West wing debate (Now with poll)
 

So who do you think won?

Jimmy Smits totally won, but Alan Alda did a damn good job. I'dllwatch if either of them gets elected.

I would go with Jimmy Smits as well. I just think he comes across as more likable AND has good points and facts to back him up. Alan Alda was good as well, but he has a pig-headed old dude vibe to him, even if his words ring true.

Yes, seemed like Smits won. I think the script was slanted for him to win, so I don't credit it to superior acting.

Disclaimers and qualifications:

I happen to agree with what Smits' character says on the issues, but I still recognize the slant in the script.

I think Smits is a very good actor, as is Alda.

I thought Alan Alda won, Jimmy Smit looked like a deer in the headlights sometimes. They both did a good job of acting though. I get the impression that both these actors pretty much agree on the issues and Alda had to take on a more conservative position for his role.

I'm "rooting" for Jimmy Smits so I may be biased, but I feel like he won. I like the episode though, pretty different from other shows I've seen. I enjoyed how they left the little mis-reads and mistakes in there so it was much more realisitic.

Yeah, it's hard not to like Jimmy Smits. He brings something special to almost every role he takes on. I wonder how hard it is for Alan Alda to play the Republican.

Which one of these guys is supposed to win anyway?

I really enjoyed the episode and lean towards Jimmy Smits winning although Alan Alda did an amazing job and I'm sure i'd watch the show regardless of who wins.

I can't believe how brutally the critics are slamming that episode.

I am assuming that Jimmy Smits is going to win the election, only because the focus has been more on him and the show has been democrat from the outset.

However, to send shockwaves through TV in a season finale, i could totally see them having Alda win and having them bring in a whole new cast. That would really get people talking but would also be a massive risk.

I've been a huge fan of the show since day 1... and this show seemed to be nothing more than a publicity stunt... the writing of the show has been completely off since Sorkin left, season 5 was a disappointment, season 6 has had a hard time keeping my interest. I will keep watching because at the end of Season 5, I figured it'd be pretty much a slam dunk for Santos and Leo to win the presidency.. but the more i watch season 6 -- they are making Vinnick reasonable and really not all that far from the Santos in terms of whaat they represent. Vinnick has a chance... BUT i have a hard time believing that Wells would write in a republican president...

Yeah, I kind of feel like Jimmy Smits is supposed to win too. He's got the whole underdog thing going on, plus Bradley Whitford (Josh) is his campaign manager and I feel like he'd be a returning character.

I can definitely see how some would slam the episode as a publicity stunt...but hell, isn't basically every damn show on TV nowadays a publicity stunt? With that said, I thought it was a really interesting idea, and I enjoyed it very much. I also like that they took a big punch to the gut of the current state of politics, especially the last presidential election. As bittersweet as it is, it's nice to see how politics would look if candidates did more than just drop soundbites and put on puppet shows that are confused for debates.


I can't say how this seasons stacks up to the "glory days" of West Wing, as I admit to being late to jump onto this bandwagon. However, since I started watching the show regularly--which was around season 4, I believe--this election race has been the most interesting and intriguing material I've seen yet. In fact, this is one of the few shows I actually make a point to watch every week.


As far as the debate went. I also felt that Santos won, but not by much. I really like how both candidates are fairly even, and both characters are people you could actually get behind. It definitely seems like Santos is being shown as the heir apparent, but knowing that it's deliberate makes me wonder how all of this is going down...and even how long it's going to last. Isn't Martin Sheen signed on to do a couple more seasons? Either way, I really love the show and feel it's picking up steam again.

I'm actually in the exact same boat. I only started watching the show about two years ago which was widely considered online as the year West Wing went downhill and I still love it. The whole election thing I think is great.

I really should go and rent the first few seasons and see what all the fuss is about.

Oh my God, yes. Alda is one of the most liberal actors in Hollywood. It must be a BLAST for him to play a Republican.

I was impressed with the episode, but it wasn't as big a spectacle as the live episode that ER did. ER had a live, choreographed riot scene in the middle of that episode. That takes balls.

The part of the debate where Santos talked about his "dream health care proposal" was fucking brilliant. "To tell you the truth, I'm not crazy about my health care plan either.

I'm doing the same. Actually, you should keep an eye on ads from Best Buy. A couple weeks ago they had some weird freak sale and I was able to pick up West Wing Season One for $14. It was really strange and the cashier even was confused and had to double check that I wasn't duping her.

I watched both coast's versions in the hope there would be some differences intentionally presented. There weren't. In fact, they were almost identical.

I must be one of the few who was a little disappointed. Nothing really dramatic happened, nobody made a big faux pas, nobody really scored big points. They just reiterated their standing positions. Except for the bit at the beginning, it was just a regular political debate.

I do think they're setting up Santos as the winner. The consistently 9 points down bit and references to Vinnick getting a possible 48 or 49 state victory are the standard underdog setup. Something big and dramatic is going to happen just before the elction to make it close. I'm thinking there might even be a replay of an Election 2000 type of scenario, with one state still in play for a month or two after the election to draw it out.

Gilda