La vie des membres du personnel de l'aile ouest de la Maison-Blanche.La vie des membres du personnel de l'aile ouest de la Maison-Blanche.La vie des membres du personnel de l'aile ouest de la Maison-Blanche.
- Récompensé par 26 Primetime Emmys
- 121 victoires et 264 nominations au total
Résumé
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The secret to this show is that it is, at heart, a comedy, even when tragic things are happening. That gives Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff et al. the room to work. And do they ever.
It works because it is deep, the characters are well-drawn. Early in the first season, CJ gets a root canal and walks around for the rest of the episode with cotton stuffed in her mouth, yelling things like" The Pwesident must be bweefed!" This has to be seen to be believed. It had me literally on the floor, laughing until I feared I would hurt myself. I don't know how many shows have tried cheap stunts like that and they are just that, cheap. On "The West Wing" it works because we know CJ, we know how unlike her, and yet like her, that moment is. And Toby's slow-burn reaction is pitch perfect.
Bravo.
The camera seems to move as quickly as the people, following one conversation, then picking up another as two corridors intersect, and going off after that conversation instead. It's a remarkably effective dramatic device, that helps generate a sense of many topics, issues and personalities all being constantly on the move in response to events.
The acting is uniformly good, and often not on screen, Martin Sheen's president remains a constant presence shaping every story.
On a recent weekend, though, I heard the pilot was being broadcast and thought I'd give it a try. Watching this show from the beginning - and being able to see episodes over again - makes all the difference. This time, I realized that I wasn't *supposed* to understand what they were referring to right out of the gate; it would be explained before the episode ended. After watching the pilot, I also realized that unlike most TV shows, The West Wing episodes are visual manifestations of great books. Both force the viewer to ask questions, challenging simple answers, refusing to provide easy, fixed-in-60-minutes situations, and providing sudden, unexpected plot twists.
As excellent as the actor's performances are, it's the writing that makes the show so good. It doesn't shy away from moral ambiguity, it rarely takes the easy way out, and it compels you to believe in your government despite all the reasons it gives you to despair of it.
Some might think that only jingoistic supernationalists enjoy the West Wing, but neither of those words describe me. I feel very comfortable questioning the decisions my government makes, and I appreciate how the West Wing has broadened my understanding of how it operates. For that reason alone, it deserves the accolades it receives. It's one of the best shows in the history of television.
I'm only on the 3rd season and I don't know how long it will take for the others to come out on DVD (as i won't be watching the show on TV, since i don't want to miss anything) but up to this point, I LOVE this show, the characters and will continue to watch it at any opportunity available to me.
The plots are thick and interesting and the people are smart and pretty and I just can't get enough of it. I wish Aaron Sorkin would write another movie (he wrote A Few Good Men) and also be as prolific as David E. Kelly- Sorkins work is by far the superiour, and I could watch it day in and day out. Tune in, you won't be disappointed.......
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesFinal project of John Spencer, who quit acting in movies to fully concentrate in his role as Leo McGarry (which earned him one Emmy and two SAG Awards). He then passed away of a heart attack during the final season.
- GaffesIn a couple of instances, Secret Service agents are seen holding an umbrella for a protectee. In reality, Secret Service agents must keep their hands free at all times.
- Citations
Leo McGarry: This guy's walkin' down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, "Hey you! Can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole, and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, "Father, I'm down in this hole; can you help me out?" The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey, Joe, it's me. Can ya help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are ya stupid? Now we're both down here." The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.
- Crédits fousThe special post-9/11 episode was broadcast without the regular opening credits. Instead, the episode began with the cast, out of character, speaking about the episode, followed by credits on a black screen.
- Versions alternativesThe first airing of the episode "20 Hours in America" contained a scene between President Bartlet and the First Lady in which they good-naturedly tease each other, calling each other Medea and Jackass. This scene was not included in subsequent reruns because of commercial limitations and was also not included on the DVD.
- ConnexionsFeatured in The 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2000)
Meilleurs choix
- How many seasons does The West Wing have?Alimenté par Alexa
- It is said a few times in the show that the president really only has 18 months to govern. Can somebody explain to people not from the United States and not all that familiar with U.S. politics why that is and what happens during the remaining two and a half years?
- How much real life political knowledge is required to fully understand and enjoy his show?
- What parallels to real world politics have been elements of the show?
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