West Wing Flits



Hawkeye Pierce and Detective Bobby Simone
discuss Josh and Donna - will they or wont they?


It seems my fellow Zeitgeisters, that the anglophiles who watch Australia’s largest public broadcaster, the ABC, don’t like THE WEST WING. Which is probably why it hasn’t been very well programmed by Aunty. Since November, though, they’ve run a double episode every Monday night at 8.30pm.

This has been particularly smart thinking during the current series (season 6) because the episodes have tended to alternate between two scenarios; the action back at the White House and the Democratic primaries.

Therefore, the first half of each double episode has been a more usual WEST WING story and the second half has been out on the campaign trail.

For those who thought the series would never recover from Aaron Sorkin’s departure, this season has gained a great deal of momentum by focussing on the final ‘lame duck’ days of the President and also dealing with the politicking that goes on even before a presidential candidate is chosen.

So at this point, it has thankfully lost some of the ER-style, crisis-every-episode vibe that it had and has regained some ground as the series that dramatises the American political process.

Not everyone rates THE WEST WING. Detractors often called it The Left Wing and described it as a Democrat’s fantasy. I don’t think you had to be too far left to like the idea of a White House filled with brilliant, dedicated and idealistic people. Especially when reality was so disappointing. We had White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan with his stonewalling and half-truths and outright lies about WMDs. What we wanted was CJ Cregg.

My point, and I do have one, is Saturday is now WEST WING. The seventh and final season begins on Saturday 10th February on Aunty. Yes, I know Four Corners has to go on at 8.30 Mondays. But Saturday night. Come on, ABC!

Elevate the Insignificant

Mr Trivia

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