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November 08, 2005
'West Wing' debate a victory for NBC
By Barry Garron
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - So who really won the live debate on Sunday night's "The West Wing," the one between fictional candidates Matt Santos, the Democrat played by Jimmy Smits, and Arnold Vinick, the Republican played by Alan Alda?
Regardless of the spin, it was clearly a victory for NBC, which enjoyed a ratings bump during the sweep-inspired contest. In other respects, the victor was less clear cut.
The live episode, performed for the East and Central zones and then again for the West, represented a milepost in a revival season but also a speed bump. Although the scripted debate was filled with issues and substance, it sacrificed the drama and storytelling of traditional episodes. It tried to simulate reality and succeeded, which resulted in a show that begged the indulgence of viewers and asked them to think rationally and intelligently about things that transcend television. That's risky business for TV any time, and especially primetime.
In terms of which candidate did better, my vote is with Santos the Democrat. His positions seemed more thoughtful and his solutions more promising. Vinick, on the other hand, was more inclined to provide fast and easy answers, though his comments on the failures of the Head Start educational program indicated that the character could also marshal his facts.
In some ways, though, the biggest winner was the viewer, particularly those who have seen real presidential debates where rules are negotiated and statements are carefully crafted to stay on point, get out the message and drive home emotions through words that have been carefully tested in focus groups. This episode, though scripted, seemed more real than the actual debates. It showed what a real debate might be if candidates ever decided to risk being themselves and confronting the issues and each other. Odd as it may seem, it gives viewers a basis for comparing actual presidential debates and what is possible.
The episode, with its use of the NBC News logo and the appearance of real-life newsman Forrest Sawyer as moderator, also raised the question of the propriety of blending elements of network news with entertainment. In general, it's not a good idea to blur the two. The lines already are far more blurred than they should be, and this sort of arrangement only makes the two divisions look more interchangeable. Julie Chen's long-standing role as host on "Big Brother" has done nothing to enhance her stature with CBS News, and Sawyer's appearance here is similarly out of place. The episode would have been every bit as convincing with an actor cast in the role of moderator and a make-believe news logo or, at the very least, a redesigned NBC News logo.
Posted by Jo at November 8, 2005 03:09 PM