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andyfox

06-08-2005, 11:02 PM

Mrs. Landingham's funeral on The West Wing. Sheen's lecturing of God in the National Cathedral was electrifying. A wonderful episode from a terrific show.

Dominic

06-08-2005, 11:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Mrs. Landingham's funeral on The West Wing. Sheen's lecturing of God in the National Cathedral was electrifying. A wonderful episode from a terrific show.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was one of the editors on that episode. So thanks! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Joshssj4

06-08-2005, 11:10 PM

I don't get the question at hand.
Best TV Show or episode?

Oski

06-08-2005, 11:11 PM

Paluka

06-08-2005, 11:16 PM

Andy-

First of all, I can't believe you aren't accepting private messages.
Second, if you don't have all the West Wings on dvd you should. Seasons 1-4 are amazing and should be watched in order. You are one of my favorite posters and it pains me to think maybe you have not watched these.

Dominic

06-08-2005, 11:22 PM

BruceZ

06-08-2005, 11:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Mrs. Landingham's funeral on The West Wing. Sheen's lecturing of God in the National Cathedral was electrifying. A wonderful episode from a terrific show.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was one of the editors on that episode. So thanks! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I've already stated that I thought "Posse Commitatus" at the end of the 2002 season of the Left Wing /images/graemlins/laugh.gif was the best episode of any TV show ever. Here is some dialog between President Bartlet and his chief of staff Leo McGarrey about whether they should assassinate the Qumari defense minister whom he met with earlier that day:

Bartlet: Civilians get trials.

Leo: I'd argue he's not a civilian. So would the Attorney General.

...

Bartlet: I want him tried.

Leo: That can't happen.

Bartlet: I understand.

Leo: I was talking this morning about how Mallory names all the lobsters in the tank [so he can't eat them].

Bartlet: Yeah.

Leo: Would it be helpful if I brought you a list of Shareef's victims?

...

Leo: I have 2 minutes sir.

Bartlet: This isn't about religion.

Leo: Isn't it?

Bartlet: I recognize there is evil in the world.

Leo: What is your objection exactly sir?

Bartlet: Doesn't this mean that we join the league of ordinary nations?

Leo: That's your objection? I won't have any trouble saying the Pledge of Allegiance tomorrow.

Bartlet: It's not my objection. It's just wrong. It's absolutely wrong.

Leo: I know. You should do it anyway.

Bartlet: Why?

Leo: Because you won.

Bartlet: (with face in shadow) Take him.

They then show the defense minister getting off the plane in Bermuda and being gunned down, interspersed with scenes from the stage play Bartlet is watching as they sing his favorite lyrics of the song Patriotic Chorus "Victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace", and ends with Bartlet's head in shadow behind a curtain.

Of all the episodes, I saved this one on my DVR. Give my congratulations to whoever edited these scenes at the end of this episode. I'm sure you are all very talented.

shadow29

06-08-2005, 11:56 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Seasons 1-4 are amazing and should be watched in order.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seconded.

Too bad the show is a shadow of itself now.

Here's that scene from Two Cathedrals:

BARTLET
Leo, would you do me a favor?

LEO
Yeah?

BARTLET
[motions to the agents] Would you ask the agents to seal the cathedral for a minute?

Leo looks at him.

LEO
Yeah.

Leo walks towards the agents. As Bartlet waits, we hear the sound of several heavy
doors closing. Bartlet turns back towards the altar.

BARTLET
[tired] You're a son of a bitch, you know that?

He slowly walks up the center aisle.

BARTLET
She bought her first new car and you hit her with a drunk driver. What, was that
supposed to be funny? "You can't conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the
mercy of God," says Graham Greene. I don't know who's ass he was kissing there 'cause
I think you're just vindictive. What was Josh Lyman? A warning shot? That was my son.
What did I ever do to yours but praise his glory and praise his name? There's a
tropical storm that's gaining speed and power. They say we haven't had a storm this
bad since you took out that tender ship of mine in the north Atlantic last year...
68 crew. You know what a tender ship does? Fixes the other ships. Doesn't even carry
guns. Just goes around, fixes the other ships and delivers that mail. That's all it
can do. [angry] Gratias tibi ago, domine. Yes, I lied. It was a sin. [holds out arms]
I've committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug? 3.8 million new
jobs, that wasn't good? Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new
acres of land for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we're not fighting a war,
I've raised three children...

He ascends the stairs to the Inner Sanctuary.

BARTLET
[pleading] That's not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? Haec credam a deo pio?
A deo iusto? A deo scito?

He stops at the top of the stairs and extends his arms.

BARTLET
Cruciatus in crucem! Tuus in terra servus nuntius fui officium perfeci. [angry]
Cruciatus in crucem. [waves dismissively] Eas in crucem!

Bartlet turns away in anger. He descends to the lower sanctuary and lights a cigarette.
He takes a single puff, drops the butt to the floor, and grinds it defiantly with his
shoe. He looks back at the altar.

Transcript Site (http://communicationsoffice.tripod.com/index1.html)

andyfox

06-09-2005, 01:12 AM

Yes, also a remarkable episode. I also liked the one where Mrs.Landingham talks about how her sons were killed in Vietnam and Toby's business card ends up in the coat pocket of a homeless man who died. Turns out Toby had donated the coat to the Salvation Army and left his card in the pocket. He comes to find out the homeless man was a Korean war vet and was thus entitled to be buried at Arlington. Toby and Mrs. Landingham go to the funeral together. Very touching and, as ever, so well done.

Dominic

06-09-2005, 01:12 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Mrs. Landingham's funeral on The West Wing. Sheen's lecturing of God in the National Cathedral was electrifying. A wonderful episode from a terrific show.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was one of the editors on that episode. So thanks! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I've already stated that I thought "Posse Commitatus" at the end of the 2002 season of the Left Wing /images/graemlins/laugh.gif was the best episode of any TV show ever. Here is some dialog between President Bartlet and his chief of staff Leo McGarrey about whether they should assassinate the Qumari defense minister whom he met with earlier that day:

Bartlet: Civilians get trials.

Leo: I'd argue he's not a civilian. So would the Attorney General.

...

Bartlet: I want him tried.

Leo: That can't happen.

Bartlet: I understand.

Leo: I was talking this morning about how Mallory names all the lobsters in the tank [so he can't eat them].

Bartlet: Yeah.

Leo: Would it be helpful if I brought you a list of Shareef's victims?

...

Leo: I have 2 minutes sir.

Bartlet: This isn't about religion.

Leo: Isn't it?

Bartlet: I recognize there is evil in the world.

Leo: What is your objection exactly sir?

Bartlet: Doesn't this mean that we join the league of ordinary nations?

Leo: That's your objection? I won't have any trouble saying the Pledge of Allegiance tomorrow.

Bartlet: It's not my objection. It's just wrong. It's absolutely wrong.

Leo: I know. You should do it anyway.

Bartlet: Why?

Leo: Because you won.

Bartlet: (with face in shadow) Take him.

They then show the defense minister getting off the plane in Bermuda and being gunned down, interspersed with scenes from the stage play Bartlet is watching as they sing his favorite lyrics of the song Patriotic Chorus "Victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace", and ends with Bartlet's head in shadow behind a curtain.

Of all the episodes, I saved this one on my DVR. Give my congratulations to whoever edited these scenes at the end of this episode. I'm sure you are all very talented.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't work on that episode...it is a great one, though.

BruceZ

06-09-2005, 01:24 AM

Maybe you can tell us a little bit about what is like to work on the West Wing. I for one would be interested in hearing about it.

Do you still work on it? Do you know Aaron Sorkin well? How about Richard Schiff who plays Toby, my favorite character. What is it like to work with them?

andyfox

06-09-2005, 01:40 AM

Richard Schiff's child attended school with my son for a few years. He's a nice guy, quiet, less "dark" than his character on the show, unfailingly polite and gracious.

BWebb

06-09-2005, 01:58 AM

I concur. I started a thread a while back where I said this was the best single episode of any show ever aired on tv. Now that you agree, I must have been right.

P.S. If you haven't, you have to get all the seasons on DVD. There are a ton of great episodes.

bennyk

06-09-2005, 02:05 AM

Of course, i agree with you here.

Doesn't it seem like they play this episode every 3 weeks though?

My entire West Wing experience consists of the 5-6 episodes that come before/after this (great) one. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

guess i'll have to bite the bullet and ebay the dvd's
bk

Unnecessary nh

06-09-2005, 02:07 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Andy-

First of all, I can't believe you aren't accepting private messages.

[/ QUOTE ]

nh

BruceZ

06-09-2005, 02:14 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Of course, i agree with you here.

Doesn't it seem like they play this episode every 3 weeks though?

My entire West Wing experience consists of the 5-6 episodes that come before/after this (great) one. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

guess i'll have to bite the bullet and ebay the dvd's
bk

[/ QUOTE ]

You can download individual episodes from the sites listed at this link (http://communicationsoffice.tripod.com/index1.html) which shadow29 provided (thanks). Also,
Bravo runs a lot of repeats.

bennyk

06-09-2005, 02:31 AM

Yeah, i see the reruns on Bravo all the time, but it drives me nuts when they start over somewhere arbitrary in the timeline.

Also, i'd like to have the dvd's /images/graemlins/grin.gif
bk

TimTimSalabim

06-09-2005, 03:27 AM

Best TV show ever: Homicide: Life on the Street

youtalkfunny

06-09-2005, 05:36 AM

I recently saw "Band of Brothers", and the concentration camp episode is the best tv show I've ever seen.

But the next five or ten on my list are probably West Wings.

ericd

06-09-2005, 06:47 AM

For comedy I nominate a couple of old ones:

1. The final episode of Newhart. They sure fooled me.

2. Chuckles the clown's funeral on Mary Tyler Moore.

tomahawk

06-09-2005, 08:53 AM

The West Wing is awesome. But my vote for this award would have to go to Tony and his families. And it's not close /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Dominic

06-09-2005, 10:27 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe you can tell us a little bit about what is like to work on the West Wing. I for one would be interested in hearing about it.

Do you still work on it? Do you know Aaron Sorkin well? How about Richard Schiff who plays Toby, my favorite character. What is it like to work with them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Working on the West Wing was great. I was one of the editors on the first two seasons. We all knew how good it was from the beginning.

I would really only communicate with Aaron Sorkin (great guy, ridiculously smart, very particular) the script supervisor, various producers, the Head Editor and my post supervisor. I only visited the set once. The first season was a little more fun, as the editors had a little more leeway in cutting the show - more creative input. By the second season, Sorkin was a lot more comfortable in the editing room and had very definite ideas on how he would want scenes cut.

Editing episodic television, while lucrative, is not very creative. Once the show has been created, there is a template you must follow - so it's really more like an assembly after awhile, than a true editing job.

Editors very rarely do anything or go anywhere other than their little black hole in the post studio where there editing system is - it's one of the reasons I stopped editing - I like production better than post production.

I do know Richard Schiff rather well, however....we knew one another before "The West Wing." We worked on a commercial together many years ago, and we still play golf regularly (well, we did- before I moved to Vegas). He's the only cast member I know or have met more than once or twice. And to let you in on how good an actor he is, he is NOTHING like the character of Toby. At all. He's incredibly nice and warm and very funny.

I do feel that The West Wing is the best television drama ever, and I'm proud to have been a small part of it's success. And I'm glad to give you insight into it.

Dominic

06-09-2005, 10:29 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I recently saw "Band of Brothers", and the concentration camp episode is the best tv show I've ever seen.

But the next five or ten on my list are probably West Wings.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have Band of Brothers on DVD. It is quite possibly the best film - (feature film, TV, whatever) that I have ever seen. Amazing in every way. I would've killed to been able to work on that.

BruceZ

06-10-2005, 02:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
And to let you in on how good an actor he is, he is NOTHING like the character of Toby. At all. He's incredibly nice and warm and very funny.

[/ QUOTE ]

He must be really nice then since I think Toby Ziegler is nice and funny. Of course we engineers have different standards for that sort of thing. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anyway, thanks for the info. Fascinating stuff.