Ron Silver (Bruno Giannelli) is coming back to the West Wing

[bluestateguy]

Playing a turncoat on TV shouldn't be too hard for this guy. His character--Bartlet's campaign manager---in 2002 was always based on Dick Morris.


RELIGION BECOMES A DOMINANT ISSUE WITH THE CANDIDATES - Vinick (Alan Alda) wins the Republican nomination for presidency and begins working on his campaign. He gets political advice from Bruno (Ron Silver) about choosing a vice president and how to deal with the latest controversy of Vinick's church attendance, or lack thereof. Meanwhile the Democrats are stuck in a three-way race for enough delegates to win the Democratic nominations; Russell (Gary Cole) barely leads Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Hoynes (Tim Matheson) is a distant third. Bartlet (Martin Sheen) tries to show unity in the party by wrangling the candidates. Also starring Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Joshua Malina, Janel Moloney. TV-PG



http://www.nbc.com/The_West_Wing/index.html

[SharonRB]

1. I thought it was a great episode

I really wanted Santos to wind up winning, but after last night's episode, I think I could live with Vinick. Bruno's whole speech to him about bringing the country together because of his being so middle-of-the-road really made me yearn for that to happen in real life.

On the way to work today, I had a weird idea, which I'm sure they wouldn't do. What if somehow they did something really unique and outside the box and twisted the plot so that Vinick and Santos could run together on a unified ticket against Russell (sort of a la a Kerry/McCain ticket). Just a random thought that came to me. It certainly would make it more interesting.

[leyton]

2. I would love Vinick, especially Vinick/Santos.

I initially liked Santos, but when I think about who to watch for the next few years, Alan Alda seems much more appealing. He's the only one of the Presidential candidates who has the chops to meet Bartlet as an equal. He's much more confident, more mature, and has a firmer personality to mee. Also I am more intrigued by Patricia Richardson's character than I am by folks like Kate.

I have been hoping for a while for a Vinick-Santos ticket. I thought for sure as I was watching this episode that they were setting us up for that the way Vinick saw his base sliding away from him, but it looks like Vinick will pick the governor of WV (whatever his name was). I hope somehow they bring us the bipartisan ticket - that's the way Vinick would get his 50-state victory.

[SharonRB]

3. The governor's name was Sullivan

So maybe I'm not so crazy. I guess I wasn't the only one thinking about a bipartisan ticket. It would be pretty cool if they did that -- for some reason Sullivan drops out (maybe because he disagress on the choice issue), Russell get the Dem nomination and Vinick asks Santos to run with him. Could happen, but I doubt they'll be that creative. If they do, you and I will know we thought of it first.

[truebrit71]

4. *Dose of reality*

If Alan Alda gets "elected" what happens to the rest of the entire cast?

The only way to keep any of the regular players on board now is for either Santos or the VP to get the win. If not, Josh, CJ, Toby etc etc are all gone...And from a TV series standpoint that is simply not viable...If you have a wholesale departure of 99% of the main characters, the show dies...

I am personally hoping that Santos wins....The West Wing without Josh would be unwatchable.....

Just my two cents...

Oh yeah, and Ron Silver is a tool...

[SharonRB]

5. I agree -- I don't see how they can get a Republican elected,

but I did read somewhere a few months ago that it wasn't a given that the Dems would win. They may decide to shake things up.

I would hate to see everyone go, though. It would be pretty unheard of in TV Land (except for that year almost everyone from whatever that law show was got canned -- sorry, my mind is blank right now since I didn't watch it).

I just threw out that idea about a bipartisan ticket, since it popped into my head the other day. I don't think they'd really do it, and I'd much rather watch Jimmy Smits for a few years than Alan Alda if I had to make a choice. Not that I have anything against Alan Alda.

[truebrit71]

6. Was it LA Law? Or the first iteration of "the practice" with the bald guy?

Didn't pay too much attention to either in all honesty.

I don't have anything against Alan Alda either, it's what his character would represent in relation to the show that would be disasterous.

There is no way that the producers, or the network, would throw away an entire core following for the sake of having a fake republican play the lead role on tv...they already have that in reality....

I think it will be a cliff-hanger, and Matt Santos wins....

[SharonRB]

7. It was the Practice, which I didn't watch

I loved LA Law, though. That's where I got to "know" Jimmy Smits. I think Santos will win, too. I just hope they don't leave us hanging over the summer with a season-ending cliffhanger. I can see it now: they hold the election, they get the results, the results are very, very close, there's a recount underway in, say, Ohio or Florida, and we don't know who won until September! You know how often art imitates life on these shows......

[truebrit71]

8. You know...I'd almost guarantee that your scenario DOES happen...

...T.V. execs still think that without a season-ending cliff-hanger no-one will remember to tune in for the next season...

[SharonRB]

9. We'll know next week, wont' we?

I can't believe the season is ending so early for WW. Way before May sweeps. I wonder what they have on tap next?

Well, whatever they do, it will be some kind of cliffhanger -- I just want to know who wins!

[truebrit71]

10. Me too.....!!

.

[Beaverhausen]

11. Next season could encompass the whole fall election

That way they can keep the regulars on for one more season at least.