If you like The West Wing, you’ll probably enjoy http://thewestwingweekly.com/ a podcast that’s going per episode through the series.
What makes it special is that the co-host is Joshua Malina, who joined the cast in later series as Will Bailey. He gives some insight into the making of TV from an actors POV but also has access to the people who made the show. There’s also talk about the broad themes of each episode and how they complement each other.
Janel Moloney (the beloved Donna Moss) does an interview in one episode. She reveals that she made the conscious decision to play Donna as being in love with Josh, something that wasn’t even hinted in the script. Janel wanted to make herself ‘invaluable’ (her word) to the show so she could get a regular gig … which indeed she did.
For the latest release, they have Richard Schiff as the guest. If you ever wondered why Toby Zeigler was such a great character, listen to Schiff talking about the role and you’ll understand how he did such a great job. download
A valid criticism is that the podcast (like a lot of internet chat) will overanalyze things that would be overlooked by the casual viewer. But they do raise points that make you wonder why something hadn’t occurred to you before. For example, the basic premise of “Mr Willis of Ohio” has no basis in reality, but who cares, it’s a great episode.
Subscribe to the podcast in all the usual ways or downloading individual eps from the web site.
It’s a great way to spend time on long drives … I speak from personal experience on the roads of the Australian coast. Doubtless good for long plane rides too …
