Having somehow managed to avoid watching a single episode of the widely praised West Wing TV series I was delighted to discover the entire Box set in my Christmas stocking – and with enough spare time over the holidays to give it a good lash.
But with 10 episodes of the first series under my belt, my initial burst of viewing enthusiasm is on the wane. There seems, to be a distinct lack of edge to the plots, a fairly lacklustre script and an overwhelming sense of cosyness between the main characters. The only memorably good line that springs to mind so far is “economists are put on the planet to make astrologers look good”(sic).
Perhaps it ‘develops’ as winds its way through later episodes but – with the sanctimonious utterances (delivered with accompanying reverential music ) of a touchy-feely-cardboard-cut-out Democratic Party president, who alternately looks likely to burst into tears, quote the constitution in Latin, collapse from overwork or rassle one of his trusty aides – it does not augur well.
Now my question. Is it worth persevering with?
Sammy Mc Nally is a Prod fictional character bestowed on us by James Young who accidentally kills his pal, who not suprisingly, given that it is Belfast, is also a Prod. The friend is sent to the after life place (Heaven/Hell) and finds it is an exact replica of Belfast – with one important difference – it is run entirely by Fenians and with the pope himself in residence in Stormo and it seems no sign of the Belgian quarefellah D’Hondt anywhere. To be continued…
