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West Wing Elimination Game


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4 hours ago, deaja said:

Jed and Leo.  I love their friendship. I hated the beginning of Season 6 in part for that reason. 

Jed and Leo FTW.

Early S6, I would sit and yell at the TV screen, " Have you even MET these characters?"

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I like the major story lines idea.  I didn't participate when the game was ranking individual episodes because I didn't think I could be fair.  If I just read the episode description as a refresher, it only gives the broader plot lines, but sometimes the reason an individual episode is so good is because of the smaller themes and I didn't think I could judge fairly if I didn't recall the little things.  If we're only focusing on the major themes, it's a lot easier to be objective.

I vote yes. :-)

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Let's start making a list of major storylines.  

1) Jed's MS

2) Zoey's kidnapping

3) Shuttle Leak

4) Santos/Vinnick election

5) Season 5 budget crisis/shutdown

6) Season 5/6 Middle East Conflict

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign

8) California 47th campaign

9) CJ is stalked

10) Rosslyn shooting

11) Abdul Shareef assassination

12) Donna's Gaza injuries

13) Power Plant Meltdown

14) Leo's Heart Attack/Movement of Senior Staff

 

What am I missing?

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Okay, I think we've captured most of the "major" plotlines (other than relationships, which were covered separately). Let's start by voting against 3.

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

3) Shuttle Leak (Season 6,7)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

6) Middle East Conflict/Peace Talks (Season 5,6) 

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

8) California 47th campaign (Season 4)

9) CJ is stalked (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

11) Abdul Shareef assassination (Season 3,4)

12) Donna's Gaza injuries (Season 5,6)

13) Power Plant Meltdown (Season 7)

14) Leo's Heart Attack (Season 6)

15) Hoynes Affair(s) (Season 5, 6)

16) Various occupants/staff of the White House disappear to Mandyville. Disappearances remain unsolved. (ongoing) 

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

18) Mendoza nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court (Season 1)

19) Jed's health fails him (Season 6)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

22) CJ Becomes Chief of Staff (Season 6)

23) Sam has a relationship with a prostitute, leading to potential problems for the White House (Season 1)

24) Toby is forced to do press briefings; it is not his forte. (Season 6)

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Mideast /Peace Talks, Donna is injured, Sam and Laurie are out!

 

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

3) Shuttle Leak (Season 6,7)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

8) California 47th campaign (Season 4)

9) CJ is stalked (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

11) Abdul Shareef assassination (Season 3,4)

13) Power Plant Meltdown (Season 7)

14) Leo's Heart Attack (Season 6)

15) Hoynes Affair(s) (Season 5, 6)

16) Various occupants/staff of the White House disappear to Mandyville. Disappearances remain unsolved. (ongoing) 

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

18) Mendoza nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court (Season 1)

19) Jed's health fails him (Season 6)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

22) CJ Becomes Chief of Staff (Season 6)

24) Toby is forced to do press briefings; it is not his forte. (Season 6)

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Shuttle Leak, California 47th, and CJ being stalked are out.

 

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

11) Abdul Shareef assassination (Season 3,4)

13) Power Plant Meltdown (Season 7)

14) Leo's Heart Attack (Season 6)

15) Hoynes Affair(s) (Season 5, 6)

16) Various occupants/staff of the White House disappear to Mandyville. Disappearances remain unsolved. (ongoing) 

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

18) Mendoza nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court (Season 1)

19) Jed's health fails him (Season 6)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

22) CJ Becomes Chief of Staff (Season 6)

24) Toby is forced to do press briefings; it is not his forte. (Season 6)

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Shareef assassination

Hoynes affairs

Character disappearances (I actually don't have a problem with this one, since that's just how the world works and I don't remember anyone other than Mandy being a major character and then disappearing without a word of explanation, but I don't think it's something that should be rated higher than some of this stuff, so I'm going to start voting for it)

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Hoynes Affairs, Mandyville, and Abdul Shareef have all been assassinated in a (not so) secret mission.

Vote against 2.

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

13) Power Plant Meltdown (Season 7)

14) Leo's Heart Attack (Season 6)

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

18) Mendoza nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court (Season 1)

19) Jed's health fails him (Season 6)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

22) CJ Becomes Chief of Staff (Season 6)

24) Toby is forced to do press briefings; it is not his forte. (Season 6)

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Budget crisis/shutdown - I don't even remember this

Toby doing press briefings - I only remember one, so if this was a major storyline, then it's another "I don't even remember this, so how good could it have been?" vote

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Mendoza 

Toby press briefings (I didn't watch regularly in the post-Sorkin years but I'll be surprised if, when we get to it on the family rewatch, I end up really liking this one.)

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Cj becomes Chief of Staff and Toby's Press Briefings are gone!

Continue to vote against 2.

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

13) Power Plant Meltdown (Season 7)

14) Leo's Heart Attack (Season 6)

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

18) Mendoza nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court (Season 1)

19) Jed's health fails him (Season 6)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

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Budget crisis/shutdown

Power plant meltdown - I'd held off voting against things I didn't watch, but there's nothing left among those I did watch that I'm ready to vote against, so now they're fair game

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Leo's Heart Attack and Jed's failing health are gone!

Continue to vote against 2.

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

13) Power Plant Meltdown (Season 7)

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

18) Mendoza nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court (Season 1)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

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Powerplant and Medoza are gone.  (I wanted Mendoza to stay just because without him, there would be no Celestial Navigation, but alas..... the people have spoken)

Continue to vote against 2.

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

4) Santos/Vinnick election (Season 6,7)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

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I had checked in earlier today and saw that there were two votes to eliminate the Mendoza story line and I wanted to heavily campaign for someone to vote for a different option!  Not only no Celestial Navigation but no Ken Howard with Charlie and especially (for me) no great speech from Sam about privacy.  I'm definitely disappointed.  

Santos/Vinnick

Congressional censure of Jed.

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I feel like I should explain - I voted against the Mendoza plotline because of the scene with Ken Howard in the Oval Office and because the show claimed that he didn't believe in a right of privacy but supported abortion rights.  (A total cop-out.)  

I'm a lawyer and the high standard that the show usually hits on legal issues is a huge plus for me (like Babbish questioning people about MS disclosures is really the types of questions we ask clients and how we ask them, including different tones for different seniority levels in the witnesses, albeit condensed for drama.)  So those parts were such huge duds for me that I had to vote against it.  I don't know any legal scholar from that period who would argue that the Constitution protects a right to an abortion but not a right to privacy.  In the late 90s, anyone who opposed a right to privacy was automatically against Roe v. Wade.  (I don't follow the issue as closely anymore so I don't know if that's still true.) A nominee who had actually written against a right to privacy would have been automatically disqualified as a Democratic nominee - the Senate Democrats would NEVER have forgiven Bartlett for putting him up (even if they had voted for him).

Also, I love Olmos and all the scenes in the jail but I don't believe that a Supreme Court nominee who has been summoned to the White House wouldn't fly.

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Santos/Vinnick is gone. Other than that, there was a three way tie, and I didn't want to eliminate four this round.  

Continue to vote against 2 but please cast a third vote to be used as a tie-breaker if needed.

1) Jed's MS (ongoing throughout the seasons)

2) Zoey's kidnapping (Season 4, 5)

5) Budget Crisis/Shutdown (Season 5)

7) Bartlet's Re-election campaign (Season 3)

10) Rosslyn shooting (Season 1,2)

17) Leo's Addictions and the investigation of those addictions  (Seasons 1,3)

20) Congressional Censure of Jed (Season 3)

21) Aftermath of Rosslyn Shooting (Season 2)

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Budget Crisis/Shutdown

Zoey's kidnapping

Well, shit, it gets hard after that.  Okay, my tie-breaker is Congressional censure

I should have complained about this at the beginning of the game, I know, but I wish the shooting and its aftermath were one option rather than split into two.  And Jed's MS is a tricky option, since there have been specific stories resulting from his MS as their own options, so what is this one to represent: simply that he has MS?

Edited by Bastet
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Hey @rab01, your opinion's just as valid as mine, no need to explain although I did enjoy your professional take on the subject.  Didn't change my mind about loving that story arc though.?

Back to business:  

1.  Congressional censure of Jed

2.  Budget Crisis/Showdown

Tie breaker: Zoey's kidnapping.

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Also, I agree with @Bastet about wishing the shooting and its aftermath were not split.  The shooting itself truly occupies only one episode at the end of S1.  Are we to consider ITSOTG as part of the shooting or part of the aftermath?  I think we need a clear call on that before we can vote properly on those story lines.

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When I wrote it, I was thinking more What a Day It Has Been/In the Shadow of Two Gunmen as one arc and then ongoing PTSD among Josh and the rest of the staff as a separate arc.  As neither has gotten any votes yet, we could combine?  Anyone against combining?

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I haven't seen enough of the remaining plots to continue voting until Season 5 is out of the running but I definitely think the shooting and its aftermath is one plot.

I'll be back to vote on whichever plot gets the honor of losing to Jed's MS ;)

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I vote that the shooting and the aftermath should be combined.

On 10/30/2017 at 6:59 PM, rab01 said:

I'm new to this thread so I'm leery about jumping in near the end but the winner of this particular competition is foreordained so I think I can safely vote:

 

 

1 hour ago, rab01 said:

I haven't seen enough of the remaining plots to continue voting until Season 5 is out of the running but I definitely think the shooting and its aftermath is one plot.

I'll be back to vote on whichever plot gets the honor of losing to Jed's MS ;)

I'm not even certain yet which story line I'll be voting for as my winner; I certainly don't presume to know what other forum members are thinking of voting for and I don't think you should either.

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Jed's MS isn't even close to my number one, and not just because I'm not even sure what "Jed's MS" is supposed to be beyond him having it since so many MS-related storylines were listed on their own; for me it's the shooting (and its aftermath) out in front by a mile and then I'm not sure about the next few slots on my list.

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