The West Wing: Season 3

Great show! Witty, smart, and fast paced.

Great story telling, I worked in DC fir 17 years covering the WH and Hill. Very true to life

The West Wing's third season began in sadness. The 9/11 attacks would change much about our country (and this show), and we got an episode after them (Isaac and Ishmael) that attempted to show sensitivity and comfort during a confusing time. At that time, it wasn't generally liked, but it seems to have aged well (it was voted the 10th best episode by Bravo viewers earlier this year). After this, though, the season began in earnest, picking up where the astonishingly good "Two Cathedrals" episode left off and begins a multi-episodic story arc that has the staff at odds with each other as well as the introduction of the fabulous Ron Silver as Bruno Gianelli (he would get an Oscar nod for his performance). Truth be told, this season didn't have the same uniformity of excellence that previous ones did--the middle of the season was lukewarm, with episodes like "The Two Bartlets" and "Night Five" which rank among the lowest in the series (let's keep it in perspective, though: the worst of this season is still better than the best of the current one). However, the show pulls off one of the best episodes of the show in the finale, "Posse Comitatus", which has President Bartlet grappling with faith, law and morality in the matter of having an Osama bin Ladin-like terrorist assassinated. The sheer shock of the final act still brings chills down my spine every time I see it. Also notable: perhaps the most emotional episode in the series, "Bartlet for America" won an Emmy and its final scene between the President and Leo rivals the denouement in Kubrick's Paths of Glory for full-force emotional impact. "Gone Quiet" is a gripping story about a lost submarine, and features a wonderful, curmedgeonly performance by Hal Holbrook as Assistant Secretary of State Albie Duncan. "100,000 Airplanes" is an example of the complex narrative structure of the series: there are no less than four major stories revolving around Bartlet's State of the Union address, each of which are engaging. One of my favorites is "The U.S. Poet Laureate," which covers the scandal following an off-air gaffe on the part of the president. Says C.J. Cregg, "It's a classic Washington scandal. We got in trouble for telling the truth." But all through this season are these character threads: the President and Abbey (leading to a surprisingly touching scene in "Dead Irish Writers"), Josh and Amy's budding relationship, Toby and his ex-wife, Andie, and, of course, the President and Leo. The final one was always one of the most satisfying relationships with the show, and the fact that the current WW writers have all but eliminated it is one of my major beefs with the show right now. Enough soapboxing. Season 3 of the West Wing contains powerful drama and excitement, examination of real political issues and real people. It's definitely worth the money for anyone.

The thing about The West Wing is that the characters are so engaging and connected to you as a viewer, you can’t help coming back - which is amazing when you’re literally talking about process of government. But Aaron Sorkin takes these characters, mixes in some dull and exciting stories lines, and shakes it with amazing lines and direction and gives you something that is fast, furious, and fun... not to mention memorable.Season Three includes Press Secretary CJ getting a stalker, a presidential election season, the right of the American people to know - or not - something important (mad cow), Leo going before Congress over the Bartlet lie to Americans... and one of the most interesting episodes, Isaac and Ishmael,” done in the wake of the events of 9/11. It’s an interesting season, thoughtful, raw, and honest. And like all things The West Wing, it not only gets you to think, not only entertains, it brings characters to life who make you happy, intrigued, angry, curious, and interested. It’s a great show with great actors, and lots of amazing writing. Three seasons in and The West Wing is still going strong.

Many things throughout the series are exact replicas of events over the past couple decades. Very thoughtful, VERY realistic.

We are enjoying The West Wing. I wish the dialogue wasn't so fast sometimes. The captions can't even keep up.

Love it

It is not surprising that incidents of September 11, 2001 would resonate through the Bartlett White House. For all the intention that the show stand outside real-life political events, it is fueled by them and Sorkin's personal anger and anguish comes through in more than one episode, sparking an arc that finds the President walking down a very dark road potentially even more damaging and devestating than the revelation of his MS in season two.To get the bad out of the way: "The Women of Qumar" is possibly the most heavy-handed episode of Sorkin's tenure on the series, and one that I find I cannot rewatch. (Really. We will change to reruns of "Home Improvement" at my house rather than watch this one.) It is a moment when the show loses focus and becomes a political polemic rather than a sharply written and intelligent piece of drama that rises far above the average.Back to the good, which far outweighs the bad. We start with "Manchester" which kicks off Bartlett's re-election campaign as they struggle with the aftermath of the MS revelation. "Gone Quiet" has the President and Joint Chiefs waiting to hear from a sub that may be lost in hostile waters, while "Indians in the Lobby" and "Bartlett for America" which follow in the show's tradition of holiday episodes that are far from gooey pieces of fluff. Lord John Marbury returns in "Dead Irish Writers" just as Abby pays the price for her part in the coverup (and only Donna could lose and regain her American citizenship in a single night). The season finally culminates in the stalking of CJ and the finale "Posse Comitatus," where Bartlett comes face to face with his opponent in the election for the first time. Sorkin once gives us television that asks us to think and pay attention and sounds a call against simple complacency.While the show I love may have outstayed its welcome on network television, we will still have this as an example of what television can be if the audience (and networks) are willing to not play it safe.