A compelling, intelligent and wonderfully engaging drama. [22 Sept 1999]

All the president's men and women are deftly drawn and seamlessly woven through a crackerjack opening hour. Whether they'll be able to hold our interest remains to be seen. [22 Sept 1999, p.1C]

A drama so well written and artfully executed that if tonight's debut were expanded just a bit, it could stand as a feature film. [22 Sept 1999, p.1E]

One serious failing of the pilot is that, well, the group is nearly all white. There's barely a healthy tan in the bunch. Sorkin and Wells claim this is true only of the first episode and that more people of color will be added in subsequent hours....They better be. Not only is their absence an affront to minorities everywhere, it's an insult to our intelligence in what otherwise is a very smart show. [22 Sept 1999, p.47]

One of The West Wing's executive producers is ER's John Wells, and the new series replicates that show's swooping cameras and frenetic pace. Combine this visual style with a slightly toned-down version of the overlapping dialogue Sorkin uses in his other series, ABC's Sports Night, and you've got one zippy little hour. That's good, because when you stop and examine each plot strand, the show starts to unravel.

West Wing is not a dramatic powerhouse as it gets off the ground tonight but, indeed, it does get off the ground. There are good performances, crispy-crunchy lines of dialogue and a few sizzly sparks. Subsequent episodes will have to improve on the premiere, however, if there's really going to be anything must-see-ish about the show. [22 Sept 1999, p.C01]

That still makes the series more daring than most of what's on television; the problem is, its creators know that and the show's self-satisfaction becomes annoying. The floundering first episode (the only one available for preview) is sometimes smart, sometimes stupid, eventually gooey and, despite its sharp cast, not often entertaining. One of the season's most hyped and anticipated series, The West Wing is by far its biggest disappointment.

Pilot B+. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc B-. A Proportional Response B+. Five Votes Down B. The Crackpots And These Women B+. Mr. Willis Of Ohio B+. The State Dinner B. Enemies B-. The Short List B+. In Excelsis Deo A. Lord John Marbury B. He Shall From Time To Time B+. Take Out The Trash Day B. Take This Sabbath Day A-. Celestial Navigation A-. 20 Hours In L.A. B-. The White House Pro Am C+. Six Meetings Before Lunch B-. Let Bartlet Be Bartlet A-. Mandatory Minimums B. Lies Damn Lies And Statistics B+. What Kind Of Day Has It Been A.

Aaron Sorkin is a master of his craft and West Wing is a wonderful example of what it looks like when a writer is firing on all cylinders. Strong character development and fast based dialogue give us a solid foundation for what will prove to be one of the best shows ever written. With all that in mind, each well-written character is given life by a top-notch troop of performers that put us right in the center of all of the chaos.

A great series, no doubt about it. An optimistic and hopeful dramatization of governance and public service. Season 1 is a bit rough, and the Mandy character is painfully out of place, fortunately she's gone by the time the good stuff starts (believe me that's not a spoiler, that's a tip, it gets better). You won't go far wrong watching the whole series, but the real meat comes in seasons 2-5. The stakes are high, the drama is well executed, and there are plenty of pitfalls for the characters. After that, it starts to tail off. In seasons 6 and 7 the show starts to go from left-leaning political drama and turns into liberal-fantasyland. The show starts having President Bartlett come up with magical solutions for the country's and world's most enduring problems. I'm not going to go through and review each individual season, but here's the rough idea: - Season 1 = 6/10 - Seasons 2-5 = 9/10 - Seasons 6-7 = 7/10

The opening season to the acclaimed drama followed the administration of President Bartlett and their first year in the oval office. On occasions the show arguably gave a slightly idealistic portrayal of what those in power are like but with a fantastic cast, that included Hollywood heavyweights Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe, it quickly established itself as one of the smartest and most intelligent shows seen on TV in a long time. Being a character lead drama The West Wing was obviously not going to be for everybody, particularly those that prefer action to dialogue heavy scenes. Aaron Sorkin's scripts were however fast paced, witty and even humorous in places allowing the focus to remain firmly on the well realised characters and their attempts to deal with apparently endless demands of working in the White House. The stories were complex, knowledge of US politics or having Wikipedia on stand-by was essential, and based firmly in reality. Any concerns one may have as to how a political based show would hold up when this first season is now over ten years old are unfounded and the issues raised are every bit as relevant today, most likely promoting many a debate amongst family or friends watching alongside you. Give it four or five episodes and those interested in thought provoking drama will be hooked.

Unfortunately, this has been a bland show with a very skewed telling on internal dealings. As a part time political editor, the sheer amount of dramtic juxtaposition present is somewhat unbelievable. Whilst we're not business-like all the time. A degree of proffesionality within any public sector is expected. Whilst dwelling into private lives as well; it offers the textbook, stressed situation. I do, however praise the good, subtle acting. Even if it feels that the actors aren't quite throwing themselves into their respective roles. Oh well, maybe another political drama might satisfy the grey areas and not the grittiness of work in public sectors.