The West Wing - does it still hold up, worth a first time watch?

I'm a true blue conservative Republican and, while there were moments in the show that made me roll my eyes, I absolutely think it's one of the best TV shows ever made. The first four seasons are truly incredible and, while there is a drop off after Sorkin left, the drop off is not really that bad. The series has a very satisfying conclusion and really makes you wish they would have continued the show with the new administration that takes office in the series finale.

It's been about six years or so since I finished binge watching the series on Netflix and couldn't recommend it enough.

I was thinking about doing the same recently. Then I saw that there are 156 episodes at 44 minutes a pop. I know it's regarded as one of the best shows ever, but that amount of time is a bit daunting.

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I was thinking about doing the same recently. Then I saw that there are 156 episodes at 44 minutes a pop. I know it's regarded as one of the best shows ever, but that amount of time is a bit daunting.

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Yeah I think I actually tried to start it a few years back, but didn’t want to invest the time in it at that moment. If I just watch an episode at lunch it will take me months to finish it.

Yes.

It’s one of the best shows ever made and I always enjoy a rewatch.

Don’t let the politics scare you off either, these are very sane democrats actually prioritizing the country.

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I'm a true blue conservative Republican and, while there were moments in the show that made me roll my eyes, I absolutely think it's one of the best TV shows ever made. The first four seasons are truly incredible and, while there is a drop off after Sorkin left, the drop off is not really that bad. The series has a very satisfying conclusion and really makes you wish they would have continued the show with the new administration that takes office in the series finale.

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Conservative...agree with all of this. It is my favorite show

It's really good. Certainly top 5 for me.

But a note -

I haven't tried a serious watch during the Trump era. I'm sure nothing would change for me. But I kind of wonder if it's too alien to our current political process to seem realistic for many. And not just the cordial/substantive ways the parties debate, but the absence of jadedness and doubt in the system.

I feel like someone watching it for the first time in the current environment might not only say "this isn't realistic based on today's politics" but worse, might say "this is a romanticized Sorkin version of a political system that never really existed." I'm not saying that's true, but we're way beyond "where have all the statesmen gone" to now "there were never any statesmen to begin with...all of this is controlled by deep state actors unaccountable to any of us, etc."

It is an election year, so I'll at least be watching the final Santos vs. Vinick season.

High praise all around. What’s weird is that I’ve literally seen every show & movie he’s written/produced except for The west wing, which is arguably his most notable work.

Conservative here and I loved all 7 seasons. Didn't initially love the Santos episodes but they all grew on me.

I burned out a bit because I watched it too many times.

They really don't paint all Republicans as evil. Mostly one radical right wing minister and Speaker Haffley.

A few times they show Democrats could be assholes too when the crushed a guy trying to get some bipartisan support for a bill.

Cast is fantastic with great chemistry. You might feel a few episodes are preachy.

The thing that is startling about watching it is that they always talk about millions. This show pisses me off now when I watch it because in a very short time, Congress went from fighting over millions to not giving a crap how many billions they spend.

There are maybe a handful of shows that should be watched while disregarding everyone’s opinion especially from critics, West Wing is one of those shows. A ton of content from it is still very relatable today.