Regular Price $59.98

Starring: Martin Sheen,  Bradley Whitford, 
Directed By: Thomas Schlamme,  Chris Misiano, 
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Release Date: 2003-09
Studio: Warner Home Video
Format: Box set,  Closed-captioned,  Color,  Dolby,  DVD-Video,  Subtitled,  Widescreen,  NTSC, 

Editorial Reviews and DVD Information about The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

Description
Follow the drama when the government is temporarily passed from a Democratic Administration to the Republican Speaker of the House, as President Bartlet copes with the kidnapping of his youngest daughter, Zoey.

Amazon.com
Two administrative changes rocked The West Wing's fifth season. Offscreen, the ship of state steered a tad off-course with the departure of series creator Aaron Sorkin and director Thomas Schalmme. Onscreen, President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) relinquished the power of his office to Speaker of the House Glenallen Walken (John Goodman) in the wake of his daughter's kidnapping. In the season opener, "7a WF 83429," Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) wonders if this wasn't a mistake. What if the citizenry prefer Walken to Bartlet, he ponders. What if Walken comes off more presidential? Is he kidding? Sheen's Bartlet is the president of Hollywood's dreams, and the stuff of Rush Limbaugh's nightmares. (In a character profile included as one of the bonus features on this six-disc set, Bartlet is described as an amalgam of John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton!). Not to worry, though, Bartlet is back in the Oval Office by the end of the season's second episode, "The Dogs of War." The next order of business: choosing a vice president to replace the disgraced John Hoynes. Enter Gary Cole as "Bongo Bob" Russell, who, as the season unfolds, will confound misperceptions of him. Hoynes himself (Tim Matheson) returns in "Full Disclosure," in which the former vice president dishes dirt on Bartlet and chief of staff Leo McGrarry (the late John Spencer) in advance of a tell-all book. Formidable and usually unflappable press secretary C. J. has an intensely personal reason to spearhead damage control and thwart Hoynes' publishing plans.

Allison Janney, as C. J. earned The West Wing's sole Emmy this season. One of her showcase hours is "Access," a format-breaking episode presented as a Frontline-type "day-in-the-life" documentary. Other memorable episodes that helped to right The West Wing's course include "The Supremes," featuring Glenn Close as a Supreme Court nominee; the battle-of-wills episode, "Shutdown"; "Gaza," in which Donna (Janel Moloney) is severely wounded during a fact-finding mission to the Middle East; and "Memorial Day," a flashback episode that echoes "Bartlet for America" from season 3, and which ends the season on a strong note, and almost make viewers forget the Sesame Street Muppet cameos in the episode, "Eppu Si Muove." Almost. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews for The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

Very Interesting Plots, Slightly Less Witty...
This season had everything a political drama could possibly have from the president stepping down (momentarily), to the VP stepping down (for good), all the way to supreme court justices confirmations. The story lines were intense, and a few of the episodes rank in the top five of all time for the West Wing series.

I only gave it four stars, however, because this season was clearly written by different writers who did not have quite the same level of wit as the former writer had. It was missing that little bit of edge. Overall, I am very glad I bought it, and you probably will be too.The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

Amazing series, not the best season
This was one of the best TV series ever. If you like comedy, politics, and drama, you should check this out. I have the entire series on DVD and I cannot tell you how many times I've watched it. This series has massive replayability so it's worth the buy. It is also not "dumbed down" so they deal with a lot of hot-button topics and you can actually learn a little of how the government actually works and how cutthroat life is like in Washington, D.C.

The first few seasons and the last two seasons are the best. This season was pretty good but not as great as the first few. That is mainly because Aaron Sorkin left the series. Don't get me wrong though, this is still a good season. It has a liberal bent so if you are conservative you may not like this show as much as someone who is more liberal. That said, I still high recommend this series and this first season to anyone and everyone.The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

The West Wing
The package arrived in good condition. The shipping was much slower than previous purchases. I was sent a tracking number immediately, but no information was available for a week after purchase.The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

not so bad
At the risk of sounding strange, season 5 pleasantly surprised me. I'm well aware that Aaron Sorkin had just left the show, and that his departure resulted in a drop in quality: I think almost everyone knew it would. But I was still able to enjoy this season, I suppose because the drop in quality wasn't as big as I feared.

First of all, the new writers were able to fill Sorkin's shoes surprisingly well in terms of pacing and wit. The episodes don't drag, and they are reasonably rich in sharp dialogue. (One of my favorite exchanges: after a NASA representative convinces Josh Lyman to go stargazing with her, Donna asks Josh [rather accusingly] whether he would have said yes if the rep had been less attractive. "We'll never know," Josh replies.) The fear of some fans that the show would become trivial and soap opera-like also proved unfounded, as the episodes continue to tackle a variety of weighty issues.

I think Sorkin's absence is most felt in the really dramatic moments: the presidential speeches, for instance, feel uninspired at best, while the scene in which a frustrated Josh Lyman stops to scream at the Capitol Dome could have worked if only the writers had found a more thoughtful challenge than "you want a piece of me?". Another lapse which I found particulary annoying is the series of scenes in which an rich upstart intern seems constantly to get the better of Josh. I mean, okay, so Josh is brusque and not open to new ideas. In real life, guys like Josh are like that not because they're arrogant, but because they know better than anyone else how things work, or at least I imagine so. I'm fairly sure that Aaron Sorkin would never have agreed with the implication that luck, privilege and a handsome face are better than dedication and experience.

The West Wing is definitely not "just as good" without its creator, but in spite of the missteps it remains a quality piece of drama. For a fair-minded fan, I think it's worth the money.The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

Whatta Bargain!
Never mind that I get to watch one of my all-time favorite, dialog-driven drama series (can u tell I hate Reality TV?) I priced this series at a well-known book/music store, and bought these from Amazon at half the cost-brand new. That's 4 seasons for free. I love checking my door for packages!The West Wing - The Complete Fifth Season

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