The West Wing: Season 4

Completes my series set (someone walked off with season 4)

Season four of The West Wing is one of the best of this hit show, with the feel of a steady burn as we move through... Follow the reelection of President Bartlet, the election night tension, one series favorite (Sam) leaving and a new face (Will) joining, an assassination, and a kidnapping. From season start to finish and each individual episode, you’ll move through a riveting time in the life of the White House.One of my personal favorite episodes, the debate, occurs this season - President Bartlett facing off with challenger Ritchie for some great lines and a wonderful volley of ideas. This season also enjoys a visit from FRIEND, Mathew Perry, helping turn the tables on a Vice President whose hubris sets the stage for more drama to come.This is a great season - most are - and among my favorites for individual reasons and an overall masterfully designed show arc. Yes, you should see all seasons in order - it really helps - but just wait til you get here... it’s worth the journey!

I WAS watching this on Prime for over 2 weeks & suddenly Amazon started demanding payment. Bad business Amazon to madden your customers, made me wonder what I'm NOT getting for paying extra for PRIME?

Season 4 of the West Wing is perhaps the most interesting of all 7 as it focuses on the aftermath of the President's self-induced political turmoil (trying not to give too much away).Season 1 is really about finding the early relationships between the characters.Season 2 is the Sam Seaborn trials of ethics and wisdom.Season 3 is CJ's time to shine.Season 4 is about Josh and Toby bringing things home, with Joshua Malina's Will Bailey adding a strong dose of new blood.

This is a Great Series. I recommend it.

Especially today, even if you don’t like politics, this is a show for everyone, it makes you feel and think.Democracy is very fragile, people are working for it every day.Government can be good or bad, hopefully we elect people with a moral compass, who serve the greater good and not themselves.This show shows both kinds of people.

Liked it

This season saw the end of a bright but sadly short-lived era. The West Wing was THE show to watch for four glorious years. There are those out there who might say that the show somehow lost steam in the final year of the Sorkin era, but I say unto you, listen not to them. When a highly regarded show undergoes (or is about to undergo) a major change, it is nitpicked to a great extent, and some people feel compelled to invent problems with it, for whatever reason. It is fortunate for the non-crazy, then, that this year proved so able to produce challenging, powerful drama. This season opens with presidential politics in full swing, President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) campaigning for a second term facing a suspiciously Dubya-looking Republican contender portrayed by James Brolin (okay, he's more like a Bush caricature). After several great campaign-themed episodes at the season's beginning, politics-as-unusual would once again turn up in the halls of power at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.This season's biggest change was Rob Lowe's departure from the show, but that was alright, because we got the super-talented Joshua Malina to replace him. We met Toby's and CJ's dads in "Holy Night" and "The Long Goodbye", respectively. The former continues in the show's tradition of powerful, moving Christmas episodes, the latter is a greatly underrated family drama centering around CJ and her Alzheimer's-stricken father. These episodes pack plenty of emotional power, and there were other great episodes like "20 Hours in America," which tracked Josh, Toby and Donna through Indiana after they lost the motorcade, and "Life on Mars," which led to the departure of John Hoynes as Vice President, thanks to Matthew Perry's guest turn as Joe Quincy. These episodes, in addition to the pulse-pounding final two shows of the season, were only a few of a memorable and consistent year of television that called to mind the show's first season--no grand arcs, just stories and characters and the delightful political mess the White House staff would sort through on a weekly basis. This season brought the series back to its roots and was an appropriate send-off for one of the medium's masters, although it's sad indeed that the send-off in question was needed in the first place. Where have you gone, Aaron?