MovieChat Forums > The West Wing (1999) Discussion > Something I noticed while rewatching the...

Something I noticed while rewatching the Pilot

posted 9 years ago by selacious9
11 replies | jump to latest

In preparation for Malina's new podcast, I plan on rewatching the series. I've seen the series start-to-finish a number of times, mostly because it used to be on Bravo like four times a day. But last night I noticed something for the first time.

In the scene where Toby is advising Josh to apologize to Mary Marsh, this is is hanging on the wall in Josh's office:

http://tww-caps.com/gallery/albums/season1/101/tww-s01-e01-16976.jpg

I find that a to be a bit of an ironic (ominous? fortuitous?) start to the season, given what happens to Josh at the end of the season.

Intentional? Unintentional? Coincidental?

I know there are some changes to the set between season 1 and the rest of the series (locations/sizes of offices) but that wasn't there the whole time, was it?

Anybody ever notice that before?

[–] LMayberry-2 9 years ago

I cannot see what you are referring to in the picture. (Legally blind and trying to see it on my iPad doesn't help matters.). So can you explain what you are seeing?

I have seen all of the shows multiple times and I do keep spotting mew things.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

[–] selacious9 9 years ago

To me, it looks like the kind of poster with a human silhouette that one might find use for target practice at a shooting range. And I'll agree it's a tad blurry, but it seems to be a used one at that.

[–] LMayberry-2 9 years ago

I seem to recall that target being there. Foreshadowing? I think you are correct.

When TWW started, I was viewing it on a 13" TV, so many details were missed. I was hoping to spend my retirement ware watching the series in HD on my big TV, but I have spent the last 6 months in the hospital, watching episodes on mr iPad or iPhone, while having undergone four eye surgeries and now undergoing eye injections to restore my eyesight. I found that TWW is a good listen even when I can't see it that well.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

[–] selacious9 9 years ago

Sorry to hear about your eye surgeries, hoping for a speedy recovery.

I agree with you that the musical cadence of Sorkin's dialog being read by this incredible cast is probably just as enjoyable as watching the show.

[–] SaliceMcD 8 years ago

My very best wishes for a full recovery!!

[–] Dilbert_27 8 years ago

On the audio only mention. Some years ago, there was a complete series in mp3 only on a script website that I used to listen to during my commute and yes it does play well as audio only I have to agree.

[–] mom2joshua 8 years ago

I noticed the President had a granddaughter but later on in the series he gains a teenage daughter

[–] segsig 8 years ago

Annie and Zoey both had questionable age consistency during the show's run, but I don't see a problem with the fact that one was the daughter of his oldest child and one his youngest daughter. I don't think it's rare to become an aunt as a teen if you're the youngest in the family (I know I did at 14).

[–] pantsonparade1 8 years ago

Yeah like how Zoey was 19 when she started at GWU, but changed to 17 for Charlie to see they lied on the medical history portion of the application.

[–] segsig 8 years ago

I don't think this one was a problem of Sorkin not paying attention. I've seen an explanation (fairly sure it was on this board years ago), about the time lapse between when she applied and when she started. Then of course we got the real world demonstration of that in our current white house with the first daughter being accepted to college and deciding to take a gap year.

Did Zoey start in a spring semester?

[–] CLX_db 8 years ago

It took a while to accumulate the information and get back to you, but the original observation is quite correct - that is indeed a firearm target on Josh's wall next to the bookcase in the Pilot episode. It appears to be a NRA Police Silhouette, type B-27, commonly used in training and qualification by law enforcement.

I am aware of no explanation for its presence.

The target remained in that location through season one, including the season finale.

In season two it moved to a small wall section contiguous with a doorway in a corner of the Communications Office, adjacent to the whiteboard and opposite the offices of Sam and Toby. Again, it remained there through the entire second season, including the season finale, and remained unexplained.

That spot is bare in season three when I first see the wall in The Indians in the Lobby. I have not seen the target in any location since season two. On checking its old location in Josh's office in The Indians in the Lobby it had not returned there.