The West Wing - The Complete Second Season (DVD)

On DVD is the only way to watch "The West Wing" and that is my story and I am sticking to it. This is by far one of the best television series I have ever had the pleasure of watching as it has everything from action, comedy, drama and romance all wrapped up into a political web, which just spells out A-W-E-S-O-M-E.

"The West Wing" is a television series that can actually turn something as boring as picking out stamps into an intellectual exercise as it finds some way to add an argument and humor into the whole process. Not only that, I cannot remember a television show in recent history where afterwards I could remember the name of a particular episode as I was able to with Episode 10 on Disc 2, "Noel", not to mention several others that stuck out in my mind.

Not only does the fabulous writing and direction of the show just leap out at you, but the people acting out the teleplay are absolutely phenomenal for a television show, and just watching Martin Sheen act makes me wonder, what the hell went wrong with Charlie? But I must say that it isn't just Martin Sheen that is great he is surrounded by actors that make the show excellent, and they are names that were household names even before the show began such as Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford and John Spencer.

I could pay the show praise all day long, but there wouldn't be room left to give you my insight on the special features of this DVD, which impressed me just as well despite just a couple of worthless items.

So, just to get the two disappointing pieces out of the way let me just say, as I always do with TV DVDs that the deleted scenes are a waste, I don't care for them on TV DVDs and I never have and suppose I never will. Also the Gag Reel on the disc was too short and pretty much just a waste, but it is only about two minutes long so it won't kill you.

Now, on to the good stuff starting with the four audio commentaries included on the discs. Most often audio commentaries on TV DVDs don't really work for me but with these my opinion was certainly swayed as they were very well placed onto four key episodes, which really had an impact on the season and also included the major player in that episode from the cast, particularly Bradley Whitford on "Noel" and Martin Sheen on "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen Part II". I was actually shocked that I enjoyed the commentaries but it was nice to finally hear one that I enjoyed.

Next up was the featurette designed around the making of the final episode of the season, "Two Cathedrals". This is another great episode and an excellent place for a "making-of" featurette due to its setting and emotional power as the capper for a great season.

And finally, I am never one that is all that impressed with set tours but with the pace that you are taken around the set for "The West Wing" in the Access Granted feature it really is quite interesting, especially since while I was watching I was always wondering just how big the actual set was and if it was broken into several pieces or not, and I got my answer.

These 22 episodes are some of the best television programming I have seen in a long while and you can believe that I am looking forward to Season Three once it is released since I stay away from watching this show until it is on DVD. This set has managed to place special features exactly where they should be perfectly in conjunction with the turning points of the season. All I can say is, "Bravo!"