So, anyone who's a fan of the West Wing, know that ubersmith, writer/director/producer/series creator Aaron Sorkin left after the fourth season (last year; may 2003). Prior to that, pretty much every single episode was penned by him. And it showed. It was what made WW the most honored Drama on television - ever. (with 13 wins it's first season)
So the fifth season (the current one) has been sad. Bland, plagued with poor scripts and even worse directing. This is the show that my Love and I planned our weeks around; that we founded a "no company Wednesday nights" rule based on so we could sit and enjoy the hour together, uninterrupted. Everyone who knows us knows Wednesday is West Wing Night. It's gotten to a point where we don't even look forward to watching it anymore. In fact, we're more excited about watching Angel these days then we are WW.
Last week was an especially low point. The Stormy Present was apparently written by a lump of coal (though it's credited as John Sacret Young) and directed by a monkey on LSD (though it's credited as Alex Graves). Horrid spin-in-a-circle-around-a-table camera shots, slightly out-of-focus attempts at "art" shots, shots where it's purposefully misframed and the camera doesn't follow the action, etc. all left for one distracting and utterly low-grade production. It was with trepidation, I have to admit, that we chose to tune in again to WW this week (rather then watching Angel "live" and recording WW). But last night, there was actually a light at the end of the tunnel. The episode was actually pretty good.
The Benign Prerogative was written by Carol Flint and actually had tempo and pacing. (say it ain't so) It also had good, classic, true-to-character moments of witty commentary and jokes. It was also directed by Christopher Misiano who, with a cursory look at WW episode guides, seems to have been around in the Sorkin days. No damned flashy, annoying, overused camera shots. No cheap tricks. No overly dramatic cuts or pans. Just good, solid direction which followed the progress and didn't make you want to hurl or hurl things at the screen. I don't know anything about the writer of the episode - couldn't really find anything useful or any other episodes that she might have written, but I can't stress how much I hope this wasn't just the eye of the storm. The series needs to stay true to the Sorkin vision and that DOESN'T include illiterate scripts and puke cams.
Anyway..... yeah, I'm babbling about a tv show. But dammit, it's a good one and I hate to see it go so far downhill. Last week I was more interested in getting my clothes in the dryer then watching the episode. It's crazy that one high, stoned, and drugged-out writer could do where this whole team can't. The show's not lowbrow. It's not supposed to appeal to the dregs of the lowest common denominator. Show some respect for bringing back a smidge of intelligence in television and don?t make it an embarrassment for Sorkin?s name to be on the credits as creator. And, above all, don't let down those of us who love the show and have been there since day one.
by the way, my comments are down because my cgi bin location changed with the server move. I want to get a new system so if anyone knows of a really I-can-be-a-script-moron-and-still-make-it-work system, drop me an email. missm @ giveneyestosee . com (no spaces obviously)
note I went ahead and added a free comment system for the moment just to hear back from people, but I WANT TO FIND SOMETHING I HOST MYSELF. Your ideas appreciated!
~ flowers bloom near Memory and Dream
at 1/15/2004 10:16:02 AM ~
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