The West Wing (1999–2006)

Pepa the Pig for Adult Liberals. Or maybe, "Mickey Mouse Takes Office." I can't decide. Perhaps I'm hyper sensitive, having been what equates to an American liberal for most of my life (I'm Danish, and here being liberal puts you on the right, but I've been a lefty for more than forty years), but trying to watch this show instantly fatigues me. Not because of the acting, which is above average, the dialog, which is well-written if overly verbose, not even the stories, which seem implausible but entertaining, and this IS fiction, so you need to allow…

The first edition, indeed season, of this political drama is as good as it gets. Aaron Sorkin has created a monster - in just about every sense - and the cast led by Martin Sheen ("President Bartlet") consistently deliver well as the senior advisors in his administration - alongside some sadly infrequent appearances from his no-nonsense wife (Stockard Channing) - guide us through the daily trials and tribulations accompanying American government. For the most part, the pace is hectic, controlled (sometimes) by the calming, sagacious influence of his…

If every program on TV was this good I'd never leave the house. I have to agree with the reviewers who call this the best drama show ever, at least for entertainment value. Of course, it gets panned often for political reasons by people who perhaps don't watch it enough to see that, yes, it is a liberal administration being represented here, but they often make mistakes and fail in their efforts, so it is hardly a progressive utopia. I write novels in my spare tome, and I like to think my dialogue is a strong point, so I have nothing but admiration for…