally like Toby, that is unfortunately very much the kind of thing he'd say).

I thought it was clunky that they had C.J. explain the acronym, but if so many viewers weren't familiar with it, I guess the writers knew what they were doing.

[Brookside]

On 8/6/2020 at 10:40 AM, Moose135 said:

I know I've said it before, but maybe not here - I watched the entire series from day one, and have watched the DVDs a million times. Until I received a fund raising solicitation from them a couple of years ago, I had no clue that "Emily" was an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" I just thought it was the name of the woman who started the group.

As a woman, I'd rather not think about yeast unless it's in the context of bread baking.

[caitmcg]

14 hours ago, Brookside said:

As a woman, I'd rather not think about yeast unless it's in the context of bread baking.

That’s the comparison meant by EMILY's List, the yeast that raises the dough. Early money is like yeast to raise...

[Bastet]

C.J. explained it right there in the scene.  Twice.

Toby: He likes the work that you did with that girl's group with the stupid name.
C.J.: EMILY's List?
Toby: Yes.
C.J.: "That girl's group with the stupid name"?
Toby: Yes.
C.J.:  EMILY's List -- Early Money Is Like Yeast.
Toby: Yeah.
C.J.:  It helps raise the dough.
Toby: I get it.
C.J.: They raise money for women candidates. "Early money is like yeast, it helps raise the dough."  For the candidates.
Toby: I really do get it.

Receiving major donations early in a race attracts other donors, but most of those initial, big donations go to male candidates.  Thus, EMILY's List was born (in the mid-80s, I think, although I didn't hear about it/become a donor until the early '90s) to help jumpstart funding the campaigns of pro-choice female Democrats.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Bastet

[CailynA]

rewatching almost random episodes as I spend my last few days of "spring break" HA before going back to work/school next week. Honestly I usually stick with rewatching the Sorkin years but I did start at Election night part 2, don't know why, just did, and watched through the end and enjoyed it more than I remembered. Now going back to see CJ become CoS which I both love and hate.

[blondiec0332]

18 hours ago, CailynA said:

rewatching almost random episodes as I spend my last few days of "spring break" HA before going back to work/school next week. Honestly I usually stick with rewatching the Sorkin years but I did start at Election night part 2, don't know why, just did, and watched through the end and enjoyed it more than I remembered. Now going back to see CJ become CoS which I both love and hate.

I also enjoy the last season.  I'm a Jimmy Smits fan so right off the bat liked Matt Santos.  I'm a political junkie so watching the campaign and debate was right up my alley.  If only real life politics could not be such a blood sport.  Sigh.

[BW Manilowe]

 

[TV Diva Queen]

Since I"m running out of TV to watch, I started Season 1 last week....now on S2Ep3.  I diligently watched the original run....WHY HAVE I NOT WATCHED THIS OVER AND OVER??  Glad I'm back though.  

[oakville]

I am watching the Season 4 Holy Night episode. Zoey shows up at the White House with a snobby french aristocrat boyfriend.

Did the show ever disclose why Zoey broke up with Charlie ?

[Kohola3]

7 minutes ago, oakville said:

Did the show ever disclose why Zoey broke up with Charlie ?

I don't believe so.  I think it was mostly because Charlie was so busy.  Too bad, I liked them together.

[theredhead77]

Holy carp guys! I saw this today and was hoping it would spark some conversation and am SO!EXCITED! to see this forum is still going! I guess I'll be signing up for an HBO Max trial.

https://deadline.com/2020/08/the-west-wing-reunion-hbo-max-1203022462/

Quote

 

Aaron Sorkin is getting The West Wing gang back together for the first time in 17 years with a special for HBO Max.

Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford are reuniting with Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme for A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote.

The special will feature a theatrical performance of Hartsfield’s Landing, an episode from the NBC drama’s third season that featured Sheen’s President Barlet playing chess against Sam (Rob Lowe) and Toby (Richard Schiff), while the Chinese are playing war games in the Taiwan Strait and Josh (Bradley Whitford) is nervous about the 42 votes in a remote New Hampshire town’s election, which always predict the winner of that state’s primary.

 

 

[newsjunkie]

Reminder if you are old school and have regular HBO through cable, you already have access to HBO Max.

[Kohola3]

I would kill to be able to see that!  Alas, no HBO in my life.

[theredhead77]

11 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

I would kill to be able to see that!  Alas, no HBO in my life.

They have a 7 day free trial. That is what I intend to sign up when this airs.

[BW Manilowe]

On 8/25/2020 at 6:39 PM, theredhead77 said:

Holy carp guys! I saw this today and was hoping it would spark some conversation and am SO!EXCITED! to see this forum is still going! I guess I'll be signing up for an HBO Max trial.

https://deadline.com/2020/08/the-west-wing-reunion-hbo-max-1203022462/

 

This is the 2nd time I’ve written this. I went to get a link to add to the original post, the page refreshed & wiped out the original somehow.

The upcoming 30th Anniversary Issue of Entertainment Weekly (in the linked article they call it “the September issue”, without giving a more accurate issue date, weekly vs. monthly) has cast members from the show on the cover, plus an article (linked) with those cast members mostly reminiscing about working together on the show & talking about the upcoming HBO Max special. There also is a separate photo gallery of the cast.

At the top of the linked article is a pic of the participating cast in a high school gym setting, with some of the cast behind (presumably mock) voting machines & others standing in line like they’re waiting their turn to use 1 of the machines. Hung on 1 of the walls is a pair of retired basketball jerseys from the school they’re supposed to be voting at. Look  VERY CAREFULLY at the names on those jerseys. I’m just saying. If you look on the other wall, under the eagle, there’s a plaque of some kind which appears to have a pic of Martin, before he went gray, on it.

There also are *3* videos embedded in the article, including a Zoom call (the middle video) with Sorkin, Schlamme, & the cast participating in the HBO Max special. When you watch these videos, DO NOT stop watching at the first sight of the Entertainment Weekly logo. Most, if not all, of these big videos are really a series of little videos edited together, with the cast reminiscing on various things. So keep going until (I think) it cycles back to a clip you’ve already seen.

Unlike previous cast reunions, I’m happy to say Rob Lowe is participating in this 1! But since the HBO Max Special‘s a theatrical performance of the “Hartsfield’s Landing” episode (in which Sam & Jed play chess, while China plays war games in the Taiwan Strait & Josh awaits the results of voting in a small New Hampshire town which traditionally casts its equally small number of votes first in the nation, shortly after midnight on Election Day), & Rob’s still alive, it just wouldn’t be the same with somebody else playing Sam, if it could be prevented (unlike having to recast Leo McGarry since John Spencer died almost 15 years ago... already). Anyway, in 1 of his video clips, Rob refers to this having been his first TV show. Lest he forget (& he usually doesn’t), his actual first TV show was the short-lived ABC sitcom A New Kind of Family, where he played the teenage son of a character played by Eileen Brennan.

Edited August 26, 2020 by BW Manilowe
To add a couple of strategically placed words and a new sentence.

[BW Manilowe]

VIDEO: From Entertainment Weekly—The West Wing Cast Remembers John Spencer and Kathryn Joosten

[theredhead77]

@BW Manilowe I am so thankful you took the time to write that all out again! Thank you!

[BW Manilowe]

From USA Today: Another Article on the HBO Max Reunion Special (Still worth reading though).

[oakville]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

In a later episode, they do talk about Bartlett having a "lonely landslide."  Think of it like this: Nixon won 49 states and over 60% of the popular vote in 1972, but Democrats retained control of the House and Senate.  In fact, Democrats gained Senate seats that year.  

Wow!. I didn't know that.

[ProudMary]

Wow, Allison Janney: Blonde Bombshell! 

 

[BW Manilowe]

4 hours ago, ProudMary said:

Wow, Allison Janney: Blonde Bombshell! 

 

She must be really platinum blonde because I thought it looked more like she’d gone gray from some (mostly farther) distances.

[Kohola3]

Wow, they have all aged pretty well.  So good to see them back together. 

Please don't make Toby smile, that would just not be in character!

[oakville]

I started watching Season 5. Why are so many scenes filmed in the dark or with little light ? Was there a budget cut ?

I don't understand why Josh & Leo would agree to nominate Bingo Bob as VP. Couldn't they fight harder to get someone better than him ?

[BW Manilowe]

The video @ProudMary posted upthread is the 1 I referred to in my post about the upcoming Entertainment Weekly TWW stuff, where Rob Lowe refers to the show as his first television show, though it wasn’t. It was actually a short-lived ABC sitcom called A New Kind of Family; he was 15 at the time he was in this show. That info is verifiable here.

[Moose135]

3 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

Rob Lowe refers to the show as his first television show, though it wasn’t. It was actually a short-lived ABC sitcom called A New Kind of Family;

It ran half a season before being cancelled 40 years ago. I'm not surprised Lowe doesn't remember it - or doesn't acknowledge it, hoping other people don't remember it.

Edited August 29, 2020 by Moose135

[BW Manilowe]

10 hours ago, Moose135 said:

It ran half a season before being cancelled 40 years ago. I'm not surprised Lowe doesn't remember it - or doesn't acknowledge it, hoping other people don't remember it.

He actually has acknowledged it in the past, at least once & maybe more, which is why his saying TWW was his first show surprised me.

[Kohola3]

2 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

He actually has acknowledged it in the past, at least once & maybe more, which is why his saying TWW was his first show surprised me.

First show as an adult? Or maybe a first full season? Or of substance? Who knows.

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

First show as an adult? Or maybe a first full season? Or of substance? Who knows.

Right, and who cares?  Maybe he said more and it was edited.  Maybe, and more likely, he was simply focused on the point that this was his first show, proper - as an adult, that went somewhere, and after many years in movies - and he didn't realize at the time but does now all the ways in which it was a wonderfully different experience than the typical one.