The latest television series addiction at casa az. 
But before we go any further … no spoilers please! Nog and I are about half-way through season two at the moment.
What I was mainly curious about was what US citizens think of it – though all opinions are welcome, of course. I know it won tons of Emmys, mostly for the writing (which I think is fabulous), but how did people feel about seeing the president and government presented in that way? I mean, having an intelligent, caring and principled president and a support staff that seemed to know their elbows from their arseholes. Too pie in the sky, as in … it ain’t never gonna happen? Or what?
casa azahar 
Jim and I LOVED it. Very pie in the sky. Very much a fantasy. Very much what I, for one, wish the presidency and administration could be if they only had integrity rather than being bought and paid for by industry and lobbyists. I would never THINK of spoiling this for you. The only problem for me was that it ended.
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Well, there’s still House … season four coming up soon!
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Even with the pie in the sky you still get an idea of the way an administration has to cut its coat according to the cloth of vested interests, and the interplay of idealism, ego, and realpolitik.
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The history major’s view? Very idealized realism, as contradictory as that sounds. Sometimes it did hit the give-and-take on the head, but it sometimes gave idealism a little too much credit in how it influences people’s actions.
Sometimes those in government think they’re being idealistic when they’re really being partisan, cheap and selfish.
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My only complaint about the writing is that sometimes it’s a bit too snappy and humourous, you know?
To whit, the Donna character bothered me at first until I realised that her role was, at least in part, a way to have things explained to us, Joe Public, in a relatively easy manner. But since Donna is supposed to be SMART then we don’t feel bad for not knowing about most of the things she asks about or gets clarified by others talking to her.
Overuse of the word OKAY and spoken in the very same tone by almost all the characters also struck me as being a bit lazy in terms of the writing. But maybe that’s how all people at the White House, or indeed in the USA talk. Well, hey, okay!
But these are just minor criticisms. I love suspending my disbelief and getting into the characters and the storylines. I also often find myself in a flood of tears when I see a moving scene about how things could and should be, you know?
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*spoiler alert* … DO NOT READ unless you’ve already seen series 2.
Mrs. Landingham died??? Oh my god, I was in a flood of tears. Do I need to get a life, or what?
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This is rather cool. The other day while I was in class with someone who works in protocol and public relations and is also a speech writer for the regional government here I thought – hey! She should be watching this series as an English learning exercise.
So the plan is to give her one dvd a week (with four episodes) to watch. After that she can write a summary of the episodes and later we can talk about … well, whatever. The differences and similarities between her job and the jobs she sees portrayed. It will certainly be good for work-related vocabulary.
I’m quite looking forward to this! 🙂
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