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The West Wing

IXTJ

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What are your thoughts on these characters in The West Wing?

Josh Lyman. ESTP or ENTP? Or is he a J? (doubtful...)

Toby Ziegler. INFP or INTP?

CJ Cregg. ENFP or ENFJ? or something else?

Sam Seaborn. ENFP? or something?

I think I got everyone else down pat but these are the central characters--not counting President Bartlett who is an ENTJ.
 

Nicodemus

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I found this list on the web, which types the characters as follows:

Jed Bartlet: ENTJ
Abbey Bartlet: ENFJ
Leo McGarry: ISTJ
Josh Lyman: ESTP
Toby Ziegler: INTP
C. J. Cregg: ENFP
Sam Seaborn: ENFP
Charlie Young: ISTJ
Donna Moss: ESFP
Will Bailey: ESTJ
Matthew Santos: ENFP
Arnold Vinick: INTJ
Bob Russell: ESTP
Kate Harper: ISTJ
Annabeth Schott: ESFP
Not knowing the last five of them, I disagree about a few others.

Jed Bartlet: ESTP or ESTJ
Leo McGarry: INTJ
Toby Ziegler: INFP
Sam Seaborn: ISTJ
Charlie Young: INFJ
Will Bailey: INTJ

Committing the sin of function talk, I see absolutely no sign of N in Jed, only superficial signs of S in Leo, tons of damaged Fi and a lot of Te in Toby, Si and Te in Sam, veiled Ni and and bold Fe in Charlie, and obvious Ni and Te in Will.
 

Tiltyred

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Huh. I went searching for a thread before I started a new one, and found this, which never took off, but just in case anybody has seen The West Wing since July of 2008 when IXTJ started this thread:unsure:, I'm wondering about CJ Cregg.
 

Z Buck McFate

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Netflix just started streaming it! I was so excited the other day when I found out. The first two seasons of this show has some of the best television writing ever- and a really strong cast too. I'd forgotten how good it is. My girl crush on CJ Cregg is back in full swing.

Aaron Sorkin's characters are really hard to 'type' because the writing is so idealistic that the characters aren't especially believable to me (it's still incredibly entertaining, it's just also unrealistic). The dialogue is so fast paced- the banter alone could lead me to type every single character NTP. Yet they're all so concerned with ideals in an NF sort of way. And I could find the best of SJ and SP qualities in them as well- it's like Sorkin made frankensteins-in-reverse from the best possible qualities in a way that doesn't happen irl. It's a problem with typing fictional characters in general, but it's especially problematic with Sorkin. I can't help but think any vibe I get- as far as type- is really more about the actor than the character.

That being said, I've been thinking about CJ for several days now while watching and I think either ESTP or ENFJ.
 

Tiltyred

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Of the two, I think ENFJ. And Josh Lyman, ENTP. I work in the neighborhood of the White House and it's quite realistic to me -- not every day is like that, there are long, long stretches of time where nothing much goes on, but when we're in the middle of a case, the pace is that fast and the dialogue sometimes nearly as good (which is why I stick around during the slow periods). One thing I enjoy about the show is the bold-faced sort of "art of the deal" aspect, where everything is negotiable and it's understood right out in the open that favors are being asked and granted and tally is being kept.

I've heard ENFP for CJ and I'd love to hear why anyone would think that, just so I can see the reasoning...
 

KDude

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Bartlet - ENFJ
Toby - INTP (I can see INFP too)
Leo - ESTJ
 

KDude

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Netflix just started streaming it! I was so excited the other day when I found out. The first two seasons of this show has some of the best television writing ever- and a really strong cast too.

I've been finishing it up, and I'd have to disagree. I like the last two seasons even more (Santos' story). I heard bad things about the last seasons, but I think the first few seasons had an almost "serial" like quality to them. Like a monster of the week tv series, but with the White House. Bartlet's presidency has to be most eventful period in American history. The last two seasons are more focused on what a presidential run is like and has a better narrative.
 

Z Buck McFate

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I've been finishing it up, and I'd have to disagree. I like the last two seasons even more (Santos' story). I heard bad things about the last seasons, but I think the first few seasons had an almost "serial" like quality to them. Like a monster of the week tv series, but with the White House. Bartlet's presidency has to be most eventful period in American history. The last two seasons are more focused on what a presidential run is like and has a better narrative.

I never watched beyond halfway through season 4 because it got too bland to me, like Law & Order caliber boring. I believe Sorkin took a break from writing after the first couple seasons (which are the only ones I liked). And though I heard he did more writing again in those last two seasons, it didn't seem worth it to me to go back and watch 3 seasons of pastiche just to know what's going on in those last two seasons.

I do agree there's something lacking in those first seasons, I think he even admitted that his writing was unrealistic in its idealism. I really like the banter though. I'm a sucker for good banter between characters. I was a fan of Sports Night (Sorkin's first series) too, because of the banter.
 

Tiltyred

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I'm just watching the last few episodes. Toby's got to be an INTP. I love him to bits and I don't understand why he's considered such an unsympathetic character.
 

KDude

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I'm just watching the last few episodes. Toby's got to be an INTP. I love him to bits and I don't understand why he's considered such an unsympathetic character.

I finished the show highly annoyed with him. I would say it's just the self-righteousness. If he was able to be elected himself, he could do a lot of good, but he sucks as a subordinate. He's a bit like Ralph Nader.
 

EJCC

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Bartlet - ENFJ
He seems so ENTJ to me. What makes you think Fe-dom?
Toby - INTP (I can see INFP too)
I could see either one, too. On the one hand, he seems like a Thinker, but on the other hand, I could see his (sometimes inconvenient) idealism as being a sign of Fi-dominance. (Unless he's an INTP 1, or something.) Josh, on the other hand, doesn't seem like he has Fi at all -- so opportunistic! -- so I definitely see him as some sort of ExTP charmer type. (7w6?)
I've been finishing it up, and I'd have to disagree. I like the last two seasons even more (Santos' story). I heard bad things about the last seasons, but I think the first few seasons had an almost "serial" like quality to them. Like a monster of the week tv series, but with the White House. Bartlet's presidency has to be most eventful period in American history. The last two seasons are more focused on what a presidential run is like and has a better narrative.
I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right. The show also portrays Republicans a little bit more even-handedly later on, what with Alan Alda's character actually being sympathetic.

I still like the first two seasons best because of the banter and overall writing skill on the part of Sorkin -- I agree with [MENTION=7842]Z Buck McFate[/MENTION] -- and also because I really disliked some of the plot twists later on. (e.g. Josh and the leak/the Idaho senator. Ugh.)
 

KDude

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I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right. The show also portrays Republicans a little bit more even-handedly later on, what with Alan Alda's character actually being sympathetic.

Yeah, Alan Alda was cool. Funnily, that debate with Smits was the first time I saw the underlying wisdom behind Republican tax cuts.
 

Tiltyred

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The romantz aspects were extra nice.
 

EJCC

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Yeah, Alan Alda was cool. Funnily, that debate with Smits was the first time I saw the underlying wisdom behind Republican tax cuts.
:yes: !

I loved Ainsley Hayes for that, too. When she kicks Sam's ass in that televised debate... man. One of my favorite moments of the show.

And speaking of Ainsley Hayes... ESTJ?
 

Emotionalogic

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Jed Bartlet: ENFJ 1w9 (Definitely an nf, he's ridiculously idealistic for a president. Look at the way he reacted to Maurice's death in season 1. Leo was his thinker counterweight. Jed had a diplomatic style and a love for just about everyone in the country. The man bled fe. Almost all idealized politicians are ENFJ, at least when they're written by lefties like Aaron Sorkin)
Leo McGarry: ISTJ 1w9 (He's more an administrator than a wonk. Stark contrast to...)
Josh Lyman: ENTP 6w7 (The staff's main ideas man. Motivated more by loyalty than idealism. Definite sensing inferior.)
Toby Zeigler: INTP 1w9 (Looks a bit like an INTJ, but I think he's just a grumpy INTP. Inferior fe explains the awkward idealism, and he was more a ti-ne gadfly than a ni-te visionary. I also see si rather than se.)
Sam Seaborn: ENFP 1w2 (A clear fi user and 1. His job is to spew out idealistic, semi-poetic rhetorical fluff. And he actually seems to buy it. The 2 comes out in the relationship with Laurie)
CJ Cregg: ENFJ 3w2 (Her job as press secretary does introduce a bias towards 3, but she really does seem to care most about protecting everyone's images, and is known as "a bit of a clothes horse". A fe-dom, she takes a diplomatic approach to the press. And her way of speaking suggests intuition)
Mandy Hampton: ESTP 8w9 (An excessively competitive, temperamental, over confident loudmouth. Was not sorry to see her go)
Charles Young: INTP 6w5 (His job as the president's nanny makes him look si, but he's clearly ti-ne (remember how he found the president's glasses without looking?)
Dolores Landingham: ISTJ 1w9 (A dumber, female Leo)
Donna Moss: ESFP 9w1 (Realistically, she'd be an awful secretary)
Joey Lucas: ESTJ 5w6 (Hard to type, for obvious reasons)
Percy Fitzwallace: ISTJ 6w5
Will Bailey: ENFP 1w9 (A slightly less sappy Sam)
Amy Gardener: ENTJ 8w9 (Could be an ENTP, and was probably intended to be a female Josh, but I think in making her a deliberate "strong feminist character" they inadvertently made her stand-offish, ambitious, ruthless, arrogant, and demanding enough to be a J.)
Abigail Bartlet: ESTJ 3w4 (No cause for Intuition as far as I can see. And she was rather imperious - odd, given that she had no reason to be)
Zoey Bartlet: ESFP 7w6
Eleanor Bartlet: ISFJ 5w6
Elizabeth Bartlet: INTJ 6w5
John Hoynes: ENTJ 8w9
Bob Russell: ESTP 3w4
Bruno Gianelli: ISTP 9w8 (Ti for campaign strategy, Se for Campaign presentation. Inferior fe is clear.)
Lou Thornton: ESTP 8w9
Arnold Vinick: INTJ 1w9
Matt Santos: ENFP 1w2
Lionel Tribbey: Psycho ENFJ 1w2
Oliver Babbish: ENTP 9w8
Ainsley Hayes: ESFJ 3w2 (Had an empathetic style: "think about that, next time you make a joke about the south". And a staunchly conservative ESTJ would be very unlikely to take a job in a democratic white house)
 
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