needs moar Lord John Marbury

[themonkeytwin]

As part of a fallback on escapist brain candy in the last few ... however long, I've been working through ye olde The West Wing dvds in fits and starts. And ... I'd forgotten how adorable and charming it could be. And nostalgia (and brain-fuzz, and maybe possibly maturity-induced-mellowness) are definitely helping to screen out the things I

Comments

[im_ridiculous]

Oh hells yes, I will take this bait ;)

1) I always seemed to like Will more than most people, and like Sam less than most people. Which actually doesn't make sense, inasmuch as I am typically a sucker for an idealistic type... But Will? I always liked him. The his attitude and gumption and status as youngest son of former NATO Supreme Allied Commander of him, I have always found.... appealing. Just enough idealism combined with just enough pragmatism...

Admittedly when the pragmatism won out and he went to work for Russell, Will and I parted company somewhat. But I could never really understand the 'OMGWHEREISSAMBRINGHIMBACKNAAAAOOOOOOOWHOTHEHELLISTHEWILLDUDETHISWHOLETHINGWENTTOSHITWHENSORKINLEFT' thing, that so many people seemed to succumb to.

2) I always got the impression Rob Lowe kinda spat the dummy when he ended up not being the centre of the show's universe, which eventually lead to him quitting. Or something. Who knows, but I wouldn't be surprised

[themonkeytwin]

Hee, I hoped you might :)

1) Clearly, you and I need to talk about Will. *hunkers down* Just enough idealism combined with just enough pragmatism... YES. And I don't know quite how it came about, whether it was his late entry into the tightknit group, or the fact that he grew up in upper echelons Europe (and just doesn't seem intimidated by anything ... I don't know if I'm having a Lord John moment with that or not), or what, but I kind of like the fact that he never quite sheds his outsider status. Which makes the Russell thing less ... odd?

I'm trying to think of another character that's comparable, but it struck me that Will (possibly alone of anyone on the show) never evinces personal loyalty. Everyone else is framed in terms of who they're loyal to (usually Bartlet and/or Leo). You can be a blonde Republican sex kitten, unapologetically strident in your right wing views, and yet because of your loyalty to the people of the WW, you're on the team, you're one of theirs. I mean, they were recreating that Camelot Golden Age vibe -

[im_ridiculous]

Clearly, you and I need to talk about Will.
Hee. Yes. Apparently, yes. Yes we do. Imagine that! :D

I kind of like the fact that he never quite sheds his outsider status.
Which is actually an insanely valuable asset to have for such an ingrown group, because he can, and does, constantly call them on crap that they all have in their blindspots.YES TO ALL THIS. I think you're right too, that it's actually really important for them at that point to have an outsider, someone who's not drinking the koolaid, or at least not as much. Wow, it's a while since I watched it now... but did he also fail some kind of 'telling truth to power' test too? Which they didn't seem to actually worry too much about? I guess I like that too though, because I like that he is sometimes so comfortable in himself in a Honey-Badger-Don't-Care kinda way, while also being fallible and unsure in other ways. I'm letting this discussion down because it's so long since I watched it... but I can come bakc with more fully researched thoughts on that if it's useful

[themonkeytwin]

did he also fail some kind of 'telling truth to power' test too? Which they didn't seem to actually worry too much about? I guess I like that too though, because I like that he is sometimes so comfortable in himself in a Honey-Badger-Don't-Care kinda way, while also being fallible and unsure in other ways. I'm letting this discussion down because it's so long since I watched it...You seem to be doing fine to me, because I'd forgotten that bit too, and I just watched it! (And lol@Honey Badger. That's totally him. That's gonna stick :D) I ... not to be all fanwanky with this (and not to deny that he is sometimes fallible, because yes, he totally is), but thinking about it, that just reinforces his outsider status at that point - it was a "bad note" or something for the inauguration address, and he failed to bring it up at the meeting with the president (that he'd previously ducked out of because Toby wasn't with him, HIGHLY nervous - so yeah, when I say he's "not intimidated", I guess I mean if he has a goal, nothing deters him). He did

Oh! Except I also should have said this right at the beginning.

[im_ridiculous]

YES. WE DEFINITELY NEEDED MORE LORD JOHN MARBURY. WHY DID WE NEVER GET MORE LORD JOHN MARBURY?

I concur.

Re: And I couldn't fit this in up there, so.

[themonkeytwin]

MOAR LORD JOHN MARBURY. ALWAYS. WHY SO LITTLE, WEST WING? SAD. FACE.

*uses Bond icon in honour* *decides Lord John is a retired 00 for no good reason whatsoever*

the presidency really is almost a de facto monarchy, if one that reinvents itself with elections.

Right? And ... just, ugh, don't get me started on politics, ours or otherwise, unless you want the blackest, most cynical part of me on display. It's really not pretty at all. Which may make it seem odd that I enjoy watching this show, but it's pure fantasy, and I can imbibe it as that, even if there's a smirking bitch sitting at the back of my head going oh, really? Please, do tell me how your small group of committed people are going to ~change the world~. Because you know whose names come up when I think in terms of small groups of committed people?

... Anyway.

because Simon was *SOB* unavailable.Well, as we've established, my shipping brain does not let the consideration of mere "possibility" get in its way. So ... yeah, I don't get a lot of choice in the matter