Two Cathedrals [2.22]

Bartlet: You’re a son-of-a-bitch, you know that? She bought her first new car and you hit her with a drunk driver. What, was that supposed to be funny? “You can’t conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God,” says Graham Greene. I don’t know whose ass he was kissing there ’cause I think you’re just vindictive. What was Josh Lyman? A warning shot? That was my son. What did I ever do to yours except praise his glory and praise his name? There’s a tropical storm that gaining speed and power. They say we haven’t had a storm this bad since you took out that tender ship of mine in the north Atlantic last year, 68 crew. Do you know what a tender ship does? Fixes the other ships. Doesn’t even carry guns, just goes around, fixes the other ships and delivers the mail, that’s all it can do. Gratias tibi ago, domine. Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I’ve committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug? 3.8 million new jobs, that wasn’t good? Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new acres of land for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we’re not fighting a war, I’ve raised three children… that’s not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? Haec credam a deo pio? A deo iusto? A deo scito? Cruciatus in crucem! Tuus in terra servus nuntius fui officium perfeci. Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem!
[Translation from the Latin: I give thanks to you, O Lord. Am I to believe those were the acts of a loving God? A just God? A wise God? To hell with your punishments! I was your servant on Earth - I spread Your word and did Your work. To hell with your punishments. To hell with you.]

Manchester Part 1 (3.01)

Sandy: Can you tell us right now if you’ll be seeking a second term?
Bartlet: Yeah. And I’m gonna win.

In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part One (2.01)

Toby: Josh was hit.
Donna: Hit with what? I don’t understand.

What Kind of Day Has It Been [1.22]

Gina: Get down!

Six Meetings Before Lunch [1.18]

Sam: Believe me, if you haven’t seen C.J. do “The Jackal”, then you haven’t seen Shakespeare the way it’s meant to be done.

Noël [2.10]

Josh struggles with disguising his post traumatic stress.
Stanley: What happened three weeks ago?
Josh: I don’t know what you’re referring to.
Stanley: I don’t know what I’m referring to either, but some of the people you work with became concerned with your behavior three weeks ago.
Josh: Well, I’ve been concerned with their behavior since long before that.

Game On [4.06]

This was something of a return to form that became, for me, one of my favourite moments. Leading up to the live debates, panic ensues last minute. All highly charged and full of nervous apprehension they rush to the stage, for Bartlet to completely kick ass and blow everyone away with his awesomeness. Hehe.
Bartlet: “Unfunded mandate” is two words, not one big word.

The Women of Qumar [3.08]

CJ: How about instead of suggesting that we sell the guns to them, suggesting that we shoot the guns at them. And by the way, not to change the subject, but how are we supposed to have any moral credibility when we talk about gun control and making sure guns don’t get into the hands of the wrong people? God, Nancy, what the hell are we defining as the right people?

20 Hours in America, Part One [4.01]

Josh, Toby and Donna get accidentally left behind on the campaign.
Bartlet: (on Josh and Toby) Three hundred IQ points between them, they can’t find their way home. I swear to God, if Donna wasn’t there, they’d have to buy a house.

Manchester, Part One [3.01]

CJ messes things up in the briefing and considers resigning. Allison is awesome and the moment is painful.

17 People [2.18]

Josh: I’m just sayin’ – if you were in an accident, I wouldn’t stop for a beer.
Donna: If you were in an accident, I wouldn’t stop for red lights.

In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part Two [2.02]

Toby: CJ, you fell into the pool there.

Let Bartlet Be Bartlet [1.19]

I think Bartlet and Leo had the most beautiful relationship ever portrayed on television. And I loved the idea of two guys that truly believe speaking now should be more important than re-election.
Leo: If we’re going to walk into walls, I want us running into them at full speed. We’re going to lose some of these battles, and we may lose the White House, but we’re not going to be threatened by issues. We’re going to bring ‘em front and center. We’re going to raise the level of public debate in this country and let that be our legacy.

Twenty-Five [4.23]

Walken: Relax everybody. Breathe regular.

The Crackpots and These Women [1.05]

Toby: It’s not so much that you cheat sir, its how brazenly bad you are it.
Bartlet: Give me an example.
Toby: In Florida, playing mixed doubles with me and C.J., you tried to tell us your partner worked at the American Consulate in Wien.
Bartlet: She did.
Toby: It was Steffi Graf.
Bartlet: I’ll admit the woman bore a striking resemblance to her.
Toby: You crazy lunatic, you think I’m not going to recognize Steffi Graf when she’s serving a tennis ball at me?

Inauguration, Over There [4.15]

Shamed to attend the Inaugural ball after covering for her boyfriend’s slip-up Donna stays home, but on discovering her innocence Josh drags Danny, Toby, Will and Charlie into a limo to go throw snow at her window and bring her to the ball. She looks gorgeous and it is all fairytale perfect when he tells her she looks fantastic. She smiles and fan-girls the world over melt.
Danny: Where’s Donna?
Josh: She’s sitting in her apartment in a ball gown.
Danny: Waiting for a ball to come over?

The Midterms [2.03]

Bartlet: Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.
Bartlet: Yes it does. Leviticus.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: 18:22.
Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I have you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important because we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town: touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you? One last thing: while you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.

The Cold [7.13]

Ultimately I think I had imagined it happening in a slightly more romantic way, but given their history it was always going to be accidental and awkward, which on reflection, I love even more than any way I could have imagined it.
Donna: [on who's been seeing who?] I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
Will: Yours is Josh. You’re not cryptic.

Shibboleth [2.08]

So funny I almost cannot take it. Donna turns up with Turkeys and the guys direct her to put them in CJ’s office simultaneously and completely dead-pan.
CJ: Every time we come up on a holiday, you guys check out like seniors who are done with finals.
Toby: We are writing a very important Thanksgiving proclamation.
Sam: And possibly a new action-adventure series.

Institutional Memory [7.21]

Forgive me. But I cried.
Danny: I want us to talk like we’re gonna figure it out together. I want us to talk…because I like the sound of your voice.

Gaza [5.21]

Donna explodes. Dude. You just cannot. It’s Donna damn it.

In this White House [2.04]

Josh: Toby, come quick, Sam’s getting his ass kicked by a girl.
Toby: Ginger, get the popcorn.

18th and Potomac [2.21]

Mrs Landingham departs.

Impact Winter [6.09]

Crippled by an M.S. attack the President breaks down emotionally. How awesome is Martin Sheen? I mean, really, everyone says so…but so consistently and always and so SO much.
Bartlet: I can’t do the job Abbey.

17 People [2.18]

The President tells Toby about his MS. This was a completely awesome episode. Toby at his darkest and best.
Toby: The Vice President’s authority was murky at best. The National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State didn’t know who they were taking their orders from. I wasn’t in the situation room that night but I’ll bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets that it was Leo, who no one elected! For 90 minutes that night there was a coup d’etat in this country.

Commencement [4.22]

Leo: What happened?
Butterfield: Zoey Bartlet’s missing, and there’s a dead agent at the scene.

Process Stories [4.08]

Sam accidentally gets nominated for the candidacy in California.
Sam: It was an Aristotelian confluence of events that could only happen to me.

We Killed Yamamoto [3.20]

I believe a lot of people felt the CJ/Simon storyline was a little contrived, but call me whatever you like, I loved him and her and cried lots.
CJ: I like that you are tall.
Simon: You do?
CJ: It makes me feel more feminine.

2162 Votes [6.22]

Santos:We’re all broken — every single one of us — and yet we pretend that we’re not. We all live lives of imperfection and yet we cling to the fantasy that there’s a perfect life and that our leaders should embody it, but if we expect our leaders to live on some higher moral plane than the rest of us, well, we’re just asking to be deceived. Now, it’s been suggested to me this week that I should try to try to buy your support with jobs and the promise of access’ it has been suggested to me that party unity is more important than your democratic rights as delegates. That’s right, it’s not and you have a decision to make. Don’t vote for us because you think we’re perfect. Don’t vote for us because of what we might be able to do for you only. Vote for the person who shares your ideals, your hopes, your dreams. Vote for the person who most embodies what you believe we need to keep our nation strong and free. And when you have done that you can go back … with your head held high and say, ‘I am a member of the Democratic Party.’

Dead Irish Writers [3.15]

Abbey, CJ, Amy and Donna drink too much and say funny, dark, upsetting and profound things.
Abbey: Claudia Jean.
CJ: Yes, ma’am.
Abbey: Let’s get drunk.
CJ: Uh, okay.

And It’s Surely to Their Credit [2.05]

Ainsley’s surprise welcome party.
Ainsley: I just want to die.
Leo: It’s the White House. You’ll get used to that feeling.

The Short List [1.09]

CJ: What are you holding?
Danny: It’s a goldfish.
CJ: Why?
Danny: It’s for you.
CJ: Really?
Danny: Josh said you like goldfish.
CJ: The crackers, Danny. The cheese thing that you have at a party?
Danny: Oh. You know what, I’m not 100% sure I was supposed to know that.

Election Night [4.07]

Will: Now! (There is a flash of lightening and it starts to rain)
Elsie: Wow! What else can you do?
Will: I didn’t know I could do that.

Drought Conditions [6.16]

Will: Do you mind if I stand here and pretend like we’re talking?

Pilot [1.01]

Laurie: Tell your friend POTUS he’s got a funny name, and he should learn how to ride a bicycle.
Sam: I would, but he’s not my friend, he’s my boss. And it’s not his name, it’s his title.
Laurie: POTUS?
Sam: President of the United States.

In Excelsis Deo [1.10]

Donna: You see? You spend most of our time being, you know … you. Then you write something like this to me … thank you.
Josh: I meant it.
Donna: Skis would have killed you?

The White House Pro-Am [1.17]

Abbey: I concede I was wrong about the thing.
Bartlet: Good.
Abbey:However….
Bartlet: No, ‘however’, just be wrong. Just stand there in your wrongness and be wrong. And get used to it.

Take this Sabbath Day [1.14]

Joey: You idiot. I’m. Joey. Lucas.
Josh: Ah. Ah, okay. I’m Josh Lyman.

The Ticket [7.01]

Josh: I’ve got an airplane hanger out there filled with 500 strangers looking to me for direction. I’ve got a candidate who doesn’t trust any of them. And frankly neither do I. And if you don’t think I miss you every day…

Debate Camp [4.05]

Josh: Why don’t you just do your job as a man and get that nice girl pregnant?
Toby: I did.
Josh: Wait, what?
C.J.: What?
Toby: Andy’s pregnant.
Josh: Toby, Andy’s pregnant?
Toby: With twins.
Sam: This is incredible.
Josh: And they’re yours?
Toby: Yeah.
Josh: Both of them?

Arctic Radar [4.10]

Toby: All right. All right. Chances are you have certain qualities that are gonna annoy me. I don’t know what they are yet, but you have a certain quality about you.

Eppur Si Muove [5.16]

Charlie: I’m crazy for Muppets, I’m just trying to act cool.

Faith-Based Initiative [6.10]

Santos: Josh wants me to run for president.
Helen: Of the United States?

And just for kicks, because it really was a highlight of the series…
The West Wing Cast on Ellen:

Allison and Richard look at each other like they are about to cry. Martin and Dulé do their secret handshake. Everyone admits to loving Allison the most and she looks all awkward and flattered and cute. Brad and Janel are all goofy and sweet. Everyone gets stickers, looks like the best friends in the whole world, and then the cake fight commences. :)

Bless you Aaron Sorkin and The West Wing cast and crew. I shall enjoy you many times over on DVD for all eternity. It was so much fun and I loved you to pieces.

10 – 04×13 – The Long Goodbye.”C.J.: [on the phone] No, I didn’t mean that you have no social skills, Toby… I’m sorry if you think I was being insensitive to your… I think you’re very… you’re a very pretty girl, Toby.”

09 – 03×22 – Posse Comitatus. “Toby: He’s at the Yankee game right now? Sam: Local news covered it. He said this is how ordinary Americans got their entertainment. Toby: I’ve been to 441 baseball games at Yankee Stadium, there’s not a single person there who’s ordinary. Sam: I know. Toby: You makin’ fun of the Yankees?”

08 - 01×05 – The Crackpots and These Women. “Leo: Yes. It is in the spirit of Andrew Jackson that I, from time to time, ask senior staff to have face-to-face meetings with those people representing organizations who have a difficult time getting our attention. I know the more jaded among you, see this as something rather beneath you. But I assure you that listening to the voices of passionate Americans is beneath no one, and surely not the peoples’ servants. Josh: [walks in with C.J.] Sorry, we’re late. Is it “Total Crackpot Day” again?”

07 – 02×17 – The Stackhouse Filibuster. “I want to call senators. We’ll start with our friends. When we’re done with those two, we’ll go on to the other ninety-eight.”

06 – 02×13 – Bartlet’s Third State of the Union. “Ainsley: God! Thanks Sam for that debating tip. You have a feel for nuances. You say I shouldn’t be drunk when I’m representing the White House. Sam: Yeah. And remember you’re a blond, Republican girl and that nobody likes you.”

05 - 01×19 – Let Bartlet Be Bartlet. “If we’re going to walk into walls, I want us running into them at full speed. We’re going to lose some of these battles, and we may lose the White House, but we’re not going to be threatened by issues. We’re going to bring ‘em front and center. We’re going to raise the level of public debate in this country and let that be our legacy.”

04 – 01×15 – Celestial Navigation. “Josh: I was crystal clear! They said, “Do you think that, if the President has a plan to fight inflation, it’s right that he keep it a secret?” I said, of course not! Bartlet: Are you telling me that not only did you invent a secret plan to fight inflation, but now you don’t support it?”

03 – 02×10 – Noel. “He thinks I may have an eating disorder. And a fear of rectangles – that’s not unusual, is it?”

02 – 03×09 – Bartlet for America. “Leo: I’m an alcoholic. I don’t have one drink. [pauses] I don’t understand people who have one drink. I don’t understand people who leave half a glass of wine on the table. I don’t understand people who say they’ve had enough. How can you have enough of feeling like this? How can you not want to feel like this longer? [pauses, sighs] My brain works differently.”

01 – 02×22 – Two Cathedrals. “Gratias tibi ago, domine. Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I’ve committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug? 3.8 million new jobs, that wasn’t good? Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new acres of land for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we’re not fighting a war, I’ve raised three children… that’s not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? I give thanks to you, O Lord. Am I to believe those were the acts of a loving God? A just God? A wise God? To hell with your punishments! I was your servant on Earth – I spread Your word and did Your work. To hell with your punishments. To hell with you.”

John Spencer (1946-2005)

GET ANGRIER! Call them liars, because that’s what they are. Sarah Palin didn’t say “thanks but no thanks” to the Bridge to Nowhere. She just said “Thanks.” You were raised by a single mother on food stamps — where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above average. I’d ask them what their problem is with excellence. While you’re at it, I want the word “patriot” back. McCain can say that the transcendent issue of our time is the spread of Islamic fanaticism or he can choose a running mate who doesn’t know the Bush doctrine from the Monroe Doctrine, but he can’t do both at the same time and call it patriotic. They have to lie — the truth isn’t their friend right now. Get angry. Mock them mercilessly; they’ve earned it. McCain decried agents of intolerance, then chose a running mate who had to ask if she was allowed to ban books from a public library. It’s not bad enough she thinks the planet Earth was created in six days 6,000 years ago complete with a man, a woman and a talking snake, she wants schools to teach the rest of our kids to deny geology, anthropology, archaeology and common sense too? It’s not bad enough she’s forcing her own daughter into a loveless marriage to a teenage hood, she wants the rest of us to guide our daughters in that direction too? It’s not enough that a woman shouldn’t have the right to choose, it should be the law of the land that she has to carry and deliver her rapist’s baby too? I don’t know whether or not Governor Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull, but I know for sure she’s got the qualifications of one. And you’re worried about seeming angry? You could eat their lunch, make them cry and tell their mamas about it and God himself would call it restrained. There are times when you are simply required to be impolite. There are times when condescension is called for!

… o parte din magnificul text formulat de ilustrul Sorkin intr-o opera de fictiune in care Obama se intalneste cu Bartlet, ocazie cu care Jed revine la forma sa fenomenala din ‘Game On‘ (da, inca deplang moartea lui Sports Night, West Wing si Studio 60, get over it!).

5. Veronica Mars – reusirea integrarii cu succes a vietii noir intr-un serial de adolescenti este, sa recunoastem, o realizare extraordinara. Dialogurile superbe, umorul negru, twisturile fenomenale, povestile excelente, distributia bine aleasa, totul a fost perfect. Ah, de-as fi Logan Echolls… iarasi.

4. Aici e un dublu entry – sitcomurile mele preferate – Frasier si Scrubs – personaje eclectice din abundenta si nelipsitul umor de calitate. Ce n-as da sa vad o cearta intre Frasier si Perry Cox…

3. Gilmore Girls (S1-3) – na, o alegere mai putin glorioasa, dar inca buna. Un serial extraordinar (in primele trei sezoane), cu dialoguri, deseori, exceptionale de la Amy Sherman si personaje mirobolante, extrem de bine definite si teribil de adorabile. Mi-e cam greu sa recunosc, dar chiar n-as vrea sa plec vreodata din Stars Hollow.

2. Northern Exposure – definitia umorului offbeat care timp de cinci sezoane m-a amuzat la culme cu ilustrarea ‘culture clash’. Locatia misto si personajele grozave fac din Cicely, Alaska unul din cele mai interesante si provocatoare locuri in care poti locui.

1. Indubitabil si inevitabil – The West Wing (S1-4) – basmul serialul meu preferat in materie de personaje, actiune si dialoguri. Produsul meu favorit de la Sorkin… pe care nu ma pot opri din a-l elogia. Asa, deci eu chiar mi-as da piciorul drept (pe care, na, l-am luxat ieri la fotbal la picnicul de la Cheile Dobrogei si nu mai pot sa-l misc defel, asa ca n-ar fi mare bai) ca sa fac parte din echipa mirifica a utopiei Bartlet.

Mentiuni speciale: Weeds, Dead Like Me, Sports Night, Eerie, Indiana.

Asa, acum trecem la filme, unde stilul predomina deasupra substantei. Filmele-mi preferate sunt: Blade Runner, Fight Club, Reservoir Dogs, The Godfather, Double Indemnity, Casablanca, His Girl Friday, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, Braveheart si Edward Scissorhands, dar n-as vrea sa traiesc in niciunul din aceste universe (nu ca n-ar fi incantator, doar ca toate universurile din aceste filme se destrama la sfarsit).

5. Army of Darkness (Evil Dead III) – pe langa faptul ca e una din cele mai bune comedii/filme de actiune/splatter horror, e si filmul cu ajutorul caruia mi-am facut primii mei prieteni adevarati. Sam, te rog, nu fa niciun remake! Trilogia asta e perfecta asa cum este!

4. Lat sau san taam (Hard-Boiled) – visul umed al oricarui pasionat de actiune. John Woo la ultima sa reusita, cel mai extravagant film de actiune facut vreodata, un exemplu minunat din genul ‘hero bloodshed’. Yun-Fat Chow dovedeste o data pentru totdeauna (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer) ca este starul definitiv al filmelor de actiune de calitate.

3. C’era una volta il West (Once Upon a Time in the West) – desi sunt un imens fan Clint (inimioare Trilogia Dolarilor, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, High Plains Drifter, Hang ‘em High, Joe Kidd), favoritul meu western revizionist este aceasta capodopera epica. Sergio Leone regizand un scenariu scris de el, Dario Argento si Bernardo Bertolucci, pe muzica bantuitoare a lui Morricone, in care Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Jason Robards si Claudia Cardinale fac rolurile vietii lor. Povestea aceasta a razbunarii pustiului cu armonica este favorita mea, chiar peste Kill Bill, Man On Fire, The Crow, Straw Dogs, Payback samd.

2. Big Fish – lumea feerica a lui Burton – un basm fermecator, o lume incitanta si misterioasa… acasa.

1. Dark City - un SF noir sau, mai bine zis, propriul meu Mecca.

Mentiuni speciale: Sin City, L.A. Confidential, The Outsiders, The Philadelphia Story.

Leapsa merge mai departe la Meekuu.

Intre punerea in ordine a scaunelor in bar si turnarea unui pahar de vin pentru un senator, Aaron Sorkin, care atunci lucra ca barman si se chinuia sa intre in industria media, si-a notat idei pe servetele, bucati de dialog si argumente la pleadorii. Dupa cateva saptamani de asa evenimente, s-a gandit sa le puna in ordine, asa ca le-a trecut intr-o forma primitiva de calculator. Asa s-a nascut piesa A Few Good Men. Patru ani mai tarziu, in 1992, dupa un numar exagerat de drafturi, a fost lansat si filmul, un blockbuster cu Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore si Kevin Bacon despre moartea unui soldat american. Imediat apoi, Sorkin a dorit un proiect ambitios si a ales sa faca un film despre presedinte. Scenariul, la prima sa varianta, numara 385 de pagini, si era de trei ori mai lung decat un scenariu obisnuit pentru un film de doua ore. Cred ca asta este efectul a nenumarate interviuri cu personalul Aripii de Vest si zile petrecute urmarind presedintele. S-au facut modificarile necesare si astfel a iesit The American President, o comedie romantica cu Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen si Michael J. Fox. Trei ani mai tarziu, in 1998, Sorkin a debutat in televiziune cu Sports Night, o dramedie despre persoanele din spatele unui show sportiv. Cu o distributie excelenta, dialoguri inteligente si fast-paced fara timp de respiro, personaje imperfecte si povesti spectaculoase, el a fost revelatia anului. Nu atat de mult in ceea ce priveste spectatorii, cat a criticilor si a cultului pe care l-a obtinut. Simtind nevoia de mai mult, Sorkin a reluat materialele pe care le avea de la TAP si le-a folosit ca sa creeze The West Wing. Cel mai bun serial. Vreodata.

Acesta a debutat in 1999 si s-a incheiat in mai 2006, la al saptelea sezon. Dar eu voi vorbi despre primele patru sezoane aici, cele bune, cele perfecte, cele scrise de Sorkin. La Sports Night a scris (nu toate cap-coada, dar a finisat toate scenariile, nu exista episod in care sa se simta flerul sau) 40 din cele 45 de episoade, iar la West Wing 87 din primele 88. Iar sezonul doi din SN a concurat cu primul sezon din WW in ceea ce priveste atentia scriitorului, el scriind 45 de episoade pentru cele doua seriale de top in sezonul 1999-2000. 45 de episoade! In noua luni! In fiecare saptamana era nevoit sa scrie ambele serii. Un talent remarcabil, un har nereusit pana acum, doar mediocritatea lui David E. Kelley ajungand la un numar record de episoade scrise.

Un element crucial in WW este idealismul. Intr-o forma mai mica sau mai mare, idealismul apare in fiecare episod, atat in definirea personajelor, cat si in desfasurarea actiunii, nimic nu este imposibil in aceasta lume, libertatea, educatia si protectia, atat a Americii, cat si a celorlalti, fiind calitati definitorii ale presedintiei Bartlet, problema aceasta fiind dezbatuta mai mult in sezonul 4 cand are loc un genocid identic celui din Rwanda si presedintele si stafful sau simt nevoia sa intervina. Las aici un clip dintr-un episod, un episod in care doua bombe au explodat intr-o universitate, si presedintele tine un discurs despre valorile Americii, si arata idealismul serialului, o caracteristica admirabila, ce lipseste cu desavarsire in ziua de azi.

Dar nu va faceti o idee gresita, WW nu e doar despre discursuri grozave, e o dramedie superba in care comedia ia prim plan. Si trailerul pe care l-am pregatit demonstreaza asta cu un minim de efort de la distributia geniala.

Initial, Aaron vroia sa faca un serial despre stafful senior al presedintelui, iar acesta doar sa apara in cameouri. Rolurile: Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), deputy Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Press Secretary CJ Cregg (Allison Janney), Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), deputy Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe). Mai lipsea presedintele. Si a venit Martin Sheen. Desi in pilot a avut doar cateva scene, aparand in maxim 5 minute in episod, prezenta actorului, sarmul sau, puterea pe care o aducea serialului era de necontestat. S-a facut o schimbare in directia serialului, rolul principal cazand pe presedinte. Si astfel s-a realizat o distributia atat de omogena incat ma sperie, ma sperie gandul ca a fost o echipa atat de perfecta, ca s-a gasit formula succesului, ca nu va mai iesi vreodata ceva atat de bine facut. Astfel s-a creat o echipa care de-a lungul drumului va culege 26 de Emmyuri, 2 Golden Globeuri si 2 premii Peabody pentru excelenta in televiziune. In primul sau an a cules 9 premii Emmy, un record absolut pentru un singur sezon.

Serialul, tipic Sorkin, este character-centric, deci dialogurile stabilesc actiunea episoadelor (asemeni Gilmore Girls, My So Called Life, Northern Exposure, Dead Like Me, Everwood samd). El nu e un simplu serial despre oamenii ce conduc Casa Alba. Este un serial mirobolant, cu scenarii formidabile, fiind amuzante, dramatice si miscatoare in acelasi timp, marcandu-si prezenta in topul 3 al celor mai bune seriale vreodata. Personajele: Leo McGarry (John Spencer), mana dreapta a presedintelui, este un alcoolic in recuperare ale carui eforturi pentru a-i aduce lui Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) presendintia, sau mai bine spus imbunatatirea Americii, l-au costat mariajul. CJ (Alison Janney) este electrizanta secretara de presa care are o aventura ce se stinge si invie din timp in timp cu un ziarist (Timothy Busfield). Briliantul scriitor si acrul mizantrop, Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), idealistul si remarcabilul scriitor Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) si ilustrul Josh Lyman constituie trioul de forta al seriei, impresionandu-ne episod dupa episod.

Problemele din serie variaza de la cele mai cotidiene la cele mai importante pe care le poate face un om in viata sa. Vedem cum presedintele este convins sa nu bombardeze fictionalul stat Qumar dupa ce acestia au aruncat in aer un avion american ce transporta 12 doctori, printre care si doctorul sau personal, si 30 de soldati, intr-o operatiune de salvare unor raniti. Vedem cum atenuaza conflictul dintre India si Pakistan. Legile de control asupra armelor, persoanele gay in armata, rugaciunea in scoli, arderea steagurilor, eternul conflict despre pedeapsa capitala, toate sunt adresate si dezbatute in presedintia liberala a lui Bartlet.

Facut gresit, serialul asta putea sa fie propaganda pentru modelul de viata american. Totusi, scenaristii, Aaron in principal, au facut o treaba excelenta si au aratat modul cum nici aici, in utopia Bartlet, in idealismul superb sorkinian, nu sunt rezolvate toate probemele, iar multe iau o intoarsatura spre rau, chiar daca nu parea posibil.

An de an (in primii patru), WW a primit premii de excelenta pentru scenarii, actori si regie (‘walk and talk’-urile create de Thomas Schlamme sunt geniale), dar la sfarsitul anului patru, dupa nenumarate certuri cu NBC, Aaron Sorkin a plecat de la West Wing si totul s-a dus de rapa. John Wells i-a tinut locul apoi, si cum el era obisnuit cu ER, a omorat serialul. Dialoguri, actiune, personaje facand lucruri complet atipice (tradarea presedintelui, certuri imbecile etc), a reusit sa dea totul peste cap. Dar primele patru sezoane sunt unele din cele mai bune optiuni pentru a va petrece 3700 min. Cu fiecare vizionare insa, devine mai bun. Incepi sa prinzi gustul dialogurilor kilometrice in timpi record, certurilor adorabile, viziunii personjelor, incepi sa prinzi mai multe referinte, sa vezi substraturi, totul trece la un alt nivel.

Intr-adevar, The West Wing este unul din marile reusite ale televiziunii. Asa cum a spus Whitford intr-un interviu, spun si eu: nu ma ascultati pe mine, duceti-va si vedeti serialul, este mult mai bun decat il fac eu sa para. Vizionati-l!