Wingnuts!

[damelola]

Let's play a game.

Say that, like the lesser Studio 60, The West Wing only got 22 episodes.  From all 7 seasons, which 22 would you pick to be the ones that survive?  You can provide reasons if you have the time.  (This has been a draft for ages, finally have the internet to publish!)

Here's my list of the 22 that make the cut:

01. Institutional Memory (I want us to talk because I like the sound of your voice // You need a frying pan to the side of your head)
02. Drought Conditions (Can this be one of those nights where we get sloshed and forget we work together?)
03. The Supremes (I love her. I love her mind. I love her shoes.)
04. Somebody's Going To Emergency, Somebody's Going To Jail (what Lincoln called the last full measure of devotion)
05. 18th and Potomac (Aspirin, my brother)
06. Night Five (I don't remember having to explain to Italians that our problem wasn't with them, but with Mussolini!)
07. California 47th (Uh-uh ladies, I saw him first)
08. The Women of Qumar (They're beating the women, Nancy)
09. The State Dinner (and an ego the size of Montana)
10. Mandatory Minimums (Making decisions is my birthright)
11. Take Out The Trash Day (by God, we are going to protect Julia Child.)
12. Debate Camp (Team Toby)
13. Privateers (It's real.)
14. Two Cathedrals (then God, Jed, I don't even wanna know you).
15. And It's Surely To Their Credit (when I write something, I sign my name)
16. 17 People (I would bet all the money in my pockets // I wouldn't stop for red lights)
17. The Leadership Breakfast (with the spicy bouquet that suggests a fine Merlot)
18. Dead Irish Writers (they were all American when I left!)
19. The War At Home (do you have any idea how good a doctor I am? And I can't tell you why.)
20. Ellie (the only thing you ever had to do // how can it be Thursday the whole time?)
21. Gone Quiet (a copy of the Constitutional Order of Succession)
22. Commencement (you're just sad).

That was surprisingly difficult.  Thank God I just made this game up and don't need to trim it down any more!

Comments

[shutterbug-12.livejournal.com]

Well, thanks for making the hardest game in the universe. *g* But, for real: AWESOME game. I actually needed to consult the whole list of episodes, just to be sure I didn't overlook any. My list is, I'm sure, NOT A SHOCKER. Hee. In no particular order (and with no intention of making them make sense in terms of plot or cohesiveness or anything like that):

1. Noel (shocker, I know, complete and utter shock; reason's pretty self explanatory, I think)
2. 20 Hours in America (streets of heaven are too crowded with angels; time zones; I work at the White House; and so many other reasons)
3. Gaza (um, obviously)
4. Memorial Day (obviously, again, and to complete it...)
5. NSF Thurmont (you're still here; I'm still here; he's still there fjadkslhfalfeuj)
6. 17 People (you're not, you're not, you're not one of those people; all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets; red-fucking-lights)
7. In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (backstory goodness, among other things)
8. Crackpots and These Women (big block of cheese and things)
9. Commencement (guh, the last few minutes)
10. Two Cathedrals (...or because you think you're going to lose, then, God, Jed, I don't even want to know you)
11. Women of Qumar (Amy. Enough said.)
12. In Excelsis Deo (everything, pretty much, eeeeeeeeeee)
13. Inauguration: Over There (the bad cop; the bad cop; the bad cop; I love Zoey and I must have her back; the bad cop, that's right)
14. The Supremes (cats on the Supreme Court)
15. King Corn (hurty, hurty goodness, and a unique format to boot)
16. Drought Conditions (roll of pennies in your fist)
17. Election Day I (epic)
18. Election Day 2 (epic continued)
19. Transition (I thought you'd never call; you going to be around)
20. Enemies (You're going to establish Big Sky National Park. I can do this?)
21. Bartlet for America (guy falls into a hole encore; the napkin; God, the napkin, I can't even)
22. Celestial Navigation (pwesident; bwiefed; secret plan to fight inflation)

Quite a few that I still love to death didn't make the cut. But EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FJDSAFKJDSALKFADSJLFKDHLDASFD S

[damelola.livejournal.com]

Oh God, Bartlet for America. I can't believe that wasn't on my final list, but YESYESYES. Isn't this just the hardest game ever?

[shutterbug-12.livejournal.com]

HARDEST GAME EVER, BUT OH SO DELICIOUS. IT'S GETTING ME ALL EXCITED AND MAKES ME WANT TO WRITE THINGS AND WATCH THINGS AND EEEEEEEEE, AND FLAIL WITH PEOPLE. Seriously, people are going to have to spam me soon. I LOVE THIS POST. AND YOU FOR MAKING IT.

[flippet.livejournal.com]

Ooh. You're evil.

I don't have a list, nor the time to make one, and really, I'd have to rewatch THE ENTIRE SERIES just to make one up anyway, so.

But I know that Guns Not Butter would make the list (And we'll steal the rest?/You bet your ass.). Also, 20 Hours in America - I can't resist an episode that makes fun of the time zones in Indiana.

Oh, and of course Election Night. (Tell me, if I swallow my ballot....)

[damelola.livejournal.com]

Turn around three times and curse! spit! spit then curse. Oh, show. So much awesomeness.

I must admit, I had to wiki to have one list with all eps in front of me to make sure I didn't miss any. Still nearly impossible.

[empressearwig.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm super impressed with myself for only having to cut 6 off my initial pass through (because I was ruthless as hell there), but damn did that hurt.

1. The Crackpots and These Women
2. The Portland Trip
3. Galileo
4. Noël
5. Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail
6. The Stackhouse Filibuster
7. 17 People
8. Two Cathedrals
9. War Crimes
10. Bartlet for America
11. Night Five
12. Evidence of Things Not Seen
13. Commencement
14. Twenty Five
15. The Supremes
16. Gaza
17. Memorial Day
18. King Corn
19. Running Mates
20. The Cold
21. Transition
22. Institutional Memory

The thing that surprised me most? That I only have one episode each from seasons one and six, and three from season five, when I vastly preferred both of those seasons to season five. I just liked the Gaza episodes too much to leave them off. Now if we'd been able to count two parters as one, this list might have looked very different.

Oh, and last episode cut? 2162 Votes.

[illusory-thrill.livejournal.com]

HOLY SHIT I CAN'T EVEN DO THIS. But the challenge...it haunts me...

[damelola.livejournal.com]

I'm now tempted to do this with every good show, but it might break my brain.

[ciachick711.livejournal.com]

TOO HARD. What about "Manchester"? I love Manchester. And 20 Hours in America and and...

(Also, now I want to rewatch and write more angsty Toby/CJ fic. Because that is what I do.)

[damelola.livejournal.com]

Leaving out the Manchesters and the two 20 Hours in America hurt like heartbreak, but I couldn't have one without the other and four slots felt like too much.

I just did the angsty Toby/CJ section for my bigbang - needs revising a bit, but I basically hate myself and yet love them.

[soaked-in-stars.livejournal.com]

You are an actual terrible person. (jk ily, and this is amazing.) If I were letting myself be ME, I'd pick episodes that make you think Andy Wyatt is actually a series regular (aka the rightful lead) on this show. However, in fairness, here's what I've got, in chronological order:

01. Pilot (You can all get your fat asses out of my White House.)
02. Five Votes Down (Toby's a nice name, don't you think?)
03. Six Meetings Before Lunch (You're talking to me during The Jackal?)
04. Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (I serve at the pleasure of the President.)
05. Mandatory Minimums (In fact, just date the National League, would ya?)
06. The Midterms (In this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.)
07. Two Cathedrals (You've never had a big sister and you need one.)
08. Gone Quiet (I say, you lost your boat in the wrong part of the world, Mr. President.)
09. The Women of Qumar (They're beating the women, Nancy.)
10. Bartlet For America (Ain't nothin' but a family thing.)
11. Dead Irish Writers (You don't think I want to write a book one day?)
12. 20 Hours in America (First guy to miss has to shave his beard.)
13. Debate Camp (I said under no circumstances to marrying you again.)
14. Game On (Unfunded mandate is two words, not one big word.)
15. Election Night (You gotta go outside, turn around three times and curse.)
16. Process Stories (85% of what kind of backward population votes for this woman?)
17. Holy Night (He made ladies' raincoats and before that he worked for Murder Incorporated.)
18. Privateers (It's not a hazing. They don't do that.)
19. Evidence of Things Not Seen (I thought my reflexes before, in the Press Room, were catlike.)
20. Commencement (You're just too sad for me, Toby.)
21. The Supremes (I love her mind, I love her shoes.)
22. Institutional Memory (You don't need a pardon; you need a frying pan to the side of your head.)

[damelola.livejournal.com]

Note that I am immediately tempted to revise because I can't believe I left out some of the ones you included. Well done on Wyatt-related restraint, but you have enough there so that we know it's still you.

I am actually impressed at my own levels of evil. Kudos to the show that I think there's probably not even 22 most of us would leave out, given the choice. But this is way harder and thus..!

[wanderlonely.livejournal.com]

Haven't seen all seven seasons, so I just pick some, less then 22...

1. 20 Hours in L.A. (my first episode of TWW, so much love.)
2. Mandatory Minimums (Toby and Andy, you two had me at hello.)
3. Noël (Josh, I want to give you a hug.)
4. Two Cathedrals(the music makes me all tear and cry)
5. Debate Camp (Team Toby is LOVE.)
6. Process Stories (Maryland!)