By D. Meanea
I think that in a heap of cases, the second season of a TV show is it is best season. Why is TV so ofttimes altogether opposite from sophomore attempts in music and movies? From my own observations it’s because in the second season of a TV show, the actors have gained a comfortable perceive on how to portray the deeper parts of their character. At the same time, the show still has the freshness of a new show, the same rich texture that won it a debut to commence with; the writers are still formulating plots that don’t feel stale, so the show hasn’t lost that “new car smell”. Of course there are exceptions: shows that run out of steam soon after they start, and shows that just seem to keep getting better even after the second season.
I don’t know if The West Wing’s second season is it is best, but it unquestionably includes a heap of of the best episodes. Great writing, great acting, outstanding sets and music, all come together to form what has become my bestloved TV show ever.
Season Two includes these episodes:
In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 1)
In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 2)
The Midterms
In This White House
And It’s Surely To Their Credit
The Lame Duck Congress
The Portland Trip
Shibboleth
Galileo
Noël
The Leadership Breakfast
The Drop In
Bartlet’s Third State of the Union
The War at Home
Ellie
Somebody’s Going to Emergency, Somebody’s Going to Jail
The Stackhouse Filibuster
17 People
Bad Moon Rising
The Fall’s Gonna Kill You
18th and Potomac
Two Cathedrals
(You may look up an episode guide if you want a quick summary of the plots; I didn’t want to spoil any surprises here.)
I doubt Warner will include the special episode “Isaac and Ishmael” in this set. This episode was written after the 9/11 attacks, and aired a week before the get started of Season Three; thus, if it is included with a regular season, it will probably be the third.
71 of 78 persons found the following review helpful.
A Towering Achievement
By Adam Dukovich
For four years, the West Wing was for the most part considered the best show on TV, and not without good reason. Although this could have turned into a liberal lovefest, the show managed to tap into and rediscover a pride and the optimisti feeling that all is going to turn out well in our government that our founding fathers must have felt. Far from being venal, corrupt parasites, the politicians of The West Wing were gifted and generous humans who genuinely care regarding the country and struggle to make the right decisions, which often times in a literal sense are among life and death. It’s no wonder that this splendid little shade of fantasy proceeds to be popular, particularly when we have becomed accustomed to expecting less and less from those who are running our country.
The West Wing’s second season had the show actually beginning to hit it is stride. In my mind, the show hit it is peak here and in the third season, with a great deal of new drama and surprises. The season starts in the aftermath of the former cliffhanger, with the President and Josh being shot by white supremacists and everyone else engaged in a struggle to get through it all. Then, the season begins to move along. Among the highlights: Emily Procter begins her recurring role as Ainsley Hayes, a Republican lawyer working in the White House and uninterrupted sparring collaborator for Sam; another “Big Block of Cheese Day”; a great Christmas episode in which Josh is haunted by the news of a fighter pilot that shared his birthday who killed himself; an unexpected filibuster, and the invention that the President has Multiple Sclerosis, which is impressively explored in the episode “17 People”. The episode takes the form of a series of fiery dialogues amongst Toby and the President and is filled with tension, but is lightened up by it is subplot of staffers attempting (unsuccessfully) to come up with jokes for the President. The juxtaposition is inspired, and the episode sets up what would become a key issue in the show for the upcoming season.
In conclusion, this is a season that brought much bellowing laughter and heart-gripping drama, many times in the same episode, which is an Aaron Sorkin trademark if there is one. The West Wing is an unbelievable piece of work, and it unquestionably merits repeat viewings. Go in front and get it. You owe it to yourself.
135 of 154 humans found the following review helpful.
Brilliant Series Dips Deeper
By Eric Antonow
The last season ENDED in a brutal cliffhanger with an try on the President or Zoe. The last scenes were the staff and bystanders diving for cover as gunmen shot from windows in a nearby building. This season opens attempting to untangle the confusedness of that night and opens a rich, second season of the best drama on television. We are also treated to a great deal of outstanding pre-first season moments, when the staff was managing Bartlet’s presidential campaign. From my count there were 17 Emmy nominations this season – for writing, acting, and more – I’ve brought up the sequences that were winners. My only complaint is that they’re making us wait so long for these sets, when persons overseas have had them already for closely a year – come on, it’s OUR idealisti leadership. But to quote the deputy press secretary, “let’s forget that you’re a little late to the party and just hug the fact that you showed up”
> In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (1) (*emmy)
> In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (2) (*emmy)
> The Midterms
> In This White House
> And It’s Surely to Their Credit
> The Lame Duck Congress
> The Portland Trip
> Shibboleth
> Galileo
> Noël (*emmy)
> The Leadership Breakfast
> The Drop In
> Bartlet’s Third State of the Union (1)
> The War at Home (2)
> Ellie
> Somebody’s Going to Emergency, Somebody’s Going to Jail
> The Stackhouse Filibuster
> 17 People
> Bad Moon Rising
> The Fall’s Gonna Kill You
> 18th and Potomac
> Two Cathedrals
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