Totally adictive
The best TV series ever made. Totally believable, brilliant acting. Buy it now!!

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION
At its best (Seasons 1-4) The West Wing, is quite simply the finest thing committed to film by mankind, at its worst (Seasons 5-7) its an excellent television show. ESSENTIAL VIEWING.

Great series, great value
It's all too easy to talk about a TV show being the greatest thing ever, but as far as I'm concerned this was, for seven years, the one programme I looked forward to watching more than any other.

On paper, a prime-time drama about the inner workings of the White House wasn't the most obvious recipe for success. And yet, The West Wing remains one of the most intelligent, challenging and above all human series ever. Through seven seasons I fell in love with a set of characters trying - and frequently failing - to steer a country I have never lived in via a system of government I have limited understanding of. TWW is perhaps the finest example of how you can tell a compelling story without having to resort to crash-bang-wallop, and that you can build exquisite dramatic tension without pointing guns at each other. Josh, CJ, Leo (the late John Spencer), Jed, Donna and all the others were, of course, not real people. And yet they absolutely were. Somewhere in my mind they still are.

And that's what makes the series so great: the dramatic set-up was intriguing, the characters genuinely interesting yet real, and the writing of a sustained, consistent quality which has rarely been touched in the rapid-fire world of modern TV.

If you've ever watched the show and ever liked it, but don't yet own the full series, you won't regret buying this. Just sit back, put on the DVD player, and wonder about what the world might have been like if Jed Bartlet and not George W Bush had been president. Without wanting to spoil the end of the final season for those who have not yet seen it, in a case of life imitating art there are some very real parallels between the fictional presidential election and the real one which has just taken place. Freaky. And utterly brilliant too.

Be prepared to give up normal life
I brought this box set out of curiosity. I had heard lots of positive things about the series, but had never actually watched an episode. By the time that the first credits rolled, that was it, I WAS HOOKED. This is clever, articulate, stimulating and just great entertainment. The pace is fast, you have to concentrate to get all of the dialogue, the characters are well formed and brilliantly acted

I think it lost a bit of its perfection when Rob Lowe left but it was still fantastic.

The only problem is that with 44 discs to watch, it did completely take over my life.....just one more episode before bed!!!!

Flawed But Still Great TV
Without out doubt The West Wing is one of the best TV series of all time. It is uneven with the earlier shows having the edge over the later ones and it does at times sink into sentimentailty but this sould not put you off watching. The cast is headed by Martin Sheen as President Josiah Barchlet, a liberal Democrat from New Hampshire. As President he is surrrounded by able aids and advisors who more that the President form the core of the show's action. These include Alison Janney as Press Secretary CJ Cregg, Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler, the Communications Director. All the actors are perfect for their parts, but my prize goes to John Spencer as White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. McGarry is the man who gets things done and has a ruthless side which is needed because it is clear that the President at times is to soft. Sadley John Spencer died towards the end of the last series.

In the West Wing the Democrats, who are clearly the good guys, do not always beat the bad guys, who are not quite so clearly the Republicans.
The show as well as being great drama is also very funny.

You may need to be interested in politics to get the best out of the West Wing but it is not essiantial. If it was not let down by it's tendency to sentimentailty the West Wing would by up there with the Wire and the Sopranos as the greatest TV Drama of all time on either side of the Atlantic. It does not quite reach those heights but it is still great viewing.

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