Send the Prez to pasture

Play it: The West Wing

So last night saw the end of an era - The West Wing shut it's doors for good after 7 seasons. Some might argue it ended when Aaron Sorkin jumped ship 2002-2003, and merely just hobbled to the finish. The series certainly began suffering before it, and only this year did it make overtures to what made it great at the beginning. The series just parallelled most presidencies... there's a rocky honeymoon period, then the time when things get done (the 4 straight Emmys for best drama,) then about the 5th year, the wheels fall off.

Musically, the series has been back and forth on it's usage of songs, and looking back, it's best years, oddly enough, used a lot more music. When I heard them using "She's Lost Control" by Joy Division in the second episode of the inaugural season, I thought we had another soundtrack juggernaut, but it wasn't to be. The playlist here encompasses the whole 7 years (40 songs.) Last night had Keb' Mo' playing at the inauguration which also saw a guest appearance by Aaron Sorkin himself (in the audience, camera focused on him after the Bartletts.) The episode on the whole, wrapped up the season well, but failed to wrap up the series. Throughout the episode, the goodbyes felt rushed and barely felt. Perhaps everyone had spent their heartfelt goodbyes on fellow cast member John Spencer?

Aaron Sorkin's new series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, had a timely preview (see video below) during the finale, and it looked like a surefire winner. It features West Wing alums Bradley Witford and Timothy Busfield, and a load of others: Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, D.L. Hughley, Steven Weber and Judd Hirsch (does this mean he dies in the finale of this week's Numb3rs, or is he just going to be very busy next year?)



Music on the West Wing, season by season

tags: playlist, television, soundtrack, the west wing, aaron sorkin, studio 60 on the sunset strip