TVSquad

I loved the first two seasons of the show. Season three began to annoy me and by the time four rolled around it was so preachy and condescending I bailed on it altogether. I then watched all four on DVD and then gritted my teeth and struggeled through the abonination that was season Five. However, I loved season six and I'm loving season seven. I think the producers are going the exact wrong way with canceling the show. This is their chance to completely reinvent the West Wing show, maybe even end this show and spin off with a new cast for Santos/Vinivk. Commander and Chief has a huge audience and the show is terrible.

The best thing to do is spin it off with Whitford, Smitts, and a whole new gang. Put it back in prime time and let us go back to liking the show.

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I think that NBC should reconsider cancelling such an excellent show. The potential future plot lines are endless. It is a very intelligent show and actor Jimmy Smitts is wonderful.

Keep the show going...........

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West Wing should not be cancelled. It continues to be an excellent show.

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Reply to #11 dorv:
Regarding Toby covering: Rewatch when Bartlet calls Toby into his office to talk about CJ being investigated.
BARTLETT NEVER LOOKS AT TOBY.
Absolutly unique behavior for Bartlett.
The meeting, as written had no purpose - unless Bartlet was asking Toby to cover.
Also, the next episode, when Toby goes into CJs office and sits down - check out the amount of time when ABSOLUTLY NOTHING IS SAID AND NOTHING HAPPENS.
This period (I belive was 45 seconds and felt like 15 minutes) makes me think he is telling CJ he is going to cover for her. Babaitch's response to Bartlet's over the top dressing down of Toby was also a clue.
Prediction: guess which prostitute Rob Lowe is engaged to?
Sure, the shows quality has gone up and down over the years, but it was still a terrific hour of brilliant drama. I will miss it. I really thought they were going to pull many of the old staff into the new administration to continue the show.
I hope they pull Ms. Laningham back for the finale.
The Lanningham flashback shows were terrific and the news conference, hands in to pocket scene was one of my favorites.
I loved the brotherly relationship between Mcgarry and Bartlett.
RIP John - we miss you.

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In this unstable world we live in, The West Wing gave me hope on a weekly basis that there were intelligent and humanistic people within the government that cared deeply about the welfare of America and the world. Now that it has beed cancelled, I feel a sense of hopelessness from NBC and it's ratings as I do the senselessness of the endless destruction that occurs in the world. This country really needed this show and its efforts to present solutions to political matters. And we (the people) really needed this show to restore faith in the Oval Office, as well as a sense of respect for our overall government. The show didn't try to portray everyone as perfect, but it always held an underlying rule that democracy would be the victor.

I'm sad to see it go, especially at a time when NBC could educate through theatrics. So many Americans seem deaf, blind, or just plain stupid to the realities of our world.

Bam

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It's sad to see this show go. I haven't been watching this how on TV, trying to catch up on DVD. I'm on the 2nd Season and it is fantastic stuff! I hear it hasn't been as good in recent years, so maybe it is a good thing that it is ending. The worse news is...

"They also announced that creator Aaron Sorkin and director/producer Tommy Schlamme will not be involved in the finale. Damn."

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Well, the show died when season 4 ended, and Aaron Sorkin was fired.

It is definitely about time, and I am glad Sorkin is staying away from the crapfest.

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Strictly from the viewpoint of a longtime fan of WW, I'm really saddened by this news. My wife and I have been struck by how good the show is this season. Every aspect, the writing, acting, new characters, plot development have been stellar. We were really looking forward to watching the new administration take office. Really, it's one of the most intelligent shows on television, about topics that so need to be discussed.
Seems like a tremendous waste. As to how it ends, I'm not sure I want to watch if Sorkin and Co. are not involved. What's up with that??!!

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how would i like it to end? with Sorkin and Schlamme ending it. this pisses me off. this is how the loyal fans are repaid for 7 years of devotion. ps... i love the Richard Schiff broke ranks and publicly stated that Toby would never do what he did. awesome.

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Had to happen and Spencer's death closed the coffin (pun NOT intended).

If Sorkin isn't coming back (AWFUL! SLANDEROUS! HORRIBLE MOVE! I feel so bad that I'm gonna have to score some more coke tonight), then Rob Lowe will have to come and save us all.

Never thought I'd say that. But still, it's true.

And if they chicken s**t out with the writing and plot development for the rest of the season I will BE FORCED to never fantasize about Bradley Whitford again.

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How do I want to see the show ending?

With Vinick winning.

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Hmm. How about this: Leo McGarry dies just before the election, and Santos picks a California congressman to replace him, realizing that Vinick, from California as well, will sweep the state.
That California congressman? Sam Seaborn.

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Can anyone let me know why Sorkin was fired?

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I agree with the posters that have stated that there has been a creative resurgance with the show this season. Not withstanding the Toby thing, which I agree with EVERYONE (including Schiff) on, I think this season has been pretty solid. There was an episode here or there that wasn't up to par, but that's no different than the Sorkin era (Indians in the Lobby, anyone?).
As far as Toby goes, I still subscribe to the theory that Toby was covering for someone else, most likely POTUS or CJ. The conversation that Toby and Bartlett had in the Oval right before Toby decieded to out himself is my main piece of evidence. Also, at the end of the day, I can see Toby taking a bullet for CJ and possibly the President, long before he would actually be the leak himself.
As far as Sorkin NOT coming back? Well, that's just plain silly. If they truly had an opportunity to bring the team back, they should have jumped on it. I wonder if Aaron and Tommy asked for too much money (Which may have not been much, but knowing the budget this year, it would take much for it to be TOO much), and Wells thought against throwing "good money after bad." Sucks, but that does make some sense to me.
I still don't see how Lowe coming back fits realistically or creatively. There's no way that Seaborn would be a viable replacment to Leo on the ticket. I know he's a California guy, but you still can't sell me on the idea that he won that Congressional Seat, nor can you sell me on the idea that a ticket with two young Democrats can beat a popular moderate Republican from California. And, I don't think that the show could Lowe, either, unless he came back at the standard guest star rate.
Sucks all around though. I caught some S1 episodes the other day. I miss the hell out of John Spencer.

"Andrew Jackson, in the lobby, kept a large block of cheese"

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TV is a business. With a 8% share WW was doomed. The show will live on in syndication for decades. NBC deserves much credit for seven years of devotion despite poor ratings. In the 1980s it was Hill Street Blues and in the 1990s Homicide: Life on the Street. No other network has so protected such quality program despite a uninterested public. Sorkin should go over to HBO, they value fine scrips and great tales. All of us should write the cast a note thanking them for such longterm fun. I'll miss WW and John Spencer.

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The show should most definitely end with Alan Alda's republication candidate winning the election. That would be a very fitting end that would frame West Wing as a story about a Democratic era of government.

I've also thought since last year that electing Alda and instituting an all-new cast of republicans (Matthew Perry, Ainsley Hayes, ...) was the show's only hope at long term revitalization.

tvd2

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I'm not sure if they're going to work John's death in after the elections or before. I can't imagine a candidate getting elected after their running mate dies, so they'd have to fill in with someone else - Josh maybe? - after the election.

And yeah, I totally miss John. It breaks my heart every time I see him on a new episode, knowing he's gone.

I've recently (in the last year and a half) been introduced to the show and since then I've caught up to new episodes and I'm sad to see it go. I figure, they'll inaugurate Santos and the show ends with him in the oval, with Josh as his CoS, and it's Santos saying "what's next?"

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Hell no, they shouldn't go.
I don't agree with many opinions that the show is worn out and that without Sorkin it is not good.
Yes, the first years were VERY good...but the show has morphed into an entirely new being. The political aspect of the show is just as good as the first few years when they featured the White House action.
With the advent of Commander in Chief (and its apparent popularity), West Wing has got a whole new tenant to deal with. I will miss the show and its wonderful actors and writers.

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