WEST WING: S1 (DVD)

The West Wing is easily one of the best television shows ever created, and hands down is the best drama to come out of the 1990s. This look at a fictitious Democratic administration in the late 1990s is a wonderful mixture of drama, lessons in government, humor, empathy, and a master class in witty writing and the value of a strong ensemble cast. A network television staple, this television show is safe for teenagers and even those fourth through sixth graders who are incredibly interested in American government. It's amazing that 20 some odd years later we are still arguing about the same things, and while this show does tend to air on the idealistic side, you can't help but be inspired by these characters and their drive to lead with integrity and make the country a better place.Season 1 in particular is a standout of the show, not least of which because these characters were in their early days and the writers and creators were figuring out how to make the best use of them. There's not a single member of this ensemble cast that is weak, including Moira Kelly who often gets overlooked for her contributions to the show since she was only in season 1. Martin Sheen is at his best, with a career defining role for Allison janney and beautiful solemnity and cantankerousness from Richard schiff. You can't forget the powerful impact of Rob Lowe and Bradley whitford and of course John Spencer, Dule Hill, and Janel Maloney.The show is highly quotable, and feature some of the best holiday episodes of television ever created. Get the tissue box ready when you watch the season 1 Christmas episode In Excelsis Deo. I still cry when I hear the Little drummer boy.Give this gem a watch. And as President Bartlett would say, "What's next?"

Watching the first season of "The West Wing" again from the perspective of fifth it is interesting to reconsider how the show began, especially now that creator Aaron Sorkin is gone. When watching the pilot episode you have to remember that originally that President Jed Bartlett (Martin Sheen) was going to be a minor, recurring character, and that the series was really going to be about the staff in the West Wing: the authoritative Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry (John Spenser), the wunderkind Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), the cranky Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), debonair Deupty Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), and Press Secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney). However, getting Martin Sheen to play the President was just too good of an actor in too good of a role to ignore, and "The West Wing" became something else.One of the best ways of noting how the series took off in a direction that was not originally anticipated would be to note how Public Relations Consultant Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) never became part of the family, while the role Donna Moss (Janel Moloney) became increasingly more significance, and she was added to the main cast for Season 2. That was mainly because of her comic relationship with Josh Lyman, although I have to add that Marlee Matlin as Joey Lucas was a much better fit for the group as well. Ironically, the Josh and Donna tag-team combined with the additon of Charlie Young (Dulé Hill) as the personal aide to the President, derailed the idea that Josh was the son that Jed Barlette never had (the idea was to bring a person of color into the mix of the main cast). The President refers to Josh as his son in the second season in his rant to God at the National Cathedral after the death of Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten), but clearly Charlie assumes that role, even without taking into account his dating Zoey Barlett (Elizabeth Moss).All of this underscores the fact that the supporting cast is as good as the main roles. Not only Donna and Mrs. Landingham that first season, but John Amos as Admiral Fitzwallace, Timothy Busfield as Danny Concannon, Roger Rees as Lord John Marbury, Tim Matheson as Vice President John Hoynes, and, of course, Stockard Channing as as First Lady Abbey Bartlet M.D. That is without starting to check off the impressive list of guest stars like Karl Malden, Ken Howard, Edward James Olmos, and CHH Pounder.The biggest flaw in the first season is the idea that the Vice President would be so out of the loop. Even with the history lesson of the animosity that existed between JFK and LBJ, no New England intellectual elected to the White House is going to waste having a powerful former Senator from Texas in his administration. Every since Jimmy Carter thoroughly vetted the cream of the Democratic party for his Vice President it has been an imperative that the spot be picked by somebody qualified to be president from day one, and other that Dan Quayle that has certainly been the case. Gary Cole is a nice addition to the supporting cast, but Bartlett being 0 for 2 on Veeps is not a good thing.That is why the idea this season that the Republicans would force some junior Congressman into the position is so offensive. The key historical precedent would be the selection of Nelson Rockerfeller: qualified to be President and approved with the caveat this would be his final government job (i.e., he would not be on the ticket when Ford ran in 1976). But if the show was intended to not be about the President but his staff, then the Vice President is a minor concern. So it is interesting to be revisiting that idea this fifth season, just as it is watching Josh get into and out of the doghouse the same way C.J. does in a minor story arc in the first season.Best Moments from Season One: the first appearance of the President, quoting the First Commandment in the "Pilot," Danny bringing C.J. a goldfish on the advice of Josh, Charlie coming to Zoey's defense in "Mr. Willis of Ohio," the President getting a gift from the one Cabinet Secretary who will not be attending the State of the Union address in "He Shall, From Time to Time...", and the prophetic father's worst nightmare that Bartlett lays out for Zoey in "Six Meetings Before Lunch" (which also has the classic fight between Sam and Mallory on school vouchers).Final Thought: It would be interesting if when Barlett's second is up if the show continued with a Republican Administration. It will not happen, but it would certainly be interesting.

Still one of my favorite programs. Brilliant writing, superb execution.