The West Wing: Season One

Warner | minutes | | | Standard DVD reviewed by: Matt Brighton

I remember flipping through the channels a few years back (turns out it was 1999) and coming across a television show called “The West Wing”. I watched it, liked it and waited for the next week to see if it was good every week, or I had just stumbled across a good episode. It was good the next week, and the week after…The big name talent didn’t hurt, led by Rob Lowe and Martin Sheen (as the President) and written by Aaron Sorkin. Sorkin is the man behind such Hollywood blockbusters “The American President” and “A Few Good Men”. Sheen played a major part in “American President”, but it was Michael Douglas who was the Commander-In-Chief then, and not Sheen. The show has a mix of humor (and I hesitate to use the word “quirky” as I’ve read a few reviews of this myself and nearly everyone uses it), drama and even some action. The show is like living a day in the life of the people who run our country; though a “normal” Presidency, not like the comic book characters of late who have been elected to run our nation.

When “The West Wing” began to get popular and start winning awards, however, I tuned out. For some reason, I dislike shows that are “critically acclaimed” except for “The Simpsons”. Yet, I still watch it every now and then just to see a good television drama. The show now, though, is different. Only four years have passed, but my how our nation has changed. The show, too, has changed with the exit of major players Rob Lowe and writer Aaron Sorkin. It’s Lowe, though, who’s having the last laugh as he’s already landed another show “The Lion’s Den”; time will tell what success follows that show. Very few shows have the intense talent and writing that this had in its first season and only a handful of shows remain around after their key talent has left. For those of you out there that find politics interesting, this might be like watching a history class come to life. They do use words like “filibuster” and it’s all a matter of perspective as to how powerful one person is. One thing is for sure, though – the show is worth watching and if you’re in the mood for a good political drama, this might be it. And it’s longer than your average movie, so that’s good as well!

Though the newer episodes are presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio (even on broadcast television), the first season was shot in a “normal TV standard” of 1.33:1. The episodes look fairly decent, though for a major network show with a lot of money attached to it, I was somehow expecting a bit more. Black levels are fine, on target; but there were some marks on the transfer and though not too evident, it caught my attention. I’ve seen shows from TV on DVD and they’ve blown me away as to how good they’ve looked. This really isn’t the case here. The episodes aren’t that old and I have to say that I was a little less than impressed. Still, they do look good, just not as good as one might hope.

Only a Dolby Digital Stereo mix is included as it was aired on television. As with the video, these didn’t really “blow me away”; then again they weren’t really supposed to. A political show isn’t one that you use as reference material, but for some reason I was expecting a bit more here. Dialogue is clear, though the show has somewhat of a “Robert Altman” tendency, with the overlapping dialogue. This may sound a bit muddled on your speakers, but it is as the show was intended to sound. Surrounds are matrixed and though there isn’t much happening “back there”, you will notice them a few times during the course of the season (set). So while not “bad” sound-wise, these weren’t anything that stood out as being great, either.

Television shows usually don’t have a whole lot associated with them and though “The West Wing” does have some supplements, they’re nothing we haven’t seen before. Commentary tracks for five of the episodes (including the pilot) are included and though there is a vast array of content on them, I found them all somewhat to be saying the same thing. The pilot episode was probably the most informative as they tell how the show got started, how and who was cast, etc. I feel that only die hard fans will listen to these, but should you want to, they’re there for you. Four featurettes, “The Primaries”, “The Inaguration”, “Capital Beat” and “Sheet Music” do their best to inform the non-informed viewer of what the show is all about. The featurettes tend to get a bit redundant, and even repeat verbatim the material covered by the commentaries, but all in all some pretty good stuff here. Lastly, we have some outtakes, blooper reels (cleverly labeled “Off the Record”) and four deleted scenes. For fans of “The West Wing” your wait is over, it only took as long as one President’s term in office to get them on DVD!