Favorite West Wing Moments ~ @AuthorKristina Knight

I've been binge-watching The West Wing since...well, just before Christmas. I watched it during its original series run, of course, and I loved it, but it's grown on me over the past couple of years. I like the snappy dialogue, of course, and I love the characterization of President Jed Bartlett as a man who is trying to do his best...but falls short of it many times.

I like to think the men who have sat in the Oval Office, in the real world, are doing their best and falling short. Sometimes I have better luck with that thinking than others, and I'll stop that train of thought right there because this isn't a political rant kind of post. It's more of a love post, because every time I watch the series I find something new to love about it.

There are the romances, of course: the excruciatingly slow-burn of the Josh/Donna relationship (and the fact that actors Janel Maloney and Bradley Whitford are real-life friends makes it even better), the love affair between Zoe and Charlie ... Sam accidentally sleeping with a prostitute and their subsequent friendship (and the fact that he fell for her...just a little bit).

There are the battles, too. Like when Sam and Josh are called to testify against Leo..and the fight between Leo and the president, just before Leo's heart attack. And Toby...oh, he might have been the best at drawing on his righteous anger in defense of what he saw as right.

But the friendships, I think, are my favorite parts of the show. The last two seasons, I think, highlight the friendships the best.

For example, the friendship between Charlie and the President. Okay, it's more of a father/son relationship than a 'hey, let's go get a beer' friendship, but it holds some of my favorite moments - like when Charlie has to wake up the President after he's gotten only a couple hours of sleep:



And then there is the bantering of Josh and Sam, Sam and Toby, CJ and Josh - when CJ calls out Josh on dabbling in his online fandom, I still get a giggle.



And the unlikely friendship between Sam and Ainsley - I still kind of wish they'd have had a romance...



Okay, are you a West Wing watcher? Do you have a favorite scene or character?

~ Kristina