Binge Worthy? Netflix/Amazon Prime

I'm having a hard time with Charlie as a second-tier character, though I guess that is correct. I just have such a great affection for so many characters on that show.

As I watched it again recently, I kept finding moment after moment that I was thinking I forgot how great that was. That was one of them. Nobody forgets Bartlet cursing G-d in the cathedral, but my favorite are scenes like the one you posted and "Babies Come With Hats."

I'm not going to post the latter because we've got people on the thread watching for the first time who haven't gotten there yet. It is great on its own, but so much better in context.

 

It is shockingly good for a network sitcom, especially since it's by Chuck Lorre.

 

The show had an amazing ability to draw characters that sucked you in with a minimal amount of screen time. The congressman who was serving out his late wife's term. Hell, who didn't like Agent Ron Butterfield (Michael O'Neill)? Hell, he was so good I figured he must have been an actual agent.

About the only missteps I can recall were the Moira Kelly character, who never quite took off and the Sam Seaborn escort thing, which dragged on way too long.

That first season though? Nails. Ep. 6 "Mr. Willis" as mentioned above was great, did one of the show's frequent lessons about arcane matter (the census) and had some spot on foreshadowing about what would happen later in the series.

Another favorite of season 1. Actually the one right after Mr. Willis was the Navy fleet caught in the hurricane. An absolutely devastating scene as it occurs in the middle of a state dinner and you can see the discomfort and embarassment of the staff in their formal wear as the President tries to comfort a young radio operator. (Go to the 40 minute mark - the whole episode is terrific). The "hang on" at the end kills me.

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I'm trying to remember if that's the one with Bartlet speaking with his daughter about her Secret Service protection.

Mr. Willis was a well-drawn character. So was Butterfield. Yes, there were missteps like Moira Kelly, but the biggest issue is that sometimes the characters all seem to be too clever. You have to have to suspend your disbelief a little, but if you've heard Aaron Sorkin talk about writing, he starts with a premise that his characters aren't going to be perfectly realistic.

 

Yes. That was the one. I think the cleverness and rapid fire dialogues was a way to get maximum use out of the cast and 45 minutes. Not a lot of montages on that show.

 

I worked in conjunction with that show and as a result was sentenced to spending time with Mr. Seagal.

Let me just say I hope he moves to Russia and stays there. And, the show is crap-tacular.

 

I think the rapid-fire dialog was the reason I didn't get into the show right away. I always teased my daughter when she was watching The Gilmore Girls over and over and over. I told her people just don't talk that way. Nobody has a extensive, all-encompassing answer to a question that is uttered a half-second before. And that's the way The West Wing is, too. Now that I'm into it, I still think it is weird, but I don't mind it as much. Damn sure makes you pay attention.

 

Season 3 stunk.

Glow's OK. I like Debbie more than Ruth. I like Betty Gilpin more than Alison Brie, is a lot of it. I'll come in and out of the show.

 

Netflix shows I've liked:

Wild, Wild Country
The Crown
Ugly Delicious
The Keepers
Bloodline
Making a Murderer
Last Chance U
The End of the Fucking World
Love

 

I'd love to have a "challenge" to find the crappiest thing on Netflix, True Justice is up there with the last Sandler movie.

I'd like Glow better if they focused more on the wrestlers. Like OITNB, you have a rare show created by a woman and a chance to really dig into female characters and give them stuff to do - and you waste plot time on male insecurity. I like Maron, but he shouldn't be a focus of the show.

 

Yeah on Fargo 3? I heard good and bad. Maybe I won't bother.

 

Caught up on Castle Rock. If you're a Stephen King fan, you'll love it. If not, it's still really good.