Apparently Season 8 of 24 is about to start; I really could care less. To be honest, I find it difficult to care much about any TV drama that isn’t The West Wing. Taste the best and anything else seems like a waste of time.
For the unaware, The West Wing is set in a fictional White House, revolving around the life and careers of the President of America and his senior staff. This White House is a left-leaning Camelot, a fantasy oasis for those parched by the reality George W Bush. I don’t agree with all that they believe but that really isn’t the point.
I remember discovering the show, with the help of The Sunday Times. One bored Sunday at university I read in the TV section of the paper about a new American political drama being broadcast for the first time that night. I watched, and was hooked. No-one else I knew was watching it, giving a self-righteous air of exclusivity but ultimately frustration that I had no-one to say, ‘Wasn’t that amazing?!’ to. This loneliness subsided over the series but then came controversy…
I didn’t make it past the end of series four. After the departure of creator Aaron Sorkin I felt that the quality diminished. It was probably still better than pretty much anything else on but I didn’t want to see it a shadow of its former self. It felt as wrong as watching George Best playing for Bournemouth having seen him in his United pomp. So I bought series one to three, and they are enough.
I bring this up because Debbie and I spent some of our Christmas holiday watching series two. There’s nothing like it. Perfectly-drawn characters, dialogue that’s nearly too quick to comprehend, exquisite comedy and pathetic tragedy, a (misplaced perhaps) sense of righteousness, and an unapologetic celebration and justification of loquaciousness. It is art at its finest: soaring, stirring, beautiful, provoking. Episodes end and I want to shout with exhilaration, and then go out and change the world. Deb prefers to just watch another episode, which is what we usually settle for.
Perhaps this time I’ll be persuaded to keep watching (no spoilers, please). But whatever we decide, the box-sets of the first three series will still be on my shelves. And, frankly, Jack, you’re don’t have a place there, or in my heart.
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If you don’t already know the show, the clip below won’t make much sense but if you do, you’re welcome. Cue Dire Straits…
6 comments:
I love The West Wing - I've had the box set on my wishlist for ages - I keep waiting for the price tag to come down a little further as I'll be addicted and watch as many in one go as possible lol.
Luke, my friend, I don't think I have ever been so disappointed whilst reading your blog. 24 is without doubt the single best televisions programme that has ever been made. So to speak about it with such disdain is quite alarming.
I can only draw the conclusion that you have never watched it and thus missed the pure genius and adrenalin rush which Jack Bauer and his terrorist threatened city provide.
Bless you my friend. I will pray for you to come into the light. :O)
You did yourself a disservice by stopping where you did. I watched all 7 series in 2009, loved them all. True the later ones may not reach the peak but I did watch George Best at Bournemouth and the later series of the West Wing are better than that. More like Beckham at Real Madrid.
mm I love this clip. I even like CJ in it. Maybe I should walk down the aisle to this music...?? Although I guess the lyrics aren't the most romantic, and I know you'll just be thinking of Martin Sheen rather than me...
Also, I think the dialogue in The West Wing is better, but 24 all the way for the action and tension.
Steve - I thought it might rile you ;) I have watched a season or two of 24, it didn't really do anything for me. Maybe it's because I enjoy seeing the verbose triumph rather than the fleet of fist, I can only ever be on one of those teams!
Phil - I reserve judgement for when/if the time comes. I took a lot of flak for my decision first time around, which probably hardened me against changing. Nice stretching of the footy analogy.
Deb - The other trouble with the song is that Tim's claimed it for his funeral, so that could be confusing. I'll concede action but tension? The episode when Toby finds out?! Still love you.
just ordered the box sets for "the west wing" and "the wire". we'll see how this goes. it seems that tim gannon and jon lampard are also fans of "the west wing". you guys were my tipping points :)
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