"You're a smart and savvy woman who could easily consider world domination as her next career move."
aka The West Wing rewatch of 2023
[ed note: every once in a while I’ll have a mid-month post about something I’ve watched, read, or listened to that I want to write about in more length than in my monthly recaps. I’m still figuring out what this is going to look like, so I appreciate your patience through the process]
A little over a month ago I was hit with a sudden urge to do a full series rewatch of The West Wing, and when presented with a cold and rainy Sunday I decided the best move was to get this underway. And you know what? I was right.
Since I’ve seen all the episodes before [you can read my thoughts on my initial watch here] I mostly had them on in the background during the day, pausing to watch my favorite episodes when I had time to concentrate on them. This method also allowed me to get through the seasons pretty quickly, and last week I watched the series finale.
Twenty-four years after its premiere, this series continues to be one of my favorites. Yes there are scenes and dialogue that are outdated, but the overarching themes continue to be topical. Gay marriage. The Equal Rights Amendment. Abortion access and reproductive healthcare. Passing legislation in a split Congress. Supreme Court appointments. Conflict in the Middle East and the what role the U.S. should play in it. Alternate power sources. Gun reform. Racism and white supremacy. It’s all there, and so much more.
It’s also fun to see how much has changed since the show went off the air in 2007. When the show premiered the characters had pagers. We witness their reluctance to embrace email. It was rare for news to break on the internet rather than on tv. They’re all stupefied by blogs and internet trolls. There’s no discussion of social media.
So much of what I love is still the same, from the banter between the characters to the inside look at the running of the White House, but I also appreciate that I still learn something or have new questions each time I watch. It’s such a great comfort show, and it was the exact right time for this rewatch.
If you want to watch or rewatch for yourself, all seasons are available to stream on HBO Max.