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November 01, 2004
'West Wing' is still a notch above
By Charlie McCollum
San Jose Mercury News
Some flotsam and jetsam we found bobbing on the constantly churning sea of TV:
• This may constitute revisionist critical thinking but maybe we should give credit to the current incarnation of ``The West Wing'' for what it still does fairly well.
Sure, it's not ``The West Wing'' of the days when creator Aaron Sorkin was writing almost every word. Sorkin never would have let it drift into the kind of excessive melodrama (Leo McGarry's heart attack) that have marred key episodes since his departure. (Warning: Spoiler in next sentence.) While he might have come up with this Wednesday's (9 p.m., Chs. 8, 11) plot twist, -- C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) becomes the new White House chief of staff -- Sorkin certainly wouldn't set up the surprise choice by making the other, more senior staffers look like idiots.
And the show sure could use more Sorkin-esque wit and screwball comedy dialogue.
But based on the first three episodes, the White House drama remains a very watchable, well-produced series with a fine cast and a willingness to talk about issues with some intelligence. That puts it a step above most dramas on network TV, even if the show is just a shadow of its former greatness.
One thing, though: It's time for ``The West Wing'' to end. The producers should not try to extend the series' run by bringing in a new president and staff. This is not a drama like ``ER'' or ``Law & Order'' where the formula can stay the same while characters can come and go. As Matt Roush of TV Guide said recently, ``It is the story of the Bartlet presidency, pure and simple.''
Let President Bartlet leave office at the end of this season and call it a day.
Posted by Jo at November 1, 2004 07:12 AM