Live Debate on "The West Wing" tonight is going out Live to Both Coasts.

[mcscajun]

TWW is doing TWO separate Live Performances.

So East coasters, don't spoil the fun for the Mountain/Pacific Time Zones. They'll see their own separate Live performance in their own good time. :)

[TheCentepedeShoes]

1. I never watch West Wing

I don't really know why, don't have anything against it. :shrug: But I think this live debate sounds interesting.

[mcscajun]

2. Well...you've missed the heyday...but there's always the DVDs

:)

The first three seasons Were the very best. :)

Writing rarely gets any sharper than what Sorkin did in those years.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. I never watched it, and then I attempted to watch the reruns on Bravo, but

I just don't see all the hoopla. It never hooked me. :hi:

[mtowngman]

4. Who do you like better as an actor?

I think Alda will play a better POTUS in th long run. I'm so Psyched for tonight.

[mcscajun]

5. Alan Alda's definitely the better actor.

But I seem to recall hearing he really didn't want to get tied to another series.

[deadparrot]

6. I'm almost positive this will be the last season,

so I'm not sure it really matters. :shrug:

[mcscajun]

8. Not sure it matters, either, but I actually hope this IS the last season

I don't really have an interest in continuing once much of the main cast is gone.

That said, Zogby was running pre-debate and post-debate polls on this; whether to correlate viewers of the TWW to real life politics, or to give the producers of TWW insight on which candidate should win if they want to continue the show, I don't know.

The producer of this show also produces ER, which has "survived" for over twelve seasons with a constantly rotating cast. You can do this with a hospital-based show, where staff turnover is to be expected. A show based in the WH is different, and in TWW, mostly minor characters (excluding Sam's departure a few seasons ago, the death of Mrs. Landingham, and last week, Toby's frog-march out of the WH) have actually left the show over the seasons. Replacing the majority of the cast in one big jolt and expecting to keep what's left of the viewership (considering how many jumped ship when Bartlet invoked the 25th, and then more again when Leo had his heart attack) is problematic at best.

In the early seasons, I watched for the fantastic writing and pacing of Sorkin's work, and the fine cast. Later, I got attached to Josh, Toby, Sam, C.J., Charlie, and Leo. Sheen makes a fine Bartlet, and the rest of the cast is fine, but if too many of the characters I watch for are gone, so am I. I'd sooner see the show go out in style, than limp along.

[tritsofme]

7. Looks like an interesting episode...

This season has been great!

[MissMillie]

9. It would have been a better episode

if we could have gotten some of the "backstage" reactions from the people running the two campaigns.