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SHOW: West Wing Weekly
HOSTS: Joshua Malina, Hrishikesh Hirway
NETWORK: None
HOSTS: Joshua Malina, Hrishikesh Hirway
NETWORK: None
EPISODE BEING DISCUSSED: "Pilot"
It is likely that you cannot turn on a TV without being bombarded with some news of who's running for president in America. The news is overwhelming, and it only adds to the obviousness that people are turning their eyes back onto the Emmy-winning series The West Wing. Thanks in part to it being readily available on Netflix, there have been a crop of shows that have popped up over the past year dedicated in some capacity to dissecting the show, which may serve as a commentary for society over 10 years ago, but still feels relevant. Of course, it also just helps that it is one of the finest things that Aaron Sorkin has ever been involved with.
So, what makes West Wing Weekly worth checking out? For starters, the pedigree behind the microphones should get you a little excited. Hrishikesh Hirway has made a name for himself thanks to the great Song Exploder: a show that dissects the inspiration behind every note in a song. While Hirway's work may be more recognizable to music, his venture into TV critique looks to be promising as he brings Scandal star Joshua Malina on board to discuss his old show. That's right, Malina was on The West Wing... though not for the first few seasons (he was busy on Sorkin's other show Sports Night).
Malina's history with the show allows the lightweight first episode to have some interesting substance, especially as Malina shares his personal story about how he wanted to play speech writer Sam Seaborne (played by Rob Lowe) and also joking about how Sorking stole the basis for Josh Lyman's name from him. As fans who have viewed "Pilot" will know, there's not a lot besides introductions to the series, so the analysis isn't quite as inspired or deep yet as it likely will be sooner than later. Even then, it gives us a chance to know the co-hosts, who are both watching it as various degrees of fans. The real question will be if they bring in The West Wing cast and crew later on to really make the show stand out.
While not terribly present, the show also features sound clips that are both pulled from the series and current events. There is a humorous note that The West Wing's first line of dialogue is two product placements; and later we hear President Bartlett's grand introduction. However, there's a certain tie to modern candidates, such as Ted Cruz (not related to his recent The American President quoting) discussing similar policies to the main drive of the story. Considering that The West Wing is by default a political show, one can only imagine that this will be a frequent thing. Surprisingly, it doesn't distract from the show so much as it reflects the lasting impact more vividly.
For fans of The West Wing, it does seem likely that this will be an interesting take. While there's a handful of shows already out there, few have as such privileged perspective. It may only be time until the show proves itself as being a resourceful tool to explaining Sorkin fandom much like other shows have done for Tom Hanks (Hanks for the Memories) or Denzel Washington (Denzel Washington is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period). It may be too much to dream for after only one episode, but it does leave a lo of potential for whatever is to come.
OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: If you are a fan of The West Wing and enjoy recap culture, then I don't see why not. While the first episode may not offer a lot of insight into how they will discuss the show, the two make for a lively pair and already sound like they promise a fresh perspective on a show that has been discussed with some frequency on podcasts lately.
It is likely that you cannot turn on a TV without being bombarded with some news of who's running for president in America. The news is overwhelming, and it only adds to the obviousness that people are turning their eyes back onto the Emmy-winning series The West Wing. Thanks in part to it being readily available on Netflix, there have been a crop of shows that have popped up over the past year dedicated in some capacity to dissecting the show, which may serve as a commentary for society over 10 years ago, but still feels relevant. Of course, it also just helps that it is one of the finest things that Aaron Sorkin has ever been involved with.
So, what makes West Wing Weekly worth checking out? For starters, the pedigree behind the microphones should get you a little excited. Hrishikesh Hirway has made a name for himself thanks to the great Song Exploder: a show that dissects the inspiration behind every note in a song. While Hirway's work may be more recognizable to music, his venture into TV critique looks to be promising as he brings Scandal star Joshua Malina on board to discuss his old show. That's right, Malina was on The West Wing... though not for the first few seasons (he was busy on Sorkin's other show Sports Night).
Malina's history with the show allows the lightweight first episode to have some interesting substance, especially as Malina shares his personal story about how he wanted to play speech writer Sam Seaborne (played by Rob Lowe) and also joking about how Sorking stole the basis for Josh Lyman's name from him. As fans who have viewed "Pilot" will know, there's not a lot besides introductions to the series, so the analysis isn't quite as inspired or deep yet as it likely will be sooner than later. Even then, it gives us a chance to know the co-hosts, who are both watching it as various degrees of fans. The real question will be if they bring in The West Wing cast and crew later on to really make the show stand out.
While not terribly present, the show also features sound clips that are both pulled from the series and current events. There is a humorous note that The West Wing's first line of dialogue is two product placements; and later we hear President Bartlett's grand introduction. However, there's a certain tie to modern candidates, such as Ted Cruz (not related to his recent The American President quoting) discussing similar policies to the main drive of the story. Considering that The West Wing is by default a political show, one can only imagine that this will be a frequent thing. Surprisingly, it doesn't distract from the show so much as it reflects the lasting impact more vividly.
For fans of The West Wing, it does seem likely that this will be an interesting take. While there's a handful of shows already out there, few have as such privileged perspective. It may only be time until the show proves itself as being a resourceful tool to explaining Sorkin fandom much like other shows have done for Tom Hanks (Hanks for the Memories) or Denzel Washington (Denzel Washington is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period). It may be too much to dream for after only one episode, but it does leave a lo of potential for whatever is to come.
OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: If you are a fan of The West Wing and enjoy recap culture, then I don't see why not. While the first episode may not offer a lot of insight into how they will discuss the show, the two make for a lively pair and already sound like they promise a fresh perspective on a show that has been discussed with some frequency on podcasts lately.
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