The West Wing: The Complete First Season (on DVD)

The West Wing: The Complete First Season
[DVD West] 

This show follows the lives of President Josiah (Jed) Bartlet and his staff during their tenure at the White House. It’s a drama but there is plenty of comedy to go with it. The season starts with the president injuring himself by riding a bicycle into a tree and ends in a hail of bullets after a town meeting. Some highlights from this season are: Leo (Chief of Staff) dealing with a substance abuse inquiry, Sam (Deputy White House Communications Director) “accidentally” dating a call girl, CJ (Press Secretary) meeting with a committee who wants $900 million to put toward a “wolves only” highway, Josh (Deputy Chief of Staff) being eaten alive by reporters when covering for CJ during a press briefing, Toby (White House Communications Director) dealing with his emotions while his brother is stranded on a space ship with no doors, Charlie (Personal Aide to the President) having a flirtation with the President’s daughter, and President Bartlet having to find a proportional response when a foreign country shoots down a plane that his personal physician was on board.

I didn’t watch the show when it was on the first time around, but due to a patron’s recommendation I’ve started it now and I can’t stop watching. There is just enough comedy mixed in with the drama that it makes it funny but doesn’t drown out the seriousness of the storyline. Also the cast who all seem to be perfect for each of their roles makes it very enjoyable. It’s easy to see why this show is so critically acclaimed and won so many awards. I don’t often give something a 10/10 but this is worth it.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try other Sorkin creations such as The American President – a lot of the same actors, this is the movie that the show was based off of, The Newsroom or Sports Night]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this series ] | [ NBC’s official The West Wing series web page ]

Recommended by Carrie R.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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