West Wing (TV Series - 1999)
- samanthier
- May 6, 2014
- 2 min read
House of Cards is a big show right now, with a lot of followers. It is a show that highlights and exaggerates the flaws and evils of politics. I personally never got into it. West Wing on the other hand, I loved. If House of Cards is famous for portraying corruption, West Wing is emblematic of the hope and compromise in a struggle to do what is best. The shows are opposites in many respects.
However, both shows have strong female characters. And if you have read any other reviews by me, you know that is something I find important.
CJ Craig, one of my favourite females on the show, starts off as press secretary, but works her way to Chief-of Staff to the President. Her character is witty and independent, but she still remains empathetic with a strong sense of morality.
However, if the show was all about perfect politicians and simple politics, it wouldn't be as interesting as it is.
Not everything happens that should and sometimes compromises are made, because sometimes not ruffling feathers seems like it is the better option.
The characters all have their flaws but they are all working hard to achieve their goals, sometimes using the flaws they have to drive them to success, but usually working in opposition to them.
The show's writers worked in the White House. They've seen what goes on there and whether they choose to write the show true to the reality they saw or highlight only the best moments, the realistic nature of some of the situations is entertaining and enlightening. There are things that I never learned about in school that I learned about watching this show. Like what the census is and why it is important, but also why it is flawed.
The show has many references for a variety of generations. It alludes to classics and culture of the time, but even without them the reparte between the characters is funny enough to carry the show.
I would recommend this show to anyone. It isn't just about politics, it is about people and overcoming challenges that we all face at one time or another.
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