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December 29, 2003
The thrill is gone
Sorry, "West Wing." You've gotten old and cranky. No wonder "The O.C." seems so fresh and attractive.
By Karen Heller
Philadelphia Inquirer
Breaking up is a wretched thing to do. The act can take years, after much pain, suffering, hand-wringing, labored conversations and, quite often, the substitution of a younger, more comely alternative.
After four years and a mere nine episodes this season, plus the jettisoning of creator Aaron Sorkin, NBC's The West Wing is, sadly, losing its appeal. It's jowly, saggy and darker - literally, as if it were lit with 40-watt bulbs.
We're thinking of voting it out of office, in favor of Fox's - yes, Fox's - delicious, delightful, California-sunny and Arnold-confident soap The O.C., which airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, the same time NBC's West Wing delivers gloom and doom on the Potomac.
That show now lacks its trademark smart banter. No series, except for Sorkin's marvelous, short-lived Sports Night, did the walk-and-talk repartee better.
The West Wing is preachy and high-minded. Life is already preachy and high-minded. Besides, that's what we have public television for.
Saucy Stockard Channing, who did a delightful Nick and Nora turn with First Hubby Martin Sheen, was banished to a New Hampshire farm. Usually ebullient Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman) was politically punished. Allison Janney (C.J. Cregg), the tube's Rosalind Russell, is now a snippy, hand-wringing, proselytizing martyr. She lectures everyone, including the president of the United States.
Normally, I'm no quitter. Once started, books are finished. Movies end with the closing credits - with the exceptions of Sam Peckinpah's Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia and John Landis' An American Werewolf in London. And television series are dutifully followed until the finale - even faltering series that don't deserve such loyalty, such as Dallas and Melrose Place.
But West Wing has fierce competition this season: The O.C. is a refreshing treat with television's most eye-pleasing cast, beginning with the improbably beautiful Mischa Barton.
The O.C. is funny. It's smart. It's decidedly hip, directed by Doug Liman of Swingers and headed, in part, by McG of Charlie's Angels.
It's one of the few shows to deal with class issues. Plus, parents played by Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan, who engage in the kind of witty banter once heard on The West Wing, are as attractive and interesting as the teenagers. And there's love everywhere. The show is swimming in love.
"Bad boy" Ryan (cute Benjamin McKenzie) and "nerd boy" Seth (equally cute Adam Brody) are brothers by chance, after Seth's father takes Ryan in off the wicked streets of Chino. Instead of becoming rivals, which would happen on other soaps, the two are fast friends. The nerd has two popular girls fighting over him, and the "bad boy" may be the sweetest person in Newport Beach. Despite having almost no villains, The O.C. is a soap that works.
The West Wing began the season with a terrific episode in which Republican House Speaker John Goodman assumed presidential powers, then it went straight downhill. After a seemingly endless five-week hiatus - that's right, five weeks - The West Wing will return Jan. 7 with an appearance by Goodman.
That night, The O.C. will return after the delightful Chrismukkah and New Year's episodes, and a three-week break.
A torn viewer could watch one and record the other, but that seems like cheating. And, yes, some of us still don't know how to program the VCR.
There's TiVo. But that assumes there's enough on television to justify TiVo. There isn't. Except Wednesdays at 9 p.m.
There may be 50 ways to leave a lover, but a wilting TV show can be dumped with the flick of a clicker.
Posted by Jo at 10:05 AM
December 22, 2003
'Nip/Tuck,' 'Office' Among Surprise Globe Nominees
Reuters
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - FX's "Nip/Tuck," Fox's "Arrested Development" and the BBC's "The Office" were the big surprises on the TV side of this year's batch of Golden Globe Award nominees.
As expected, HBO's six-hour miniseries "Angels in America," based on Tony Kushner's award-winning play, dominated the nominations overall for TV programs with a total of seven bids.
"Nip/Tuck," FX's provocative drama about rival plastic surgeons in Miami, earned a best drama series nod in its first year of eligibility and seemed to edge out the other FX contender, "The Shield," from best series contention, though "Shield" star Michael Chiklis earned a nomination for lead drama series actor, a category he won last year.
"Nip/Tuck" joined four other familiar contenders in the category, CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Fox's "24," HBO's "Six Feet Under" and NBC's "The West Wing." (HBO's critical fave "The Sopranos" was not eligible for Globe consideration this year because it did not air new episodes during the 2003 calendar year.)
On the comedy series side, the Globe nomination can only be a boon to Fox's critically praised but little-watched new sitcom "Arrested Development." The critically lauded BBC comedy "The Office" also got the attention of Globe voters, landing a nomination for its airings on the BBC America cable channel. Rounding out the category were NBC's "Will & Grace," HBO's "Sex and the City" and USA Network's "Monk." (Last year's comedy series winner, HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," was also ineligible for Globes glory this year.)
In the acting categories, the absence of "Sopranos" contenders opened up slots for newcomers. Globes voters made room for two new faces in the lead drama actress field: Amber Tamblyn, the much-praised young star of CBS' freshman drama "Joan of Arcadia," and Joely Richardson of "Nip/Tuck," along with Frances Conroy of "Six Feet Under," in her first Globe nomination, and repeat nominees Allison Janney of "The West Wing" and Jennifer Garner of ABC's "Alias."
For drama actor, William Petersen of CBS' "CSI" earned his first nomination, as did Anthony LaPaglia for CBS' "Without a Trace." In addition to Chiklis, the category was rounded out by return nominees Martin Sheen of "West Wing" and Kiefer Sutherland of "24."
Posted by Jo at 10:38 AM
December 15, 2003
JOHN GOODMAN AND JAMES CROMWELL GUEST STAR AS EX-PRESIDENTS, ON THE 100TH EPISODE OF NBC'S AWARD- WINNING DRAMA, 'THE WEST WING.'
NBC Press Release
BURBANK, Calif. -- December 15, 2003 -- John Goodman returns to “The West Wing” guest starring alongside James Cromwell as former presidents on the 100th episode of NBC’s award-winning drama. The episode will air Wednesday, January 7, 2004, 9-10 p.m. ET.
In the 100th episode, Bartlet (Martin Sheen) clears his schedule to attend the funeral of a former President whose conservative views often clashed with his own while he monitors a potential firestorm in Saudi Arabia. En route to the funeral, Bartlet shares sobering thoughts with two other men who appreciate the weight of the Oval Office - Ex-President and former House Speaker Walken (guest star John Goodman) and ex-President Newman (guest star James Cromwell, "Babe").
On television, Goodman starred in the hit comedy series “Roseanne” and “Normal, Ohio.” His voluminous feature-film credits include “Coyote Ugly,” “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” “The Big Lebowski,” “The Borrowers,” “Streetcar Named Desire,” “Barton Fink,” “Arachnophobia,” “The Big Easy,” “Raising Arizona,” “Jungle Book 2” (voice only) and “Monsters, Inc.” (voice only). Next fall, he will lend his voice as the lead character on NBC and Dreamworks’s animated series, “Father of the Pride.”
James Cromwell is well known for his role as Farmer Arthur Hoggett in “Babe” and “Babe: Pig in the City.” His other feature-film credits include “L.A. Confidential,” “Deep Impact,” “The Green Mile,” and “Sum of All Fears.” He has made numerous television appearances as well. He currently stars on “Six Feet Under, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He starred in the drama series “Citzen Baines” and has guest starred on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “ER,” for which he also received an Emmy nomination.
“The West Wing” is a John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. John Wells serves as the executive producer. Aaron Sorkin is the creator.
Posted by Jo at 08:55 PM
December 10, 2003
Real Chris Beck would love a date with 'West Wing' flack
BECK Would be honored to work for Bartlet
by Peter Ames Carlin
The Oregonian
There's a cover-up taking place in the White House.
Does it reach all the way to the Oval Office? I'm not sure. But now that the rumors have flown from Portland to Hollywood to Washington, D.C. -- or a realistic facsimile thereof -- it's reasonable to expect answers: What did President Bartlet know, and when did he know it?
Why is someone trying to set up "The West Wing" spokeswoman C.J. Cregg with former Oregon legislator Chris Beck?
The scandal began about 16 minutes into last Wednesday night's episode. In the midst of a show that revolved in part around Oregon's assisted suicide law, the appearance of a familiar name rattled loudly in a lot of ears.
Cregg, the perpetually lovelorn Bartlet spokeswoman already distracted by the debate on assisted suicide, bumped into a colleague outside her White House office. After a quick exchange about environmental organizations, she caught Cregg's eye.
"And there's a guy want you to meet," she said, smiling conspiratorially. "Named Chris Beck."
Which came as a surprise to the real-life Oregon pol and environmentalist named Chris Beck.
A former legislator and current project manager for the Trust for Public Lands, Beck -- who like Cregg is 40ish and single -- said he would be more than happy to hit the town with the fictional White House spokeswoman.
"She's my kind of woman," he said. "She's smart and quick-witted and holds her ground. I generally don't like flacks, but I would absolutely go out with her."
And what if his new White House connection leads to a job offer? "Oh my God, of course!" he said. "I'd go to work for the Bartlet White House. It'd be an honor."
But Beck, who describes himself as an occasional watcher of "West Wing," will first have to give up his habit of channel-surfing between that show and "The Bachelor." And according to NBC spokeswoman Liza Rindge-Peterson, who spoke with Debora Cahn, the "West Wing" writer who crafted last week's show, the real Beck shouldn't hold his breath waiting for a call from Cregg.
"It was purely a coincidence," she said of the dueling Chris Becks. %%
Posted by Jo at 04:01 PM