West Wing
I think last night's episode was probably the best so far this season. We got to see the characters at their best, full of snark and reacting to things that actually mattered.
I think I understand how some people felt when the potentials showed up in BtVS season 7. If Matt Santos were played by Iyari Limon, perhaps I'd care what happened to him. (It's not nice, it's not fair, it's shallow, but it's true.) But he's not, and I still want to Vinick to win. (Note if it were real, there's no doubt I'd vote for Santos. But it's not, and Vinick makes for the better story. And I still have that image of Vinick and Bartlett eating ice cream burnt into my mind.)
I don't care about Matt Santos. I care about Josh Lyman. I care about Leo McGarry. I care about Kristin Chenoweth's character. That said, at least he had something interesting to say this week about Intelligent Design and everything. So he was slightly less useless than normal.
I care about Arnold Vinick, for reasons already explained. I care about Donna Moss, wherever she is and whatever she's doing. I care about Josiah Bartlett and Abigail Bartlett and CJ Craig and Toby Zieg--
Toby, heh? I suppose that works, because it's not them throwing away the plotline--we still have to suffer. But not as much, because I like CJ better than Toby.
All in all, I hope this is the start of an upswing in the season's quality. Because I am invested in these characters, and want the series to do something with that, to be bold and innovative, to take risks.
I saw that last season; this isn't Sorkin-era nostalgia I'm talking about here. So I know the show can do this. But then why the hell isn't it?
ETA: Does anyone know what season this is?
I think I understand how some people felt when the potentials showed up in BtVS season 7. If Matt Santos were played by Iyari Limon, perhaps I'd care what happened to him. (It's not nice, it's not fair, it's shallow, but it's true.) But he's not, and I still want to Vinick to win. (Note if it were real, there's no doubt I'd vote for Santos. But it's not, and Vinick makes for the better story. And I still have that image of Vinick and Bartlett eating ice cream burnt into my mind.)
I don't care about Matt Santos. I care about Josh Lyman. I care about Leo McGarry. I care about Kristin Chenoweth's character. That said, at least he had something interesting to say this week about Intelligent Design and everything. So he was slightly less useless than normal.
I care about Arnold Vinick, for reasons already explained. I care about Donna Moss, wherever she is and whatever she's doing. I care about Josiah Bartlett and Abigail Bartlett and CJ Craig and Toby Zieg--
Toby, heh? I suppose that works, because it's not them throwing away the plotline--we still have to suffer. But not as much, because I like CJ better than Toby.
All in all, I hope this is the start of an upswing in the season's quality. Because I am invested in these characters, and want the series to do something with that, to be bold and innovative, to take risks.
I saw that last season; this isn't Sorkin-era nostalgia I'm talking about here. So I know the show can do this. But then why the hell isn't it?
ETA: Does anyone know what season this is?