The West Wing: The American Presidency as Television Drama

Television and Popular Culture

by Peter C. Rollins (Editor), John E. O'Connor (Editor)

Informed by historical scholarship and media analysis, this book takes a critical look at the award-winning show from a wide range of perspectives. Media scholars Peter C. Rollins and John E. O’Connor make an important contribution to the field with an eclectic mix of essays, which translate the visual language of the onscreen politics of the series.

Genres: Nonfiction, Tv, Film, Pop Culture

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

Reviews

[Brian Eshleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a five-star fan of the show, but there was too much overlap in the book. The same quotes were repeated in different essays. The same differences from the real White House were brought up again and again.

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

It may have been necessary in 2003 for each writer to spend a good chunk of his/her chapter summarizing plots and characters from The West Wing, but I imagine people picking this book up in 2012 are probably fairly familiar with the show, and this aspect of the book is tiresome. Some of the chapters are incredibly insightful, while others have the intellectual insight of a pushpin. I would recommend reading specific chapters that are of interest to you - and I imagine, it being an academic book and all, this is how it is intended to be read - rather than reading the whole thing from cover to cover.

[Claire Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book by a student with whom I shared a West Wing obsession -- she said it was either this or a poster of Sam Seaborn with no shirt on, but her mum made her buy this... I found it slightly repetitive but this is inevitable, I suppose, in a collection of essays or papers on a common theme. In general, it was an interesting and at times thought-provoking read with mostly sound conclusions. Above all, it made we want to get that boxed set out again.

[José]

Disfruto en paralelo de la serie de TV y los comentarios del libro. Una buena escuela para aprendices de la comunicación política como yo, con profesores ficticios, atractivos, inocentes, profesionales, zurdos al extremo, 100% dedicados al bien del pueblo norteamericano, sin ambiciones políticas personales... casi irreales.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good, and it was about The West Wing, but around the middle it started to drag. Some of the essays in the middle were very analytical and full of theory, and I think I was getting bogged down in all of the details. Still good, though, especially once I got passed the rough spot.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is what happens when your husband starts randomly looking through the University library. Next thing you know you are reading scholarly articles on you favorite TV show.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read. Very detailed analysis of the structure and content of "The West Wing" episodes.

[Laura Petto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this was a book of essays, I just skimmed it. A lot of the essays were well written and had interesting analysis. I enjoyed how the editors also included critical essays.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for pop culture analysis, so I was absolutely delighted with most of the book. There's a couple chapters that are clunkers, but who really cares when you have people discussing 1. the king's two bodies as they pertain to Jed Bartlet and 2. how he is an inherently philological creature? I also appreciated the chapter on how Sorkin de-marginalized racial and gender minorities, but I would have liked more critique on his shortcomings in this regard as well. The review reprints were interesting as records of contemporary thought and reaction, but I don't feel they added a whole lot to the analysis of the series.