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The West Wing: Complete Season 5 [2001]

RRP: £61.99
Our Price: £14.99 (subject to change)

Possibly the best season so far...
Review date: 2008-04-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I'd advise potential buyers to be wary of some of the negative comments concerning this season. There seems to have been a campaign of sorts (be it orchestrated or accidental) to denigrate the show in the post-Aaron Sorkin & Rob Lowe era, which has generated a consensus among fans. Here, so the received wisdom goes, is the point at which the series fell into decline. Well, my own experience has been completely at odds this view.

Firstly, on the issue of storytelling, Season Five does coincide with a marked change in tone and style. There is, on the whole, less narrative innovation. Episodes typically follow a conventional path. On the plus-side, this means the scripts are generally less showy, and more story-centred. Also the dialogue is, for the most part, a good deal less comedic, although it must be emphasised that this does not mean there's no humour at all. There are in fact still plenty of witty lines, just a decrease in the number of those super-articulate (but sometimes glibly reductionist) exchanges that used to pass for dialogue in Seasons 1-4.

The over-riding contrast between this and previous seasons, however, is that it is more serious. By this, I don't mean that it takes itself more seriously - I think Aaron Sorkin took himself pretty seriously, too - but rather that the mode of expression places more emphasis on the dramatic, and less on the comedic. Suddenly in this season we see genuine tensions between the characters to which we just haven't been privy before, and the result is a more rounded, more grounded and more believable viewing experience. The relationships are, in essence, more human and better realised.

On the political front, Season Five is a good deal more sober and more determinedly left-wing than any of the previous seasons. "Liberal" is a dirty word in America these days (I always wonder if this makes the Statue of Liberty fee uneasy...), but I'm pleased to say that Season Five is a truly liberal-minded show. By which, I mean to say it is free from some of the reactionary nonsense that plagued the former seasons. It is puzzling to read people on other review sites (although, it seems, not this one) commenting on the show's increasingly right-wing slant. Let me state here that this is categorically NOT the case. This is the most avowedly liberal of all the seasons so far.

Aaron Sorkin is a an original stylist who brings considerable linguistic verve and intelligence to his scripts. He has a democrat's brain for domestic policy, but a NeoCon's heart for foreign policy. Hence we get Leo McGarry proposing (perhaps in jest, but nevertheless) that Middle Eastern extremism might only stop when a US flag flies over Mecca. This is profoundly offensive - not least to Americans, most of whom I'm sure do not wish to be associated with this kind of militant rhetoric. It is also a deeply foolish comment, and therefore unlikely to have issued from the mouth of someone like McGarry. Thankfully, Season Five redresses the balance on these kinds of issues.

The detective writer Raymond Chandler used to say that when in doubt, have a guy walk into the room with a gun. Sorkin's own version of this was to have a terrorist attack, or some interminable colloquy between the President, McGarry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Situation Room. Many of these scenes were the dullest in the show - Seasons 3 and 4 in particular were plagued with them. If you're going to tackle the issue of terrorism and war, then you owe it to the audience to deal with these themes in an adult manner. This, sadly, seemed beyond Sorkin's reach - and I think this was the case both before and after 9/11. Sorkin always preferred demagoguery to actual debate, and on the issue of American foreign policy, he was unwilling or unable to countenance the possibility of real moral grey areas.

I believe the exit of Sorkin was the saving grace of this show. It relieved the actors of the task of uttering yet more reactionary comments (which always seemed at odds with their other views; Leo McGarry being the best example of this) , and it permitted Sorkin's creation to finally outgrow its creator. The result is a more responsible and more even-handed show. It is still of course an idealised view of the American presidency (as, indeed, it should be), but it is less fawningly worshipful of power, of military strength, or of simple soundbite solutions and ideas. It is, ultimately, more grown-up. And contrary to what you might hear, it's still very entertaining.

Reviews

loved 1-4,6,7 five is a disappointment snoozer missing the magic
Review date: 2008-01-12 Rating: 4 out of 10

I'm a great fam of the West Wing and loved the magic of 1-4, 6,7 but series five was a complete snoozer. For some reason the magic is missing. I can remember my favourite episodes from the other series but there is nothing that stands out in series five. Nothing really happens. Totally boring.

A Little Mediocre...
Review date: 2007-03-12 Rating: 6 out of 10

The fifth season picks up where the fourth left off; with Bartlet's voluntary resignation during Zoey's kidnapping. By all means, the situation is handled well, and resolved in a manner befitting the series; though slightly quicker than expected. In a matter of minutes of viewing time, the crisis is resolved, almost as if the screenwriters wanted to continue onto other things. One wonders why, as there aren't really much more interesting things coming up.

With the emergency out of the way, the administration soldiers on, but one can already now see the effects of the exit of writer Aaron Sorkin - particularly with regards to the actual lines delivered by the actors. They're just not quite as good. It's not too noticeable yet, but the single episodes just don't hold their own in a season of 22 anymore; only one episode in this collection is worth hailing as a separate marvel: "The Supremes", guest starring the brilliant Glenn Close. The others are "all right", but not really anything to write home about.

There are political struggles between the White House and Congress, but that's nothing new. There are still quick and funny lines between the characters, but they've lost something. There's still great acting, but the performance is weakened somewhat by the plot, which just isn't as interesting as in previous seasons.

It's a must-have, of course, on a shelf already packed with seasons 1 through 4; you just can't leave with the kidnapping cliffhanger Sorkin provided upon his exit. And there's nothing to stop you from buying this season; it's really quite all right. It's just not the best.

Still Outshines Most Other TV By Leagues
Review date: 2006-05-22 Rating: 8 out of 10

No one should claim that Season 5 of the West Wing matches up to the highs of the earlier seasons, particularly 1-3. The episodes tend to be slightly more disjointed, occassionally irreverant, and certainly less gripping than those of the West Wing at its peak. As happened towards the end of Season 4, there is an altogether unnecessary tendency to use time jumps within episodes, which can both be confusing and break up the flow of the plot in a rather ineffective way. Also, as mentioned in an earlier review, Kate Harper enters the series as a thoroughly redundant and one dimensional character who cannot hope to match Fitzwallace or Nancy McNally in terms of security advisors.

Nevertheless, as the title says, the flaws still don't prevent the series from outshining the vast majority of other drama series by some distance. The characters remain as brilliantly conceived and performed as ever, and the story lines are still excellent if not so perfectly executed. Never even consider letting the drawbacks prevent you from watching or buying, simply be aware that its not the West Wing at its finest, which is hardly a mighty criticism.

Let the demise begin
Review date: 2006-03-22 Rating: 6 out of 10

Series 5 was the last of the 6 box sets i got, having recieved 1 and 6 for christmas and noticing the quality difference between the two i decided to get Sorkins west wing first. This series starts off well enough and the story about the shutdown was good but it just didnt feel right and missed the character based shows of sorkin. not a complete disapointment but series 1-3 are just so much better. this series also brings the entrance of the completely pointless character of kate harper.

Product Details/Specifications

Actor(s):
Martin Sheen

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900695237
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 6
Format: Box set, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2005-04-25
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 990 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2001-07-06
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Hebrew (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)

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The West Wing: Complete Season 5 [2001]

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