Thursday, October 21, 2004

STILL LOOKING FOR A DECENT SHOW

Watched last season's finale and this season's premiere for The West Wing. Why? I don't know. Just masochistic I guess.

Sorkin's West Wing used to take on difficult issues and trumpet both sides' reasoned arguments. You never knew which side was going to win until the end. The solution was often something real politicians would never dare; and sometimes, his politicans didn't dare, even if they knew what it was.

Wells's West Wing premiere was a hodgepodge of plot elements that linked up in specious ways. The staff was weirdly united in favor of military action against a terrorist cell tucked into an apartment compliex where, mysteriously, it remained in place for days on end. Toby ignoring collateral damage? Leo shouting at the president at the top of his lungs? C'mon. It wasn't good theater.

In place of good theater, we got locations and helicopter shots. Okay, so they can spend the money. Compare that with Sorkin's bottle show, "Isaac and Ishmael," the post Sept. 11 season premiere, and which makes more watchable television?

It's a damn shame.

Now what am I supposed to watch?

11:15 AM

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