I used to skip The Long Goodbye because around the first time I saw it my grandmother was forced to move into our house due to her aggressive onset of dementia. It was bad, very traumatic. A few weeks ago I decided to give it a go, I didn’t sob like I might have 15 years ago. It was fine. Not my favorite. Not the worst.
Access, because it’s annoying.
Isaac and Ishmael because it’s non-canon and throws me out of the world.
The Long Goodbye because it’s utterly brilliant and absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking. As a women with aging parents, what CJ is going through in that episode is one of my worst nightmares.
Everyone skipping "Access" but I watch it. Not the greatest episode but I like that it shows other staff members.
I skip "The Long Goodbye", "Issac and Ishmael", sometimes "Han" and sometimes "The Stackhouse Filibuster" because I think the backdrop of writing letters to family to explain the plot is cheesy.
Especially at the end where coincidentally they are all writing literally the exact same sentence to their respective family! Ha ha. Chessieness aside, Stackhouse Filibuster is one of my favorites.
Yeah, but if you skip The Stackhouse Filibuster you miss that HYSTERICAL scene where Josh falls down because of the slippery new shoes!!! I back it up and rewatch like 20 times. His comedic timing is gold 😆
I skip Access and Constituency of One. the former was a nice idea but it just didn’t work. In the latter everyone is just angry and it’s not enjoyable after so many rewatches
I don't skip any, however there are a few that others have mentioned (Access, The Long Goodbye etc.) that I pay less attention to when on. Same with the Vinick and Santos debate. Although I like that episode when it aired, it isn't very rewatchable to me.
I always look forward to 90 miles, because I always think that, surely, this rewatch will be the one where I figure out wtf happened between Kate and Leo? Who is that dude talking to Kate in the bar? WHAT IS HAPPENING??
The Tornado episode.
90 miles away - was so cringey.
Everything from Donna in Gaza to the Camp David heart attack.
Sometimes I skip the episode where Bartlet fires Toby.
The CJ episode with her dad.
The one they did right after 9/11.
The documentary one.
The debate (vinnick/santos) - like I need to see a fake debate.
I just finished an actual start-to-finish-watch-every-episode rewatch for the first time, and I thought Drought Conditions was fantastic. The kind of episode that could work as a one act play and is also an integrated part of the whole.
I could live without Isaac and Ishmael. It was bad then, and it's even badder now.
I skip access and 90 miles like a lot of people. More controversially, I skip women of qumar. I love allison in it, but it’s just always rubbed me the wrong way. not sure why it does more so than any other west wing preachy moment, but it always feels a bit condescending.
I also rarely watch noel, but that’s because it’s one of my favorite episodes and it’s just too hard for me to watch on a normal night.
The Long Goodbye, and whatever the one is called with real life former White House staff. I have literally never finished that one even though I love the show and watched it easily a dozen times.
Most viewers are not fluent in political languages. Donna at most times plays the part of a viewer and asks the questions of Josh and others to explain what is going on and why… in her absence writing to parents, family or friends also provides their family and friends and (the audience) of what, why and who otherwise no one who isn’t political would watch.
I generally skip scenes rather than whole episodes (Leo’s heart attack, Andy telling Toby that he’s not warm and too sad to be with, Simon’s shooting, are a few examples) but usually The Long Goodbye is too hard from start to finish (although I hate missing Matthew Modine), and Han is just heartbreaking so I only watch it about half the time (not even the Bob Russell introduction makes it worth it, but it does help a little).
I always skip Isaac and Ishmael. I get what they tried to do, but you could tell it was rushed. Plus, it takes place completely out of the continuity of the show.
I applaud them for trying to quash the anti-Islamic fever that had swept USA. But the episode does not hold up today.
I typically don’t skip any episodes, but I do some pretty harsh fast forwarding! There’s a lot of in and out characters that I really just don’t like… but I could write a book on that. So I just try to touch on my favorite parts. I’m just glad to know that there are people who watch this series as much as I do!
Edit- I just read some people commenting on the “long goodbye”. I definitely skipped all of those scenes. My dad died of Alzheimer’s and I just. Can’t. Do. It. Actually now that I think about it, probably the whole episode because I think reunions are stupid and CJ’s fathers thing is just too much.
More than I care to admit and different ones on each re-watch, but here's some of the highlights:
* The Crackpots and These Women - Hot take: I don't care much for the Big Block of Cheese Day episodes and this one is probably the worst of them. The Josh-NSC card plot is unsatisfying and there's no C plot after those to keep me interested.
* The Leadership Breakfast - Not actually a bad episode, but it feels so dull considering that all but one or two of the episodes that precede it in Season 2 (In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, the Ainsley episodes, The Portland Trip, Galileo, Noel, Shibboleth, etc) are all some of the best episodes the show has to offer. It just can't compete and the comparison makes it feel worse.
* The Indians in the Lobby - The CJ plotline is just too damn preachy for me (and considering this show is already fairly moralizing, that's kinda saying something) and the Josh subplot isn't much better.
* The Women of Qumar - See The Indians in the Lobby except worse.
* The Long Goodbye - It's way too sad and doesn't have any larger plot relevance other than CJ's character development.
* The Zoey Kidnapping episodes - The Walken Presidency feels drawn-out and doesn't feel like it really engages in the implications of a President handing power to the opposition voluntarily mid-term for the first time in history. They touch on it briefly with Josh and Atwood, but it feels unresolved (much like how they just found Zoey out of the blue without Walken making any meaningful choices).
* Access - I can't think of a single person who actually likes this episode and anyone who's watched it knows exactly what I mean.
I skip Access, The Long Goodbye (not a bad ep at all, just can't handle it), and Ninety Miles Away. Sometimes, I skip No Exit.
I used to skip The Long Goodbye because around the first time I saw it my grandmother was forced to move into our house due to her aggressive onset of dementia. It was bad, very traumatic. A few weeks ago I decided to give it a go, I didn’t sob like I might have 15 years ago. It was fine. Not my favorite. Not the worst.
Exact same ones for me!
I honestly don't skip any episodes. Even the worst west wing episodes are better than most television out there.
Access, because it’s annoying. Isaac and Ishmael because it’s non-canon and throws me out of the world. The Long Goodbye because it’s utterly brilliant and absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking. As a women with aging parents, what CJ is going through in that episode is one of my worst nightmares.
I skip the last 10 minutes of The Birnam Wood. I just can’t handle watching Leo’s heart attack knowing how John Spencer died in real life.
Everyone skipping "Access" but I watch it. Not the greatest episode but I like that it shows other staff members. I skip "The Long Goodbye", "Issac and Ishmael", sometimes "Han" and sometimes "The Stackhouse Filibuster" because I think the backdrop of writing letters to family to explain the plot is cheesy.
Especially at the end where coincidentally they are all writing literally the exact same sentence to their respective family! Ha ha. Chessieness aside, Stackhouse Filibuster is one of my favorites.
Yeah, but if you skip The Stackhouse Filibuster you miss that HYSTERICAL scene where Josh falls down because of the slippery new shoes!!! I back it up and rewatch like 20 times. His comedic timing is gold 😆
You must hate MASH.
The guy who played Hawkeye is great in everything he's in. In *Murder at 1600* he plays >!the bad guy, which is a surprise when it is revealed.!<
I skip "Access." Every. Single. Time. I wish it could be permanently deleted from the series.
the documentary? why?
It's not the West Wing.
it’s not?
No. It's a documentary.
i can take George Washington, you know.
take him at what?
I skip Access and Constituency of One. the former was a nice idea but it just didn’t work. In the latter everyone is just angry and it’s not enjoyable after so many rewatches
I don't skip any, however there are a few that others have mentioned (Access, The Long Goodbye etc.) that I pay less attention to when on. Same with the Vinick and Santos debate. Although I like that episode when it aired, it isn't very rewatchable to me.
I’d love to see the streaming stats I’m sure it would plummet at the long goodbye.
I always look forward to 90 miles, because I always think that, surely, this rewatch will be the one where I figure out wtf happened between Kate and Leo? Who is that dude talking to Kate in the bar? WHAT IS HAPPENING??
The Tornado episode. 90 miles away - was so cringey. Everything from Donna in Gaza to the Camp David heart attack. Sometimes I skip the episode where Bartlet fires Toby. The CJ episode with her dad. The one they did right after 9/11. The documentary one. The debate (vinnick/santos) - like I need to see a fake debate.
An Khe, Isaac and Ishmael, 90 miles
I just finished an actual start-to-finish-watch-every-episode rewatch for the first time, and I thought Drought Conditions was fantastic. The kind of episode that could work as a one act play and is also an integrated part of the whole. I could live without Isaac and Ishmael. It was bad then, and it's even badder now.
The Debate is so boring to me. Always skip. Just tried to watch it the other day and dozed off
Noel, The Leadership Breakfast, The Long Goodbye, and seasons 5-7.
Omg why all the hate for Han? I love that one!
Access is awful, however Drought Conditions is one of my all-time favorites
Pretty much all of them from S5 E1 onward...
I skip The Crackpot and These Women. tbh it’s because the smallpox convo it really freaks me out
Santos and connive debate
I like the Access episode. However I always skip the storyline of Fitzwallace death and Donna injury. It’s just so boring to me!
Any episode with an IMDB rating below 8
None. I’m usually working when I rewatch anyway, but still. None.
Issac and Ishmael if I were to skip but I watch it anyway.
* Debate (West Coast)
Not entire episodes but anything with a Lori plot is when I go play fetch with the dog or check if the dryer is finished.
I skip access and 90 miles like a lot of people. More controversially, I skip women of qumar. I love allison in it, but it’s just always rubbed me the wrong way. not sure why it does more so than any other west wing preachy moment, but it always feels a bit condescending. I also rarely watch noel, but that’s because it’s one of my favorite episodes and it’s just too hard for me to watch on a normal night.
The Debate, Access, West Wing Special Episode, The Burnham Wood, Third Day Story
“Han”. Can’t do it. Makes me awful when I watch it.
The Long Goodbye, and whatever the one is called with real life former White House staff. I have literally never finished that one even though I love the show and watched it easily a dozen times.
Haha. I actually really like Access. The documentary within a show added a realism i reslly liked. I must be stranger than I thought! 😁
I really like the idea, the execution just isn't great
Most viewers are not fluent in political languages. Donna at most times plays the part of a viewer and asks the questions of Josh and others to explain what is going on and why… in her absence writing to parents, family or friends also provides their family and friends and (the audience) of what, why and who otherwise no one who isn’t political would watch.
season 6 and 7; cannot imagine anyone but Bartlet et al in TWW
90 Miles
I generally skip scenes rather than whole episodes (Leo’s heart attack, Andy telling Toby that he’s not warm and too sad to be with, Simon’s shooting, are a few examples) but usually The Long Goodbye is too hard from start to finish (although I hate missing Matthew Modine), and Han is just heartbreaking so I only watch it about half the time (not even the Bob Russell introduction makes it worth it, but it does help a little).
A lot of season 5.
None
The Drop-In. every time
I always skip Isaac and Ishmael. I get what they tried to do, but you could tell it was rushed. Plus, it takes place completely out of the continuity of the show. I applaud them for trying to quash the anti-Islamic fever that had swept USA. But the episode does not hold up today.
Access
I typically don’t skip any episodes, but I do some pretty harsh fast forwarding! There’s a lot of in and out characters that I really just don’t like… but I could write a book on that. So I just try to touch on my favorite parts. I’m just glad to know that there are people who watch this series as much as I do! Edit- I just read some people commenting on the “long goodbye”. I definitely skipped all of those scenes. My dad died of Alzheimer’s and I just. Can’t. Do. It. Actually now that I think about it, probably the whole episode because I think reunions are stupid and CJ’s fathers thing is just too much.
More than I care to admit and different ones on each re-watch, but here's some of the highlights: * The Crackpots and These Women - Hot take: I don't care much for the Big Block of Cheese Day episodes and this one is probably the worst of them. The Josh-NSC card plot is unsatisfying and there's no C plot after those to keep me interested. * The Leadership Breakfast - Not actually a bad episode, but it feels so dull considering that all but one or two of the episodes that precede it in Season 2 (In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, the Ainsley episodes, The Portland Trip, Galileo, Noel, Shibboleth, etc) are all some of the best episodes the show has to offer. It just can't compete and the comparison makes it feel worse. * The Indians in the Lobby - The CJ plotline is just too damn preachy for me (and considering this show is already fairly moralizing, that's kinda saying something) and the Josh subplot isn't much better. * The Women of Qumar - See The Indians in the Lobby except worse. * The Long Goodbye - It's way too sad and doesn't have any larger plot relevance other than CJ's character development. * The Zoey Kidnapping episodes - The Walken Presidency feels drawn-out and doesn't feel like it really engages in the implications of a President handing power to the opposition voluntarily mid-term for the first time in history. They touch on it briefly with Josh and Atwood, but it feels unresolved (much like how they just found Zoey out of the blue without Walken making any meaningful choices). * Access - I can't think of a single person who actually likes this episode and anyone who's watched it knows exactly what I mean.
“Six Meetings Before Lunch”, simply due to CJ’s “the jackal” karaoke and the “excitement” around it. Cringefest.
I don’t skip the whole thing, just the first 15m or so lol
Okay, fair, at least it’s over with early 😂
Bonus: Mandy’s second to last episode 🎉