The West Wing (television)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin, running since 1999 and now approaching its sixth season. The show is set in the White House run by a fictional Democratic administration. The West Wing of the White House is the modern day location of the President's Oval Office and the offices of most of his staff. The original White House, to which the West Wing is connected at basement level, is used for head of state functions as the residence of the President, with governmental functions based in the West Wing and in other ancillary buildings in the White House compound.
Warning: Plot details follow.
Premise
The main character in the series is Fictional U.S. President Josiah Bartlet, a fictitious descendant of the real-life Josiah Bartlett (a New Hampshire Governor and signatory of the Declaration of Independence), played by Martin Sheen. Like his ancestor, Bartlet was a governor of New Hampshire. He was elected President on the Democratic ticket, and successfully ran for re-election four years later. He is a devout Catholic, fluent in Latin and at one time considered becoming a priest. He is married to Dr. Abigail Bartlet, an equally intelligent PhD. The President suffers from multiple sclerosis, which at one time put the future of his presidency in doubt.
Bartlet was originally intended to be a minor character, appearing only a few times every season. The original plan was to follow the staff of the West Wing through the eyes of a young speechwriter, Sam Seaborn, played by Rob Lowe. The high quality of the ensemble acting by the main cast, and in particular Sheen's performance as the sometimes Clintonesque Bartlet has, however, seen him become the show's central character, sidelining Lowe's Sam Seaborn. The dwindling attention has been quoted as the reason for Rob Lowe's departure during the fourth season.
Bartlet represents, in many ways, a liberal Democrat's fantasy of the ideal president: a fierce intellect, with great (though not infallible) personal integrity, toughness, but tempered with essential compassion for the less fortunate and a sense of humour. His staff, collectively, are similar—talented, bright, and thoroughly committed.
The West Wing universe
The West Wing is set in a rather complex fictional universe that parallels our own in many ways, yet also has several key differences. The show is set in the present day, and although it is not always consistent regarding lapses of time between episodes, there are indications that it takes place within the same year and even month of each episode's original airing. Because the show began in 1999, this leads to an interesting incongruity with the real world: President Bartlet is elected in 1998, and the next presidential election in the West Wing universe is in 2002, according to the season two episode "17 People." It is not explained how or when this shift in the election cycle came about. Incidentally, several modern presidents, such as Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush do not exist in the West Wing world, although slightly earlier presidents such as John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson did. The last president in both the West Wing world and the real world appears to have been Richard Nixon. Prior to President Bartlet's election, the White House was occupied by a two-term conservative Republican president (based on Reagan), and before him, the presidency was held by a one-term liberal Democrat (loosely based on Carter). Some real world leaders, such as Yasser Arafat and Queen Elizabeth II exist in the show's universe, but most foreign countries are given fictional rulers.
An explanation for some of the concerns regarding dates within the show comes from Aaron Sorkin during the commentary on the U.S. DVD release of the second season. During the episode "18th and Potomac," Sam makes a comment about a room being used in planning for the millenium, implying that Bartlet was in office during the year 2000. In the commentary track, Sorkin calls this a mistake, saying that as a general rule, he wanted to avoid placing The West Wing in a certain year.
One theory for the differing election cycle and presidential timelines in West Wing world is that following Richard Nixon's term ending due to Watergate in 1974, a special election was held for a new four year presidential term instead of Gerald Ford assuming the office. Thus the election cycles would have occured in 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994, leading up to the two elections that President Bartlet won in 1998 and 2002. Whether this would be constitutional or not is debatable, although the Supreme Court tends to defer to Congress in matters of national elections. Regardless of how it ended up that way, The West Wing seems to have diverged with our reality sometime in the 1970s, although the West Wing universe has still had a lot of similarities with our's even after that.
Fictional countries also exist in the West Wing universe — "Qumar", a terrorist-sponsoring Middle Eastern state based in part on Taliban Afghanistan, and in part on Saudi Arabia, is repeatedly a source of trouble for the Bartlet administration. According to maps shown on the show, Qumar appears to consist of a small part of southern Iran, including the important Strait of Hormuz. Another hotspot is "Equatorial Kuhndu", an African nation blighted by AIDS and civil war.
Staying topical
The West Wing often features extensive discussion on current or recent political issues, and with the real-world election of the Republican President George W. Bush in 2000, many wondered whether the show could retain its relevance and topicality.
Following the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, the third season premiere was pushed back a week. A script for a special episode was quickly written and filming began on September 21. "Isaac and Ishmael" finished shooting in about a week—an incredibly quick turn around time for a TV drama. The episode aired on October 3 and addressed the sobering reality of terrorism in America, albeit with no specific reference to September 11. While Isaac and Ishmael didn't get universal critical acclaim, it nonetheless illustrated the show's flexibility in addressing current events.
Main characters
President Bartlet
Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet (Martin Sheen), President of the United States and previously the governor of and three-term congressman from New Hampshire. President Bartlet once entertained the idea of becoming a priest; he even attended the University of Notre Dame. President Bartlet is an accomplished economist, with a PhD in economics from the London School of Economics and a Nobel Prize in Economics. Bartlet was shot at the end of the first season finale, although due to a cliffhanger viewers didn't find out until the first episode of the second season, In The Shadow of Two Gunmen. The President's wounds were not serious and the assassination attempt was actually intended at his personal assistant, Charlie Young, not Bartlet. In the Season Two finale Two Cathedrals, Bartlet announced to the country that he suffers from multiple sclerosis, and had been keeping it a secret, although this had been previously revealed to the viewers in the Season One episode He Shall, From Time to Time...
President Bartlet's daughter, Zoey, was kidnapped the day of her graduation from Georgetown University, possibly due to the Bartlet-ordered assassination of the Qumari defense minister. While Zoey was missing, President Bartlet invoked Section 3 of the 25th Amendment, giving up the power of the presidency. Due to the resignation a few days earlier of Vice President John Hoynes, the Speaker of the House Glen Allen Walken, a Republican, became Acting President. Zoey was recovered with only minor injuries several days later and President Bartlet reassumed his office a few hours later.
Leo
Leo Thomas McGarry (John Spencer), White House Chief of Staff, originally suggested that Bartlet run for president. As President Bartlet's top advisor, Leo has an office adjacent to the Oval Office and sits in with the President in the Situation Room. Leo is very involved in the formation of policy and the day-to-day operations of the White House and its staff. Leo is a former United States Secretary of Labor, an Air Force veteran in the Vietnam War, and is also a recovering alcoholic and valium addict. His problems with alcohol, as well as his workaholic attitude towards his job as Chief of Staff, led to his divorce from Jenny.
Leo and Jenny have a daughter, Mallory, who is a recurring character and was a potential love interest for Sam Seaborn. They spent most of their time arguing; Mallory usually picks the fights just to have Sam argue with her.
Sam
Samuel Norman 'Sam' Seaborn (Rob Lowe), Deputy Communications Director. Sam left a job at a prominent New York law firm to write speeches for Bartlet during his campaign for the presidency. Sam's greatest strength and sometimes flaw is his unflinching idealism. His enduring faith in and love for the American political process are important aspects of his character. In a third season episode, President Bartlet told Sam that he would run for president later on in his career. During the fourth season, Rob Lowe left the show due to salary issues and a lack of emphasis on his character. In the show, Sam decided to run for Congress in his home district in Orange County, California in a special election after the Democratic candidate who died of a heart attack won the election posthumously. Sam's departure facilitated the arrival of Will Bailey, the campaign manager for the dead candidate in California. After Sam left for California, Bailey came to the White House with a note from Sam to Toby that read: "Toby — He's one of us." It was never revealed whether Sam won or lost the election: he was losing when he last appeared on the show but presumably would've come back to the White House if he wasn't elected. Sam's character has been mentioned a few times in passing since Lowe's departure from the show, although no indication has been made that Lowe or Seaborn will return.
Josh
Joshua 'Josh' Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Deputy White House Chief of Staff. Josh originally worked for Senator John Hoynes, Bartlet's opponent for the Democratic nomination in 1998. However, at the request of Josh's father's old friend Leo McGarry, Josh went to New Hampshire to see Jed Bartlet speak, and immediately left Hoynes's campaign to work for Bartlet. Shortly after Josh joined the Bartlet campaign, he hired a college dropout named Donnatella Moss as his assistant despite her total lack of qualification. Donna has been Josh's assistant, close friend, and possible object of his affections ever since. On the night that Bartlet won the Illinois Primary, the key to winning the Democratic nomination, Josh's father died. Josh rushed to the airport to fly home as soon as possible, and in a touching scene, Bartlet delayed giving his victory speech in order to follow Josh to the airport and make sure he was okay. Josh was also seriously wounded in the season finale of the first season by white supremacists trying to assassinate Charlie for his relationship with Zoey, the President's daughter. Josh spent a substantial amount of time in the hospital, and was later diagnosed with Post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the shooting.
Donna was a recurring character during the first season, although she appeared in every episode, and has been a regular since the second. She is currently seriously injured as a result of a terrorist attack on the American convoy carrying her and others in Gaza. At the end of the season finale it was revealed that Donna has a pulmonary embolism and must undergo life-threatening surgery to survive.
Charlie's mother was a police officer in D.C. who was killed in the line of duty (revealed in the episode "A Proportional Response"). He takes care of his sister, Deena (known later as Deanna), as his father is long gone. Though he had high scores and grades, Charlie decided not to go to college until Deena finished school. However, during Season 2, he decided to take courses at Georgetown University while still keeping up with the demands of his job.
Charlie is very smart and intuitive and has a father/son relationship with the President. In fact, he's one of the few people who can joke with the President in the Oval Office and get away with it.
Charlie began dating Zoey Bartlet, the President's younger daughter, in Season 1. He was the target of an assassination attempt at the end of Season 1. He and Zoey later broke up, though he often professed his love for her, much to her chagrin (and secret delight). As Season 5 progressed, we saw that Charlie briefly had a new love interest, although there is no indication on whether Charlie and Zoey will reunite.
Charlie is also a mentor to Anthony, a troubled young man whose "Big Brother", Simon Donovan (a Secret Service Agent assigned to protect C.J. Cregg), was killed (at the end of Season 3).
To protect her husband's secret, Abbey gave the President doses of betaseron, which helped keep him MS in check. It was only after he collapsed and was confronted by Leo that she revealed their secret. Her decision to medicate her husband - in violation of several AMA rules - caused her to decide to give up her medical license for the duration of her stay in the White House. However, she has begun to do some work at a local clinic.
Abbey was a recurring character during the first two seasons and has been a regular since the third, despite the fact that she does not appear in several episodes.
Indeed, though rarely topping the ratings, and despite its focus on American politics, The West Wing has developed an international following.
More recently, the perceived switch of emphasis from Sorkin's dialogue-centric style of writing to John Wells' focus on plot-driven drama, has angered some of the show's fan base, some of whom feel so passionately about the switch that they are actively campaigning for the show to be cancelled, citing Sorkin's departure as the sole cause of the show's "decline". However, most fans continue to enjoy the show, acknowledging that despite Sorkin's departure it is still far superior to other shows of its ilk.
The actors who have won Emmys include:
Allison Janney - Best Supporting Actress (2000, 2001), Best Actress (2002)
Richard Schiff - Best Supporting Actor (2000)
Bradley Whitford - Best Supporting Actor (2001)
John Spencer - Best Supporting Actor (2002)
Stockard Channing - Best Supporting Actress (2002)
Each of the main cast members (with the exception of Joshua Malina) has been nominated for Emmys. Strangely, Martin Sheen, the central character and probably the most acclaimed actor on the show, has yet to win an Emmy.
The show has won two Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.
Golden Globes: Martin Sheen won a Golden Globe for Best Actor.
Toby
Tobias Zachary 'Toby' Ziegler (Richard Schiff), White House Director of Communications. Toby is the only member of the West Wing staff other than Leo to have been with Bartlet since the beginning of his first campaign for the presidency. On the night that Josh came to see Bartlet speak in New Hampshire, Leo fired everyone on Bartlet's staff except for Toby. Toby is cynical and sarcastic, but passionate about his job and a brilliant speechwriter. Toby's ex-wife, Andrea Wyatt, is a member of Congress. During the fourth season, it was revealed that Toby and his ex-wife had conceived twins together. His ex-wife is later sued by a group on grounds that her nondisclosure of her pregnancy during her campaign for re-election constituted election fraud.C.J.
Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Cregg (Allison Janney), White House Press Secretary. C.J. worked for a California public relations company before coming to work for Bartlet. Ironically, she was fired from that job on the same day that Toby came to California to ask her to join the Bartlet campaign. As Press Secretary, C.J. is sharp, incredibly well-spoken and witty. During the third season, C.J. received a series of serious death threats, which led to her being placed under the protection of Secret Service agent Simon Donovan, who became romantically involved with C.J. Shortly after going off-duty, Donovan was shot and killed after becoming caught up in the armed robbery of a grocery store in the episode "Posse Comitatus". C.J. has also had a long on-again, off-again flirtation with reporter Danny Concannon, although the two decided they could not date because it would be a conflict of interest.Mandy
Madeline 'Mandy' Hampton (Moira Kelly), White House media consultant and former girlfriend of Josh Lyman. The character left the show without story explanation after the first season. Although no reference to her departure was made in the plot, writer Aaron Sorkin mentions in an official West Wing book that her character "wasn't working" and that her departure was amicable. Mandy was originally intended to be the main romantic foil for Josh Lyman, but after a few episodes it became clear that Donna worked better in that role and Mandy never fit in well with the rest of the ensemble cast. It can be assumed that the character of Mandy left the White House sometime in the period of roughly six months between the first season's finale and the end of the second season's third episode.Donna
Donnatella 'Donna' Moss (Janel Moloney), Senior Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning. Donna is Josh's assistant and has a complex relationship with her boss. She found out in the third season that she is a no longer a United States citizen, after the Minnesota town in which she was born ends up in Canada after border changes.Charlie
Charlie Young (Dule Hill), the President's personal aide or "body man." Charlie is in charge of determining and maintaining the President's daily schedule. He originally came to the White House to get a part-time job as a bike messenger, but he was picked by Ms. DeLaGuardia (later to be known as Debbie Fiderer, the President's secretary) as someone to replace the President's former body man. Abbey
Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet (Stockard Channing), First Lady, a world-class physician, and wife of more than thirty years to President Bartlet.Will
William 'Will' Bailey (Joshua Malina), Deputy Communications Director following Lowe's departure from the series in the 4th season, later Chief of Staff to Vice President Russell. As Toby said after meeting him, he's deeply schooled in Eastern philosophy which gives his role in the team a special flavor. He was gracefully added to the staff over the course of a few episodes. There was a requisite amount of hazing when he was first hired and moved into Sam's old office for a temporary 3 week contract to help with the president's second inaugural address. He soon had a chance to win everyone over slowly and the president eventually swore him in as deputy. His father is the former Supreme Commander of NATO forces, whose ideological footsteps he seems to follow in while making a name for himself with quiet resolve. Will left Bartlet's staff soon after the appointment of Congressman Bob Russell as Vice President of the United States to take an offer from Russell to be his Chief of Staff. A main reason for his move to Russell's office was to prepare the Vice President for a possible presidential run in 2006.Josh and Donna's relationship
The great unrequited love story of The West Wing is between Josh Lyman and Donna Moss. The pair has not only a close working relationship with Moss as Lyman's invaluable assistant, but also a close personal friendship as well. Since the first episode of the show and continuing through its entire run to date, the pair constant flirts and banters with each other. Josh and Donna are fairly obviously in love with each other, from both their actions and the comments of other characters to them, although to date they have not directly acted on them. Donna encouraged Josh to date pollster Joey Lucas in the second season, which led to two revelations: Josh intentionally sabotages Donna's dating life and Joey thought Donna was encouraging Josh to pursue her as a misdirection ploy because Donna was in love with Josh, the first overt mentions of a possible romance. Donna's relationship with Republican House attorney Cliff Calley and Josh's relationship with feminist activist Amy Gardner threw a wrench in a potential Josh/Donna pairing for most of the third season, but things slowly picked up through season four as Donna went through a brief fling with White House military advisor Jack Reese, another Republican, a fact which did not escape Josh's notice. Donna recruited Josh to help her land a date with Jack, and although Josh attempted to help her it did more to reveal Josh's feelings for Donna then anything else. At the end of the fourth season, Donna and Amy Gardner got into a discussion about Josh that led to Amy questioning Donna about whether she was in love with Josh, although Donna never answered and it was quickly overshadowed by Zoey Bartlet's kidnapping. In the fifth season, on the advice of C.J. Cregg, Donna tried to broaden her horizons past Josh and pursue her own social life outside of the White House, which prompted Donna to pursue journalist Colin Ayres while she was on a Congressional delegation to Israel. Donna was injured shortly after her encounter with Colin, and both Josh and Colin rushed to her bedside at a military hospital in Germany. Colin found it strange that her boss flew across an ocean to be with her, but Josh unconvincingly claimed that he was just Donna's friend. At the end of the fifth season finale Memorial Day, Josh was bringing a dozen red roses, a traditional sign of love, to Donna in her hospital room, only to find that she'd been rushed into surgery for a pulmonary embolism, the same thing that had killed his father. As of now, Donna's condition and whether Josh will proclaim his love to her are unknown.Recurring characters
The following are supporting characters which either recur on have done so in the past.
Episodes
Sorkin's exit
When Aaron Sorkin left the show after the fourth season, many expected the show to take on a more bipartisan footing. Plot themes centering on foreign policy (perhaps mindful of overseas syndication), for example, have grown more common, arguably making the show more approachable. Though it is still occasionally derided as The Left Wing, the show's award-winning writing, high production values, acclaimed standard of ensemble acting, plus an unprecedented accuracy in showing how the presidency operates, have earned The West Wing respect, even among those who do not share its unambiguously expressed views. Awards
The West Wing has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, along with 19 individual Emmys awarded for the writers, actors and crew. It holds the record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season.Original music
Broadcasters
First-run
Reruns/syndication
Home video releases
A programme of home video releases is underway; as of March 2004, the following seasons of The West Wing were available:External links