Poll for West Wing fans
Your answers to the following would be greatly appreciated.
Do the characters speak so darn fast - never needing to stop and think about the rather complex and vitally important ideas they're discussing, never tripping over their verbal selves, never lost for a word - because:
a) the scriptwriters are trying to pack too many words into a 50-minute episode;
b) the scriptwriters want us to believe that these characters really are that much smarter than the rest of us (part of the Great West Wing Fantasy that the world is ruled by people with brains, conscience and humour); or
c) people in these positions really are that smart and talk that fast?
If it's (c), my sense of inadequacy just went up a few levels.
5 comments:
I always figured it was d) all of the above. More a & b than c, though.
When it was originally scripted (and here I prove myself the TV-a-holic that I am - desperately searching a good 12 step program but can't squeeze it in between prime time shows), the show was written at such a fast pace to force the viewer to watch it on "pins and needles" as the creator of the show said. He wanted people to have to listen carefully to catch the subtlety of complex issues in D.C.
Then 9-11 happened and no one wanted to think about politics. Now, they just talk fast to talk fast because they have "dumbed down" the content for a more hardened "hail to the Chief" America.
Wow. I just sucked all the humor right out of every computer on 2 continents. Been ages since I did that...
Fantastic, a proper answer. Thank you Glorious - that actually makes sense. (And now I'm extra glad to be watching West Wing almost exclusively in DVD format, the early years. Having a bit of a catch-up fest, here at Chez Scroobious.)
Glad to be of service :)
Ha! But, then, he's a Hollywood writer; I pretty much expect him to be a good friend of Charlie. Yet other shows don't have the actors talking at the same speed the writers do. Unless the answer is, in effect, (a).
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