WEST WING - Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

[dr.strangelove]

I had mixed emotions after learning this morning that NBC has announced this would be the last West Wing season. The show this season had grabbed back some of the greatness it once held. It was again starting to matter to me, something that had not really happened since Zoe was kidnapped a couple of years ago. However, it is still a shell of itself; only a reminder to how great it was in the early years of the Bartlett administration. I will miss it, but somehow I am glad it is ending after Bartlett.

[MaineDem]

1. I have mixed emotions, too

It kind of makes sense to end it with Bartlet leaving office. I hope they don't leave it with a GOP President though. (It's been my virtual reality to have a Democrat in the White House through all our actual reality lately.)

The show has been very good this year. I find the hour passes much too quickly, which is the way it used to be.

[ticapnews]

2. spoilers regarding John Spencer

click and drag to see the text...

In the April 2 episode Leo McGarry will be found dead of natural causes early on election morning. This will send the election into complete disarray. In the event that Santos wins, he will name a new vice president when he is sworn in on the May 14 series finale. If Vinick wins, then the issue is moot.

This is per next week's TV Guide.

[cynatnite]

8. Great idea with the spoilers!

I'll remember that.

[Calliope]

3. Jumped the shark with Zoe kidnapping - jumped back

with the campaign. Am I the only one who thought that the Iowa caucus show last season was a really telling portrayal of how things are done in politics. (Matt going against his own belief re farm subsidies because he knew it would lose votes.)And, I hate to admit it, but I think Arnie would make a good president too.

[MalachiConstant]

4. well,

i think they intended for arnie to be a "real" republican. a text book conservative, freedom-from-government republican, not one of the current neocon republican hypocrites.

[Lisa]

5. at least they have a chance to go out with a flourish ...

So many shows get cancelled over hiatus, or on very short notice, so they don't get a chance to wrap things up.

[dr.strangelove]

6. I understand the ratings saved it

The move to Sunday helped it keep enough ratings to justify the cost fo the show. It does not make much money for NBC, but in its day it was a cash cow. So they moved it to a spot where it was unlikley to survive, but would do well enough to run out the clock.

[AngryOldDem]

7. And really, why keep it going?

I think it's fitting that the series ends with the Bartlet administration. I rather see shows go out on top rather than hanging around long after they should have been cancelled.