Python saved my but 10 years ago when I was transitioning from operations to be a full time software developer. Back then I made the wrong technology choice for a project (OpenLazlo, a discontinued RIA platform on the frontend and PHP at the backend) and the schedule was slipping fast. Then I tried Django and it really stands for the motto "The web framework for perfectionists with deadlines".

I'm yet to find a language that allows fast prototyping while being readable six months after you wrote it - I used to love Perl, it is on pair with Python on productivity and blows it out of the water in performance, but I can't say it is easy to maintain.