The West Wing Fantasy

I made it home from vacation, made a rudimentary attempt to put things away and begin to get my house in order again, and settled down to relax a bit. I haven’t watched TV all week and decided to turn it on.

Scrolling through the channels on the guide, I stopped when I saw that The West Wing was playing. Not just one episode, but a marathon!

Well, if you’ve read my work before, you likely already know that I’m a fan of a marathon. True, it’s usually the running type, but this one works, too!

I once watched the entire series on a streaming service. It was one of the many ways I consoled myself and maintained hope during 45’s presidency. I had almost forgotten how much I love the show. But hearing the theme song made my heart swell with pride and gave me goosebumps. 

It’s strange because what I’m proud of doesn’t even exist. It’s a fantasy of how we would like our executive branch to be. How can I be proud of something that doesn’t exist?

I would like to think that our President genuinely cares for our nation and its citizens and that he’s not just in it for power and money. I’d like to think that the people on his team care as well. That the people who run our country are also highly intelligent and witty, always saying just the right things. Our current commander-in-chief is much closer to this than the last one, although he’s still not President Bartlett. 

This fictitious White House isn’t America, obviously. 

The portrayal of the fantasy is comforting, however. I mean, Martin Sheen as President Bartlett. Allison Janney as the press secretary. Rob Lowe and Bradley Whitford as staffers. Stockard Channing as Mrs. Bartlett. They all play their parts so well. 

I wish that our real government functioned as well as fiction. Alas, it does not. 

Now, excuse me as I re-immerse myself in the comfortable world of The West Wing. 

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Do you re-watch comfort shows? Do you love The West Wing as much as I do? I’d love to hear about it!

As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.