(No Longer) Weekly Video Clip: The West Wing

I've been spending a lot of time doing research, looking for jobs, etc. on the Internet; in my flat I can only get the Internet downstairs, which is bad news when I need to be in a quiet space to get stuff done. But, it's good news when I want to watch some TV while I sit on the computer. I've been itching for something familiar and good and lately, I've been watching old episodes of the West Wing.

A long time ago, when the West Wing was still on the air and TV on DVD was in its infancy, I decided that I really really wanted the West Wing on DVD. Except that there was no option for it in the United States. The U.S. was in fact, a little bit behind on this phenomenon in regards to other countries, especially the United Kingdom. So I did some checking and found that the U.K. had the first two seasons on DVD. I think we were probably in the midst of the third season, so this is how long ago it was. Of course the problem was the DVDs were encoded for Region 2, and I was living in a Region 1 world. But, after even more checking and research (thank goodness for slow days and Internet at Cingular Wireless in the early 2000s), I purchased a region free DVD player. Which then allowed me to spend a God-knows-what-and-I-don't-want-to-even-try-to-remember amount of money on said first two seasons of the West Wing from Amazon UK. Of course eventually, about a year or two later, they did finally release the West Wing on DVD in the U.S. I never bought the other seasons, and then my DVD player stopped working, and thus the DVDs started gathering dust.

So flash forward about eight years and I find myself living in a Region 2 world, with a bunch of Region 1 DVDs. Except, and I am sure you have guessed it by now, my lovely lovely West Wing DVDs. So, I brought them back to the U.K. after Christmas and to bring it back to the first paragraph, started watching them.

The West Wing in its heyday makes for some of the best television ever. It is dramatic and funny and well-acted. It is of course, well-written, and I am sure it comes as no surprise that I love it. It was after all, created by Aaron Sorkin, one of my favorites, who will always have a special place in my television heart because of Sports Night. The first two seasons were its heyday, before season three which began its slow drop off. It regained some of its grandeur in the last season, but nothing can match the first two.

I love the show for its fast talking and walking, its look at politics, and for its late '90s, early '00s fashion. I also love it for its ability to make me cry. The clip below is from the second season, "The Stackhouse Filibuster." It is one of my favorite episodes of TV ever. It brings politics, dorky rules and procedures like the filibuster rules, and heart-string pulling all together. The short synopsis is that the White House is about to pass a health care bill, but Senator Stackhouse, a 78- year-old Democrat whom the White House doesn't take seriously, is holding up the vote. The story is told with voice overs of various staffers (CJ, Josh, and Sam) writing their parents. It is finally figured out that he simply wants autism research added to the bill, because he has an autistic grandson. When the White House finally comes to this conclusiont, they decide to help him, which leads to the resulting scene:

In explanation of...

...why I don't post as much as I'd like. It's mainly because right now I'm really busy, but it's a bit more than just busy.  The short of it: I'm still living in London, and trying to find a job in the charity sector.  I'm working full-time someplace else, and trying to apply for jobs and volunteer all at once in my 'free time.'  I really want to post, and I have great 'future post' ideas, but sometimes I'm just not physically able to get to it.  I'm hoping that I get a job soon, so that I don't have to apply for jobs. And boy with that time, you better watch out!

I know I've promised Lost and Battlestar, and I hope I get to write it soon. I've been watching Lost, and I am loving it.  I actually haven't managed to see any of the BSG yet, but I'm hoping to work that at soon.    

But, for now, I've posted a clip for the weekly video clip. This one is from Sports Night, which holds the title of Co-Favorite Television Show EVER in my book.  It's just a short clip where Dan realizes that someone he thought was crazy, wasn't actually crazy. The short story behind this clip is that Bobbi (the girl in the clip) always claimed that Dan spent a 'night of passion' with her in Spain, but then he never called.  Dan has always claimed he never went to Spain, and thus couldn't have done this. This clip exposes some of Dan's "misconceptions" of the situation. 

Here's the clip

This clip doesn't actually show my favorite part, the part which showcases why I love this show so much. Sports Night has a great way of showing a character being wrong, realising it, apologizing, and actually be a better person because of said apology. It's the part where Dan apologizes:  "What a jerk I was.  I should have called you. If my not calling you made you feel like any less than what you are...I'm sorry." To which Bobbi simply says, "Thank you."

Weekly Video Clip: Tobias Funke

Welcome to a new addition on the blog: the Weekly Video Clip, or WVC.  This is, obviously, where I (and Jen) put a video on the blog.  Also, we reserve the right to show more than one clip a week.  Plus, if you can think of a better than that "Weekly Video Clip" do give me the suggestion. 

You Tube is a great thing because it allows us to see clips of things that we thought we might never see again, like great old commercials. It is also a venue for people to show their creativity with editing.  

So, to start of this feature off, here is one of my favorite characters, in one of my favorite shows of all time.  Yes, you had to know I was going to start of with Arrested Development. Specifically, Tobias Funke and his, shall we say, peculiar way of speaking.