Greetings and salutations, my name is Heather and I host the Fitness and Marriage Blogs. Now I have the honor of hosting a farewell series in honor of The West Wing.
Currently airing Sunday nights on NBC at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, The West Wing is counting down to a final few episodes that pay homage to the last seven years of brilliant creativity and challenging drama. So please join me as I look back at the last seven years and discuss the current episodes as they air. First things first, let’s take a look back at where we were seven years ago.
The West Wing launched in 1999 and featured well-known actors such as Martin Sheen, Stockard Channing, John Spencer, Rob Lowe and John Amos. Some actors were recurring, while others were series regulars. Actors such as Bradley Whitford, Emily Proctor, Janeane Garofolo and Mary Louise Parker also made their mark on The West Wing.
During the first season, politics honed to a razor sharp wit were delivered with fast dialogue and constantly on the move. There was something cardio inspiring about the conversations that took place in the busy channels of West Wing offices. While the show featured very liberal politics and very definitive viewpoints, it never ignored the more conservative constituent. Compelling arguments were made on both sides of the aisle.
The series won three back-to-back Best Dramatic Series Emmys and rode the rough waves of rising and falling interest. The series assumed a native intelligence on behalf of its viewers. It tackled issues like a tasty meal, stripping nuances from the bones of the basics. It chewed them thoroughly and gave the viewers opportunities to shake their heads, laugh and scowl in disagreement.
Love their politics or hate them, the writers dared viewers to get involved. Even my husband, a diehard opponent of anything political, found himself drawn in by the compelling and unfolding drama. While these White House staffers are idealized and the President someone you want to root for, even when you’re mad as fire at him is very much a tribute to the enduring American spirit and while politics in the real world may not reflect the values of this drama; there are those of us who wish they would!