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Monday, May 31, 2004

West Wing Marathon 

Bravo is running a Memorial Day West Wing marathon today, counting down the top 10 viewer-selected episodes from the first four seasons. My personal top 10 (I'm a huge fan) differs from the ones aired, so I thought I'd list them here.

1. 17 People (S2): Toby steals the show and cements himself as the "voice of reason" in the Bartlett Administration. Even though this ep is a downer, I never tire of watching it.

2. Bartlett for America (S3): Christmas eps are always good ones, and this is the creme de le creme. Leo is in trouble and Josh tries to pull out all the stops to rescue him.

3. In Excelsis Deo (S1): The first Christmas Ep. Toby is again the focal point, and that's usually a good thing. The ending was the first of many outstanding montages in the series' history.

4. Let Bartlett Be Bartlett (S1): The gang serves at the pleasure of the president. Leo puts Bartlett in his place. West Wing idealism burns bight.

5. In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Parts I and II) (S2): The Season Two premier splices the aftermath of the Rosslyn shooting with the early days of the Bartlett campaign.

6. Game On (S4): Bartlett's smugness usually turns me off. But it worked against GOP candidate Ritchie (maybe because I don't like James Brolin).

7. Posse Comitatus (S3): Another ending montage. Plus, Bartlett delivers one of the show's best-ever lines in his first onscreen encounter with Ritchie.

8. Commencement (S4): The last part of the show was an intentional blur. The mood, the setting, the music, the character interactions... it should have been the season finale.

9. Dead Irish Writers (S3): Subtle blend of humor and serious issues, complete with a Lord John Marbury appearance (which usually does the former).

10. The Supremes (S5): A great non-partisan episode that saw the return of TWW Idealism, and illustrated how government can still work.

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