48 Comments
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Allison Janney's avatar

Beautiful, Janel! It’s so great to read your account of this! It brings back so many memories of my own🤗

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ana's avatar

I love this! Looking forward to go on this journey with you, and to hear about your memories and stories of this show that means so much to a lot of us!

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Janel Moloney's avatar

Thank you. It's true. That's why I'm doing it❤️

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Jill Corrigan's avatar

“When they can appreciate it”. 25 years later, I watch all the time, and I still find new things to appreciate. They’ll kick themselves later. But they’ve got time to get just as addicted as the rest of us. Assuming they can get past the Donna/Josh thing. 😂

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David Roberts's avatar

Perhaps best to watch for the first time in early 2029!

Huge fan of the show. For my birthday last week, my brothers had Richard Schiff record a very long and funny birthday greeting.

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Kieran Garland's avatar

spent a lovely couple of drunken evenings with Timothy Busfield a few years back, whom i managed to dragoon into coming to see me as an understudy in something nearby us both at the time. i bent his ear a bit too much on how much this show and all your works meant to me at a certain point in my life. anyway, very glad you're doing this and am on board for the trip. i think you write very nicely indeed, by the way, this is such a lovely first piece. cheers

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kai m's avatar

watching for the first time now and i’m absolutely in love with josh and donna ! this show is perfect

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Paul Morrison's avatar

Part of me wishes we could experience it with you, Janel the same way we rewatched with Josh for his TWWW podcast.

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Heather's avatar

So excited to go on this journey with you as you revisit the show! This show and Donna means so much to many of us and we’re so lucky that you’ve chosen to share your memories and thoughts with us

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Julia Lauren's avatar

Amazing! So excited to go on this journey with you and so proud of you for launching this Substack. It’s always such a joy to read essays from someone’s unique perspective!

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Janel Moloney's avatar

Thank you Julia! My early supporter😁

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Jeffrey Heintz's avatar

Looking forward to reading this from you. I watched The West Wing so many times. Great writing and great acting. I’ve read What’s Next. Thank you for giving some insight from you.

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Tara's avatar

So thrilled to be able to follow your journey and hear your perspective! The West Wing has long been my comfort show and now as a federal employee even more so! I don’t know how many times I’ve rewatched it but I’ll start over again to follow along with you!

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Trish's avatar

I'm so happy you're doing this. I just watched The West Wing for the first time this year and now I'm rewatching it. It was such a comfort show for me during the election. Donna and Josh are my favorites on the show so I'm really looking forward to this.

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Haley's avatar

Absolutely perfect timing as I'm flying to Wisconsin to visit UW today! Really embracing my inner Donna. Loved reading this!! :)

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Amy Julian's avatar

I am so looking forward to this! I slip into a bit of a funk after the holidays every year and hibernate because, well, I live in Ohio, and my husband died of a heart attack entirely too young. Anyhow, this winter, instead of wallowing, I rewatched The West Wing, twice. What an extraordinarily good choice! I had forgotten how brilliantly written and exquisitely acted it is. It has been salve for my soul and I too, am recommending it to my three sons whom I know will enjoy it once they get past their mistaken belief that it’s “an old mom show.” Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

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Janel Moloney's avatar

Thank you Amy. I’m sorry about your husband. Wow life can pummel you sometimes. Art helps heal for sure. Thanks for reading❤️

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Donna Smith's avatar

Love going on this journey with you. Congratulations!

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Rajiv Nagipogu's avatar

You have a very distinctive penmanship!

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