From West Wing to E-Ring

This past season of NBC's The West Wing has been a real letdown. Obviously trying to put a fitting end to the show's run, the story goes into the presidential campaign. The interplay between the main characters is shattered by the fact that some left the White House for the campaign trail, and some didn't. Kiss the interplay (and most of what was decent about the show) goodbye. Martin Sheen gets to fade away into nothingness, as much due to his character's MS progressing, as the writers having run out of things witty, erudite things for him to say.

But -- Deo gratias! -- somebody comes to the rescue. Replacing the White House drama on Wednesday nights at 9pm eastern is The E-Ring, which appears to be the same show in uniform and across the Potomac. (I could be wrong about this.) But who cares? As long as they make it different enough that I can't tell the damn difference, it's fine with me. ("E-ring" is an apparent reference to the inner corridor of the Pentagon Building.) Another St Blog's parishioner, Karen Hall of Some Have Hats, is Co-Executive Producer.

Atta girl, Karen.