The West Wing

Show generally

Other mistake: The actress who plays Nancy McNally, Anna Deavere Smith, sometimes has her name spelt Anna Deveare Smith in the credits. It's happened in quite a few episodes. Not sure which is the correct way.

Daioni

Show generally

Factual error: Whenever the king of Sweden is mentioned by name they always refer to him as "King Gustaf." The king of Sweden is actually named Carl XVI Gustaf. His given name is Carl Gustaf and he holds the throne as the sixteenth king Carl. Thus they should refer to him as "King Carl Gustaf" or, less common but technically correct, "King Carl." Since Bartlet has met the Swedish king in person and talked to him about Ellie's mathematical skills he ought to know the correct name.

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Quotes

Pilot - S1-E1

Laurie: Tell your friend POTUS he's got a funny name, and he should learn how to ride a bicycle.
Sam Seaborn: I would, but he's not my friend, he's my boss. And it's not his name, it's his title.
Laurie: POTUS?
Sam Seaborn: President of the United States.

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Trivia

Trivia: Martin Sheen also played the President in the mini series "Kennedy" and in another character's vision in 1983's The Dead Zone.

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Questions

In Excelsis Deo - S1-E10

Question: This is as good a place to ask as any. In various US TV shows (including this one, and this episode), someone says "I could care less", when they always seem to mean "I couldn't care less", ie. they have no interest in what's going on. Surely if they COULD care less that means they actually care a reasonable amount? Is there any logic to this, or is it just a really annoying innate lack of sense?

Jon Sandys ★

Chosen answer: A really annoying innate lack of sense. My friends and family say the same thing all the time, and I'm endlessly trying to correct them. I think people just don't know any better and (ironically) couldn't care less that they're speaking incorrectly.

Answer: It's an endlessly annoying dropped negative, and it's been a common colloquialism for far too long. I believe it comes from an original (and now omitted and merely implied) "As if" preceding the statement. "As if I could care less." (Meaning "As if it were possible that I could care even less than I do.") But there's really no way to know.

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