Saturday, February 09, 2008

west wing


I’ve become very sniffy about television.
Moira would regard this as something of an understatement as I apparently keep going on about there being "far too much dumbed-down rubbish"!
In a recent conversation with Andy at school, I acknowledged that there obviously were good programmes – but my problem was that I didn’t realise this until a particular series was virtually finished (and it was too late to start watching).
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Andy subsequently lent me “The West Wing: Second Season” boxed set. I’ve just finished watching the last of the 22 episodes!
Just brilliant!
Tracey Wheeler (she writes wonderfully, see her blog) divides her friends into as “WW addicts” and “others”; I’ve definitely become one of the addicts!
It makes the “real thing” look very boring… and I can understand why some Americans felt that Martin Sheen (who plays the President in WW for you non-believers) ought to have run for the White House!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Ah Mister Broadway,a pity you have been suckered into this false belief there are good shows on tv still.Granted, there are some very well written shows,and well acted(Vincent D'Onofrio comes to mind)but the majority of them, even the good ones go on FOREVER, and become interminably relentless tedium.Back in the good old days, really great series didn't have to pander to the DVD/video/film spin off mentality.They WERE made WITH and FOR television SOLELY in mind,concerned as much with the possibilities inherent in the medium,and a real belief that it's audience were not a bunch of unintelligent mugs.I'm thinking primarily of British television and writers of the calibre of Potter,Rosenthal and Bleasdale.Granted, much of their writing was also informed with a sense of socail/political concern, but it's over-riding quality was in a sense of real compassion, honesty, and humanity, both to their work and their audience.It probably was a very special time,one where there were ONLY 4 channels, and not the unbearable desperate demands of oversubscribed dross.Ironic that in an age of supposed "reality" television, there is nothing that will ever, to my mind top Potter's "Singing Detective" as the pinnacle of just what television is capable of.
But then, i'm just an old fuddy-duddy who watches the incomparable Jeremy Brett in Sherlock Holmes re-runs on You Tube)BLIMEY !tHIS IS LONGER THAN YOUR bLOG !sORRY,GOT CARRIED AWAY THERE.No doubt i oughtto be !

bigdaddystevieB said...

... don't worry, I remember when there were just TWO channels! Essentially, I'm very much with you on this. Although there must have been lots of TV programmes that I've enjoyed over the years (but, right now, I can't remember any for the life of me!), I yearn for another "Brideshead Revisited" or some such. Strangely, "Singing Detective" didn't do it for me.
In the meantime, I'm worried about your fixation with Sherlock Holmes re-runs on YouTube!