白宫风云第一季

主旋律这种东西，甭管中国外国，一样让人无法忍受。

偶尔拔高一回也就算了，这样时刻不忘展示美国精神的崇高，把好好的政治题材剧毁成了样板戏，可惜那么多精致漂亮的细节。

If they are shooting at you, you know you are doing something right.

I wanted a democrat, but instead I got you.

When the Gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.

"There is no present or future, only the past happening over and over again."

"I don't always know the right thing to do lord, but I think the fact that I want to please you pleases you."

A hero would die for his country but he'd much rather live for it.

It should be hard, I like that it is hard. Putting your daughter through college, that's-that's a man's job. A man's accomplishment. But it should be a little easier. Just a little easier. 'Cause in that difference is... everything. （刚看到这里，这句实在是太让人潸然泪下了）

我默默地间间断断地看完TWW四个季度（还剩三季），果然好看。不愧是2000～2003连续四年艾美奖最佳剧情类剧集。
这是一部“聪明”的剧集，对观众智商要求比较高。这是制片人兼编剧Aaron Sokin的风格。他后来的《Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip》就被指“too smart for TV”，也是我喜欢的一部剧。
具体说，风格就是，里面的人物都很忙，整天走来走去穿插在场景之间，对白快速且大量典故、引用或特有名词。情节不时是剧中人意识到发生什么了，观众却要再过一二十分钟来理解。
有时候我很敬佩并喜欢这帮人。他们似乎总是忙个不停（而无需停下花大把时间思考人生问题）。哪怕感情或者生活琐事都在工作间轻易地消磨——至少让观众看起来如此。很多事情其实都没什么太大不了的，不是吗？
人物的众多也是特色之一。当然客串演出的认得出脸的演员也是数不过来，就不一一列举了。就连主角和那些常规配角加起来就得有一二十个吧。里头的角色们仿佛都过得很充实。忙碌或许就是充实的近义词。他们也有着充分的能力去应付。单举一点，谈话的速度和信息量，我就常常跟不上。
深度、幽默感、剧情本身的跌宕起伏和演员的出色表演确保了它的出色。Aaron Sokin常常涉及敏感的政治和社会话题，多角度地力图客观地表现矛盾所在（也得角色多才比较好多角度……）。拿《The West Wing》来讲，观众可以比较深入地了解美国政治体系的优越和弊端。许多问题也可以了解到别人的立场和原因。
之所以看到第四季结束想写一写评论，是因为这季确实比较好看。当然，一路看下来我们也发现了，虽然这是部以白宫幕僚为背景的政治剧集，但它不会局限于现实，它必须戏剧性。“戏剧性”在第四季末尾几集得到了很好的体现。
也难怪《Secret Diary of a Call Girl》里头，女主角说：“I wasn’t abused by a relative, I’ve got no children to support, and I’ve never been addicted to anything, except maybe the fourth season of ‘The West Wing’ ” 。
看着看着，《The West Wing》都快变成《24》了，就差主角不是孤胆英雄Jack Bauer，也没那么多阴谋，但政治局势风云突变，好看程度不输越来越显得重复的《24》。我不想在这里做过多剧透，也没有把《24》粉丝拉来看该剧的意思——毕竟还是颇有区别。只是这是一部好剧，值得推荐，而且它居然也能演得这么刺激。
《The West Wing》编导的风格，很多事情欲说还休，点到为止，因而也显得余味十足。典型的比如花了整集主要事件是准备某重要演讲，但最后你根本看不到演讲的镜头。或者某军事外交事件，紧张了整集最后收到消息来报，终于解决，但后续处理就统统不交代了。最常见的是，你觉得这集的话题意犹未尽，下集它压根就不继续了，或者先搁在一旁，因为总是不断有新事件发生。
比如里面的感情戏实在就是完全靠编剧的心情……也许是他们真的没有那么闲去纠缠各种复杂的关系。你今天看到这两人好像有点那么回事，回头就啥都没演了（有时候编剧良心发现会有一两句对白带过意思一下）。或许应该这么说：这片根本就没有真正的感情戏。只是用来丰富、圆满剧情用的。
每个角色都是有个性而不平凡的，有各自的困境和疑难，也都有不为人知或者广为人知的性格特点或者爱好、特长等琐事。总之都是了不起的人物。正是丰富的人物、事件、丝毫不赘述的吝啬和常常挖一些看似无聊的细节，让这群角色丰满、立体。
每季的结局几集一般都伴随大事件的到来，挑起观众的兴奋点，也往往是这个时候感觉有点《24》。第一季的枪击事件；第二季的多发性硬化症和总统选举；第三季的特工意外身亡、两党总统候选人会面以及是否暗杀Qumar（剧中虚构的中东国家）国防部长的决定；第四季的副总统丑闻辞职、总统女儿遭绑架、总统临时卸任而让共和党籍议长代任执行总统……
我有时看过几集会不自觉停下，间隔一段时间再看。因为它的剧情结构并不是总像《24》或者《Prison Break》那样紧凑、揪人——就算这集末尾挑起了你的兴趣下集也不见得如你所愿有所发展，所以……但每季的结尾还是会让人有些欲罢不能。我大概还是准备接着看第五季了。
http://syc0129.blogbus.com/logs/25619700.html

第一季第二集，观剧笔记。

我是对这剧本，一点一点整理出来的。参考资料主要是两本词典：柯林斯英英，21世纪英汉大词典。

看得人多的话，再持续更新。目前我自己整理到第10集。

这部剧反复看都看不厌。彩蛋太多了~

THE WEST WING
'POST HOC, ERGO PROPTER HOC'

ACT ONE

【nominating convention】
Generally, usage of “presidential nominating convention” refers to the two major parties’ quadrennial events: the Democratic and the Republican National Convention. Some minor parties also select their nominees by convention.

【coming out party】成人晚会

【Nessun Dorma】
《今夜无人入睡》（意大利文：Nessun dorma）是普契尼最后一部歌剧《图兰多》的咏叹调，由男角卡拉夫王子（Calaf）演唱，诉说图兰多公主要全城彻夜不睡，在天亮前替她寻找王子的名字，若无法如期查出，则全城百姓都必须受死。歌曲的原意为“不让人入睡”，中译为“今夜无人入睡”或“公主徹夜未眠”。这首古典歌剧作品是著名男高音帕华洛帝（Luciano Pavarotti）的经典金曲，1990年被英国广播公司（BBC）用作当年意大利世界杯足球赛的主题曲后，令它的知名度更广为人知。

【option】N-COUNT In business, an option is an agreement or contract that gives someone the right to buy or sell something such as property or shares at a future date. 购买权; 出售权; 期权 [BUSINESS]

【challenge】N-VAR A challenge is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination. 挑战

【caucus】N-COUNT A caucus is a group of people within an organization who share similar aims and interests or who have a lot of influence. (机构中的) 核心组织【美国政治】 (政党在决策、酝酿候选人时召开的)领导层秘密会议 [FORMAL]

【take on】PHRASAL VERB If you take someone on, you fight them or compete against them, especially when they are bigger or more powerful than you are. 与 (尤指强于自己的人) 较量 [no passive] 例: Democrats were reluctant to take on a president whose popularity ratings were historically high.民主党不愿意与一个支持率创历史新高的总统较量。

【spunk】[口语]气概，胆量，勇气；精神，生气，活力。Spunk up鼓起勇气

【dinged up】磕磕碰碰，不顺

【suspension】N-VAR A vehicle's suspension consists of the springs and other devices attached to the wheels, which give a smooth ride over uneven ground. (车辆减震的) 悬架。例: ...the only small car with independent front suspension. 惟一的一辆带有独立前悬架的小汽车。

【gloat】V-I If someone is gloating, they are showing pleasure at their own success or at other people's failure in an arrogant and unpleasant way. (对自己的成功) 洋洋得意; (对别人的失败) 幸灾乐祸

【photo op】A photo op (sometimes written as photo opp), short for photograph opportunity (photo opportunity), is an opportunity to take a memorable and effective photograph of a politician, a celebrity, or a notable event.[1] Among amateur photographers, the term is used to refer to any opportunity to take good photos.

【in the residence】PHRASE If someone is in residence in a particular place, they are living there. 住在 (某处)

【Regis and Kathie Lee】
a syndicated American television morning talk show

【Atta boy】Informal Used to show encouragement or approval to a boy or man: Attaboy! That's the way to hit a home run!

【slay】V-T If someone slays an animal, they kill it in a violent way. 屠杀 [FORMAL]

【Ryder Cup team】
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is also the name of the trophy, after the person who donated it, Samuel Ryder. The Ryder Cup, and its counterpart the Presidents Cup, are unique in the world of golf, and possibly professional sports, since despite being high-profile events that bring in tens of millions of dollars in TV and sponsorship revenue the players receive no prize money and compete purely for the victory.

【Texas and big hats】represent the state's history of cowboys and frontier.

【whomp】vt. 重击；彻底击败

【weirded out】纳闷，诡异

【knockout】N-SING If you describe someone as a knockout, you think that they are extremely attractive or impressive. 引人注目的人 [INFORMAL] [approval]

【Tow】V-TIf one vehicle tows another, it pulls it along behind it. - They threatened to tow away my car. 他们威胁说要拖走我的车

【straighten out】PHRASAL VERB If you straighten out a confused situation, you succeed in getting it organized and cleaned up. 理清

【spin】N-SING If someone puts a certain spin on an event or situation, they interpret it and try to present it in a particular way. (特意做的) 诠释与宣传 [INFORMAL] 例: He interpreted the vote as support for the constitution and that is the spin his supporters are putting on the results today. 他把这次投票结果解释为对宪法的支持，这也是他的支持者们对今天的结果所做的诠释与宣传。

【condo】condo ['kɔndəu] n. [复数]-dos，-does [美国口语] 简陋公寓套间(常作度假用)；公寓租房；分套购置的公寓房(如个人居住的公寓套间) [condominium 的缩略形式]

【enter】V-T If you enter someone for a race or competition, you officially state that they will compete or take part in it. 使报名参加竞赛

【pool】(赌博者所下的)全部赌注；(某一项目上的)赌注总额；(赛马等)共同赌金

【the line】[美国、加拿大英语] [the line]体育(足球等非赛跑竞赛项目)比赛赌率 [参较 Las Vegas line]

【The latest in a string】接连发生事件中的最近一个。

【double-team sb】双人夹击sb

【gang up on】合伙反对…

【fly in the teeth with it】to challenge someone or something; to go against someone or something.

【You're at your best with a pie in the face.】
Pieing is the act of throwing a pie at a person or persons. This can be a political action when the target is an authority figure, politician, or celebrity and can be used as a means of protesting against the target's political beliefs, or against perceived arrogance or vanity. Perpetrators generally regard the act as a form of ridicule to embarrass and humiliate the victim. In some U.S. states pieing may conform to definitions of the crime of battery, but not assault. (Battery is the crime of hitting or beating someone.)

【Strained】
ADJIf relations between people are strained, those people do not like or trust each other. (关系) 紧张的

【diss】vt., vi. [俚语](对…)无礼，侮辱，奚落；(言语或行为上对…)不尊敬；轻蔑地拒绝(或打发)

ACT TWO

【hit it off】 投缘 ;相处融洽

【perimeter】N-COUNT The perimeter of an area of land is the whole of its outer edge or boundary. 周边; 周界

【cubed】疑难问题,难题

【Fahrenheit ['færəhait]】华氏温标（符号为℉）规定：在标准大气压下，冰的熔点为32℉，水的沸点为212℉，中间有180等分，每等分为华氏1度。

【touch down】(飞机等)降落；着陆： The plane touched down at 17:45 at Heathrow Airport.

【hypnosis】Hypnosis is the art or practice of hypnotizing people. 催眠术

【booze】N-UNCOUNTBooze is alcoholic drink. 酒[INFORMAL] [also 'the' N]

【Joint chief】参谋长联席会议

【stare down】使紧张不安；使动摇，使屈服：

【infantry】N-UNCOUNT-COLLInfantry are soldiers who fight on foot rather than in tanks or on horses. 步兵

【premed】医科大学预科的

【coup】[ku:]N-COUNTWhen there is a coup, a group of people seize power in a country. 政变

【fester】V-IIf you say that a situation, problem, or feeling is festering, you disapprove of the fact that it is being allowed to grow more unpleasant or full of anger, because it is not being properly recognized or dealt with. 恶化

【You have a once in a generation mind】

ACT THREE
【knowing】ADJA knowing gesture or remark is one that shows that you understand something, for example the way that someone is feeling or what they really mean, even though it has not been mentioned directly. 会意的
【tweak】[俚语]【计算机】对…稍作调整，对程序微调

【trip over】被(某物)绊了一下 The boy tripped over a stone.那个男孩被一块石头绊了一下。

【Grand Jury】N-COUNT A grand jury is a jury, usually in the United States, which considers a criminal case in order to decide if someone should be tried in a court of law. 大陪审团

【given the benefit of the doubt.】假定其无过失或无罪（因无充分证据证明某人有罪）

【D.N.C.】 = Democratic National Committee

【mug】to be mugged 被袭击

【wrap up】PHRASAL VERB If you wrap up something such as a job or an agreement, you complete it in a satisfactory way. 圆满完成 (工作); 达成 (协议) 例: NATO defense ministers wrap up their meeting in Brussels today. 北约国防部长们今天在布鲁塞尔圆满结束了他们的会议。

【on board】支持某人的；赞同某人的政策、路线的；合作的

【truncated】删节的，断章取义的

【fix】V-T If you fix some food or a drink for someone, you make it or prepare it for them. 准备 (食物、饮料等) 例: Sarah fixed some food for us.
萨拉为我们准备了一些食物。

【cattle rustler ['rʌslə]】[美国口语]偷牛贼

【Nobel Laureate['lɔ:riət] in Economics,】诺贝尔奖的得主称之为 桂冠 （ Laureate ），这自然是因袭英国的 桂冠 诗人制度而来。

【blow off】PHRASAL VERB If you blow something off, you ignore it or choose not to deal with it. 不理会 [AM] [INFORMAL] 例: I don't think we can afford just to blow this off. 我想我们担负不起对此置之不理。

【hit a bump】N-COUNT Bump is also a noun. 碰撞。例: Small children often cry after a minor bump. 小孩子们在轻微的碰撞后常常会哭。

【I've been shoved into a broom...】 [美国俚语]卖力大干

【stick around】PHRASAL VERB If you stick around, you stay where you are, often because you are waiting for something. (为等候) 呆在原地不动 [INFORMAL] 例: Stick around a while and see what develops. 稍呆一会儿，看看会发生什么。

【whipping boy】替罪羔羊

【full-throated】full-throated support/defense全力支持/辩护

ACT FOUR

【barging in】PHRASAL VERB If you barge in or barge in on someone, you rudely interrupt what they are doing or saying. 插一杠子 [INFORMAL]
例: I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I have a problem I hope you can solve. 抱歉这样插进来，不过我有个问题希望你能解决。

【back away from】
The trainer backed away from the enraged tiger.

【brandish】V-T If you brandish something, especially a weapon, you hold it in a threatening way. 挥舞 (尤指武器) 例: He appeared in the lounge brandishing a knife. 他出现在休息室,挥舞着一把刀。

【a decent paper route】

【knock out】PHRASAL VERB If a person or team is knocked out of a competition, they are defeated in a game, so that they take no more part in the competition. 淘汰

【tort】n. 【法律】(民事)侵犯行为

【admit you with a solicitation bust】
V-T/V-I If you admit that something bad, unpleasant, or embarrassing is true, you agree, often unwillingly, that it is true. 承认 (不好、不快或尴尬的事实)

【solicitation 教唆,拉客】

【busted】V-T If someone is busted, the police arrest them. 逮捕 [INFORMAL] [usu passive]
例: They were busted for possession of cannabis.
他们因持有大麻而被逮捕。

【stay on their feet】= keep balance

【patter】N-SING Someone's patter is a series of things that they say quickly and easily, usually in order to entertain people or to persuade them to buy or do something. 顺口溜

【capital gains tax】 [税收] 资本利得税

【mike】N-COUNT A mike is the same as a microphone. 麦克风 [INFORMAL]

【fundamentalist】N-UNCOUNT Fundamentalism is the belief in the original form of a religion or theory, without accepting any later ideas. 原教旨主义 - 例: Religious fundamentalism was spreading in the region. 宗教的原教旨主义正在这一地区蔓延。

【debunk】批判，驳斥，指出…的错误，证明…是虚假的 - to debunk the claims of an advertiser 驳斥一名广告商的谎言

【Tel Aviv】n. 特拉维夫市（以色列港市）

【Fundamentalist】原教旨主义者（请WIKI）

【Syria & Jordan】叙利亚 & 约旦（请WIKI）

《The West Wing》中有两段关于宗教的对白，十分精彩。
 
（1）
我想将我女儿卖去做奴隶，就象《圣经·旧约》21章7节说的，她是大二学生，说意大利语，被叫到还经常清理桌子，她能卖到什么价钱？……我的助手里奥坚持安息日工作，《圣经·旧约》35章2节说得很清楚他应该被处死的，我是亲手杀了他还是可以叫警察来？……这里有很多运动迷，碰到死猪皮让人变得不干净，《利未记》11章7节，如果让他们戴上手套，华盛顿红皮肤人还能踢足球吗？……全城的人真的得集中在一起用石头砸我兄弟约翰，就因为他并排种不同的作物？我可以在小型家庭会议上烧死家母因为她穿不同线做的衣服吗？
 
（2）
——犹太教律不禁止死刑？
——不禁止。
——它说以牙还牙？
——你知道它还说了什么？它说叛徒应该被带到城门用石头砸死；同性恋可憎，应受死刑惩罚；男人可以多妻；奴隶制可行。这些是当时的最高智慧，但以现代标准来看大错特错。

在这里，最重要的关键词是“当时”。任何一种学说都只代表*当时*的人在前人的基础上对*当时*的现象的分析和结论，它不可避免地带有时代的局限。一种学说的生命力在于一句我们说滥了的“与时俱进”，在这个过程是个扬弃的过程。如果西方人真的按照他们的经典，按照《圣经》和犹太教律来行事，基督教和犹太教早就灭亡了。
 
我们的祖先是智慧的，但无论孔子还是庄子，都只代表当时的最高智慧，他们各有各的局限。我们的国学经典精华与糟粕并存，我们需要的是去粗取精去伪存真，这是当代学者振兴国学的责任。而那种拿国学当招牌以圣贤做幌子忽悠大众牟取私利的人不配称学者，甚至不配称知识分子，他们只是精明的商人而已。
 
十博士有句话是对的，对经典必须心存敬畏。但是在“娱乐至死”的今天，任何东西都被拿来娱乐拿来消谴，或者说是拿来消费。我已经不相信中华文化有复兴的一天，我们正在自己玩死自己。

2005年下半年开始看这部美剧,一直看到2006年第七季大结局。这部美剧伴我在异国他乡度过了无数个难忘的日日夜夜。每当点开新的一集，伴随着一阵节奏激越的鼓声，我的心跳仿佛随之在颤动。
这部剧描写白宫里一班总统幕僚围绕白宫政治生活展开的一幕幕平凡而不平凡的故事。从许多剧情中你可以看到许多现实中真实事件的影子，其中有多处是涉及中国的政治事件。看过之后你会更加感性地了解到一个个决策背后美国人对中国的看法和理解。
这部剧让我最深有感触的是这一班幕僚精干的职业素质和高超的工作水平。
该剧的编剧是一个很著名的人物（不过恕我记不得了）。其中第七季中总统竞选的场面堪称经典中的经典，整整一集都是两名总统候选人的辩论－编剧编写了两位候选的全部演说词！编剧水平可见一斑！
出于对这部剧的热爱，我自己还曾独自翻译了第七季某一集的字幕，参加了一段字幕组的工作。