The West Wing, Series 1 Part 2 [VHS] [2001]

What is emotive on the individual level about politics?

How the hell do you go about crafting an American drama about the White House without making it a non-stop, turgid, gloopy homage to Uncle Sam, or an revolutionary anti-capitalist rant?

Even after watching the West Wing I'm still not sure, but blimey does it manage. Laugh out loud dialogue less than a stone's throw away from sob out loud sincerely touching and unpatronising sentimentality. A joy.

Can't imagine a UK version being quite so watchable, mind.

You will enjoy this series!

"The West Wing" has won numerous awards in the US and it's not difficult to see why when you compare this to the usual fair we have beamed across the waters to our shores. The first thing to strike you is the cast which, despite the occasional annoiance of Moira Kelly (who was far better cast as the outsider attacking the administartion in the pilot and has since been disappointing since she was allowed into the White House Staff), is outstanding. Each portrays a character that, despite not necessarily being squeaky-clean, continually strive to follow what they believe to be in the best interests of the country in the 'plea-barginning' world of american politics. The sparkling point of every show for me is watching the interaction of Josh with his secretary Donna which is so brilliant and well-performed that a lesser show would have just thrown them into bed together from the off and be done with it.

Every show is compelling, focusing not only on the development of the various characters and their interaction in this cut-throat world, but also on the various issues facing an administration. If, like me, you have no interest in politics whatsoever you'll end up shaking your head at the end of each episode wondering what screwed-up set of events led to a country being run in this way. Don't worry too much about the policies though, you'll usually fing something you agree with but that isn't the point, the point is to see how the interaction of the cast brings about (or occasionally doesn't) what they are aiming for and just to enjoy the ride.

You may gather from this review that I rather like this show, and you'd be right... let me give you a hint why. Imagine that you were writing a show based on american politics and you had to cast someone as the president and you wanted people to actually like him. Who would you pick? Martin Sheen has been so successful in the role that a recent pole had him a shoo-in as the next president if the americans could vote tomorrow. The reason, I believe, has been the fantastic writing and his position as someone who was almost forced into the presidency against his better judgement and now he's there wants nothing more than to do right by his country.

What a refreshing change, as voting apathy stretches across the UK we wonder what politics would be like if people really cared about the country and people they've been voted in to represent rather then just aiming for the lime-light and smearing everyone and everything in their way. This show gives us a glimpse at that world... and then you wonder that if a similar show based in Westminster came to our screens how long it would be before it was laughed off our airwaves.