| The West Wing (tv Series) |
Article Index for The West |
Website Links For West Wing |
Information AboutThe West Wing (tv Series) |
|
Regarding the posting of details on future episodes of The West Wing: Please do not post new information until the episode itself has aired. These are based on early drafts and speculative material, and Wikipedia is not a crystal ball. (See WP:NOT)
''The West Wing'' is a popular and widely acclaimed American Television Serial Drama created by Aaron Sorkin , which is produced and currently co-written by John Wells , Sorkin having left the show at the end of its fourth season. The series is set in the West Wing of a fictionalized White House , the location of the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior staff, during the Democratic Administration of Josiah Bartlet ( Martin Sheen ). ''The West Wing'' is produced by Warner Bros. and is now in its seventh and final season. It first aired on NBC in 1999, and has been picked up by Networks in other countries, including the United Kingdom , Japan and Australia . On January 22 , 2006 , NBC announced that the series would end its seven year run on May 14 , 2006 . Bauder, David. " NBC Cancels 'West Wing' After 7 Seasons ." ''ABC News''. 22 January 2006. Accessed 12 February 2006. The show has received positive reviews from critics, Political Science professors, and former White House staffers. Overall, ''The West Wing'' has won two Golden Globe Award s and 24 Emmy Award s — winning the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series four times consecutively. " Awards for ''The West Wing'' " IMDB.com. Accessed 10 December 2005. The show's popularity has waned in recent years, but it still remains popular among high-income viewers, a key demographic for the show and its advertisers. Byrne, Bridget. " Will NBC Reelect ''West Wing''? " Originally printed in ''E!Online''. 10 October 2002. Reprinted at Bartlet4America. Accessed 12 December 2005. CAST See Also: List of characters on The West Wing ''The West Wing'' employs a broad Ensemble Cast to portray the many positions involved in the daily work of the federal government. The President, the First Lady, and the President's senior staff and advisors form the core of this cast. Numerous secondary characters, appearing intermittently, complement storylines that generally revolve around this core group. , Allison Janney , Richard Schiff , Janel Moloney (bottom) Rob Lowe , Stockard Channing , Martin Sheen , John Spencer , and Bradley Whitford ]] The following table summarizes the main cast. The position listed is the job that the character held in the first season, before any changes took place. Additions to the cast following the first season include Joshua Malina as Will Bailey , Mary McCormack as Kate Harper , Kristin Chenoweth as Annabeth Schott , Jimmy Smits as Congressman Matt Santos , and Alan Alda as Senator Arnold Vinick . Each of the principal characters makes approximately $75,000 an episode, with Sheen's most recently confirmed salary being $300,000. Errico, Marcus. " Détente on ''West Wing'' Set ." ''E!Online''. 21 July 2001. Accessed 12 December 2005." Biography of Martin Sheen ." IMDB.com Accessed 13 December 2005. Rob Lowe also had a six-figure salary, reported to be $100,000, because his character originally was supposed to have a more central role. " Biography of Rob Lowe ." IMDB.com Accessed 13 December 2005. Disparities in cast salaries have led to very public contract disputes, particularly by Janney, Schiff, Spencer, and Whitford. During contract negotiations in 2001, the four were threatened with breach-of-contract suits by Warner Bros. However, by banding together, they were able to convince the studio to more than double their salaries. Two years later, the four again demanded a doubling of their salaries, a few months after Warner Bros. had signed new licensing deals with NBC and Bravo . Haberman, Lia. " ''West Wing'' Salarygate ." 28 July 2003. Accessed 16 December 2005. The show suffered an unexpected loss by the death of John Spencer, who played Leo McGarry. Spencer experienced a fatal heart attack on December 16 , 2005 — about a year after his character experienced a nearly fatal heart attack. There was a memorial message from Martin Sheen before the first new episode after Spencer's death. The loss of Spencer's character, McGarry, was addressed by the series beginning with an episode which aired on April 2, 2006. PLOT See Also: List of The West Wing episodes magazine]]''The West Wing'', like many serial dramas, stretches storylines over several episodes or entire seasons. In addition to these larger storylines, each episode also contains smaller arcs which usually begin and end within an episode. Plot synopses, both for individual episodes and overall seasons, are included with a List Of ''The West Wing'' Episodes . Most episodes follow President Bartlet and his staff through particular legislative or political issues. Plots can range from behind-closed-doors negotiating with Congress ("Five Votes Down") to personal issues like sex ("Pilot", "Take Out The Trash Day") and drugs (a major plotline throughout the first and second seasons). The typical episode loosely follows the president and his staff through their day. A large, fully connected set of the White House allows the producers to create shots with very few cuts and long continuous Master Shot s of staff members walking and talking through the hallways, a show trademark. In the first season, the administration is entering its second year and is still having issues settling in and making ground on legislative issues. The second season brings scandal as the White House is rocked by allegations of criminal conduct and the president must decide whether he will run again. The third and fourth season take an in-depth look at the campaign trail and the specter of terrorism, foreign and domestic. In the fifth season, the president begins to see more issues on the foreign front, while at home he must face off with the newly elected Speaker Of The House over the future of the federal budget. The sixth season chronicles the quest to replace Bartlet in the next election, following the primary campaign of several candidates from both parties. In the seventh season, the president must face a leak of confidential information from inside the White House, while the Democratic and Republican candidates battle to replace him in the general election. SHOW'S EVOLUTION (second from left) talks on the phone with a Navy sailor while (from left to right) Toby Ziegler , Abigail Bartlet , Sam Seaborn , and Leo McGarry look on.]] The series developed from the 1995 theatrical film '' The American President '', for which Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. Unused plot elements from the film inspired Sorkin to create ''The West Wing''. Sorkin intended to center on Sam Seaborn, Bartlet's deputy communications director, with the president in an unseen or a secondary role. However, Bartlet's screen time gradually increased, and his role expanded as the series progressed. Positive critical and public reaction to Sheen's sometimes Clintonesque performance raised his character's profile, decreasing Lowe's perceived significance. This shift is one of the reasons for Lowe's eventual departure from the show." Lowe confirms West Wing exit ." BBC News. 25 July 2002. For the first four seasons, Sorkin wrote almost every episode of the series, occasionally reusing plot elements, character names, and actors from his previous work, '' also left the show after the fourth season. Following their departure, many expected the show to shift from a liberal to more bipartisan footing. 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 disliked the switch so passionately that they actively campaigned for the series to be cancelled, citing Sorkin's departure as the sole cause of its "decline". Don't Save Our Show . Accessed December 1 2005. However, many viewers continue to tune into ''The West Wing'' regularly, with the show currently averaging eight million viewers a week. Keveney, Bill. " 'West Wing' to end with new president ". ''USA TODAY.com.'' 22 January 2006. Accessed 20 March 2006. CRITICAL REACTIONS appeared in a ''The West Wing'' offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of America 's most powerful address, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue . Many criticisms have been written concerning the show's legitimacy, political slant, and film merits. Legitimacy ''The West Wing'' is not completely accurate in its portrayal of the actual West Wing because of the certain amount of melodrama that must be added to each episode to captivate viewers. Levine, Myron A. "''The West Wing'' and the West Wing." Reprinted in ''The West Wing: The American Presidency as Television Drama''. Edited by Peter C. Rollins and John E. Connor. 2003. However, former White House staffers agree that the show "captures the feel the West Wing , shorn of a thousand undramatic details." Miller, Matthew. " The Real White House ." ''Brill's Content''. Reprinted at Bartlet4America. 1 March 2000. Former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers as well as expert pollster Patrick Caddell have served as consultants for the show since the beginning, helping writers and actors depict the West Wing accurately. Other former White House staffers, such as Peggy Noonan and Gene Sperling , have served as consultants for brief periods. A documentary special in the third season attempts to lend legitimacy to the show's depiction of the real West Wing. Many former West Wing denizens applauded the show's depiction of the real West Wing, including advisor David Gergen , Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers, Secretary Of State Henry Kissinger , Chief of Staff Leon Panetta , Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove , and former Presidents Gerald Ford , Jimmy Carter , and Bill Clinton . Social impact Despite acclaim for the veracity of the series, Sorkin believes, "My obligation isn't to the truth ... my obligation is to captivate you for however long I've asked for your attention." Former White House aide Matthew Miller notes that Sorkin "captivates viewers by making the human side of politics more real than life—or at least more real than the picture we get from the news." Miller also notes that by portraying politicians with empathy, the show has created a "subversive competitor" to the cynical views of politics in media. In the essay "''The West Wing'' and the West Wing", author Myron Levine agrees, stating that the series "presents an essentially positive view of public service and a healthy corrective to anti-Washington stereotypes and public cynicism." Dr. Staci L. Beavers, associate professor of Political Science at California State University, San Marcos , wrote a short essay, ''The West Wing as a Pedagogical Tool'', concerning the viability of ''The West Wing'' as a teaching tool. She concludes, "While the series’ purpose is for-profit entertainment, ''The West Wing'' presents great pedagogical potential." ''The West Wing'', in her opinion, gives greater depth to the political process usually espoused only in stilted Talking Points on shows like '' Face The Nation '' and '' Meet The Press ''. However, the merits of a particular argument may be obscured by the viewer's opinion of the character. Beavers also notes that characters with opposing viewpoints are often set up to be "bad people" in the viewer's eyes. These characters are assigned undesirable characteristics having nothing to do with their political opinions, such as being romantically involved with a main character's love interest. In Beavers's opinion, a critical analysis of the show's political views can present a worthwhile learning experience to the viewer.Beavers, Staci L. "''The West Wing'' as a Pedagogical Tool." ''PS: Political Science & Politics''. 24 December 2001. Reprinted in ''The West Wing: The American Presidency as Television Drama''. Edited by Peter C. Rollins and John E. Connor. 2003. One of the stranger impacts of the show occurred on Member Of Parliament watched the episode, " A Good Day ". ''The Left Wing'' ''The West Wing'' is sometimes called by detractors '' and Lewinsky Scandal s. Lehman, Chris. "The Feel-Good Presidency: The Pseudo-Politics of ''The West Wing''." Reprinted in ''The West Wing: The American Presidency as Television Drama''. Edited by Peter C. Rollins and John E. Connor. 2003. On the other hand, some Republicans have admired the show since its inception, regardless of the departure of Sorkin and the show's resulting shift toward the center." ‘West Wing’ goes more bipartisan " MSNBC.com. September 18 2003. In his 2001 article "Real Liberals versus the ''West Wing''", Mackubin Owens pointed out, "Although his administration is reliably liberal, President Bartlet possesses virtues even a conservative could admire. He obeys the Constitution and the law. He is devoted to his wife and daughter. Being unfaithful to his wife would never cross his mind. He is no wimp when it comes to foreign policy—no Quid Pro Quo for him."Owens, Mackubin T. " Real Liberals versus the ''West Wing'' ." John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University. February 2001. Some praise the show for helping to bridge the gap between the left and the Right in America. By showing Democratic views on issues and the debate surrounding them, the series has provided many Republicans with a useful insight to the views of the left. Film criticism and Sam Seaborn converse in the hallway in one of ''The West Wing'' In its first season, ''The West Wing'' attracted critical attention in the film community with a record nine Emmy wins. The show has been praised for its high production values and continuously recognized for its Cinematic achievements. With a budget of $6 million per episode, many consider each week's show to be a small feature film. Richmond, Ray. " ''West Wing'' 100th episode. " JoshLyman.com. 7 January 2004. Accessed 12 December 2005. However, many in the film community believe that the true genius of the show was Sorkin's rapid-fire and witty scripts. " Next week on The West Wing ... erm " Guardian Unlimited. Accessed 10 December 2005. ''The West Wing'' is noted for its Steadicam Tracking Shot s, long sequences showing staff members walking down hallways. In a typical tracking shot, the camera follows two characters down the halls as they converse, often referred to as pedeconferencing. One of these characters generally breaks off and the remaining character is joined by another character who initiates another conversation as they continue walking. These long shots allow the show to make long eloquent statements through many characters, despite the scripts's fractured dialogue. Smith, Greg M. " The Left Takes Back the Flag ." Accessed 10 December 2005. While some critics often praise ''The West Wing'' for its writing, others fault the show for its unrealistic optimism in the face of all odds. Millman, Joyce. " Don't blame me, I voted for Martin Sheen! ". Salon.com. 11 September 2000. Accessed 10 December 2005. A large part of this criticism rises from the perceived naiveté of the characters. Television critic Heather Havrilesky asks "...how do you go from innocent Millipede to White House staffer without becoming soiled or disillusioned by the dirty realities of politics along the way?" Havrilesky, Heather. " Will ''The West Wing'' go south? ". 14 May 2003. Accessed 10 December 2005. However, many fans believe that the show's scripts have changed since Sorkin left the show in 2003. Awards In its first season, ''The West Wing'' garnered nine Emmys, a record for most won by a series in a single season. In addition the series has received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, tying '' (SAG) Awards, in 2000 and 2001 , Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Stockard Channing holds the record for most Emmy nominations by a castmember for work on the show with a total of six. Allison Janney is the record holder for most wins by a castmember on the show, with a total of four Emmys. Martin Sheen is the only castmember to have won a Golden Globe. The following table summarizes award wins by cast members. Many castmembers have been Emmy-nominated for their work on ''The West Wing'' but have not won, including Alan Alda, Dulé Hill, Rob Lowe, Janel Moloney and , Oliver Platt , Ron Silver , Tim Matheson , and Mark Harmon . EXPLORATION OF REAL WORLD ISSUES , Leo McGarry waits for President Bartlet 's decision on a controversial bombing campaign.]] ''The West Wing'' often features extensive discussion of current or recent political issues. After the real-world election of Republican President George W. Bush in 2000 , many wondered whether the liberal show could retain its relevance and topicality. However, by exploring many of the same issues facing the Bush administration from a Democratic point of view, the show continued to appeal to a broad audience of both Democrats and Republicans. The show gained notoriety in its second season when President Bartlet admonished fictional radio host Dr. Jenna Jacobs for her views regarding Homosexuality at a private gathering at the White House. Dr. Jacobs is a caricature of radio personality Dr. Laura Schlessinger , who strongly disapproves of homosexuality. Many of the president's Biblical references in his comments to Dr. Jacobs, which can be heard here , are thought to have come from a letter circulated online in early May 2000.Mikkelson, Barbara " Letter to Dr. Laura ." Snopes.com. 2004. The Bartlet administration experienced a scandal during the second and third seasons that has been compared to the (MS) in 1992. The scandal centered around President Bartlet's nondisclosure of his illness to the electorate during the election. He is investigated by an opposition Congress for defrauding the public and eventually accepted a Congressional Censure . Multiple sclerosis advocacy groups have praised the show for its accurate portrayal of the symptoms of MS and stressing that it is not fatal. The National MS Society commented: "For the first time on national television or even in film, the public encountered a lead character with both an MS diagnosis and the hope for a continued productive life. Because '' West Wing'' is a fictional drama and not a medical documentary, writers could have greatly distorted MS facts to further their story line [but did not ."Kerr, Gail. " ''West Wing'' aids MS awareness ." All About Multiple Sclerosis. 24 December 2001. Following the September 11, 2001 Attacks , the start of the third season was postponed for a week, as were most American television premieres that year. A script for a special episode was quickly written and began filming on September 21 . The episode "Isaac and Ishmael" aired on October 3 and addressed the sobering reality of Terrorism in America and the wider world, albeit with no specific reference to September 11 . While "Isaac and Ishmael" received mixed critical reviews, it illustrated the show's flexibility in addressing current events. The episode is not part of ''The West Wing'' Continuity . In the sixth and seventh seasons, ''The West Wing'' explores a leak of top-secret information by a senior staffer at the White House. This leak has been compared to the events surrounding the is damaged and can no longer produce Oxygen for the Astronaut s to breathe. With other methods of rescue unavailable, the president is reminded of the existence of a top-secret military space shuttle. Following the president's inaction, the shuttle story is leaked to a White House reporter, Greg Brock (analogous to Judith Miller ), who prints the story in the '' New York Times ''. Brock will not reveal his source and goes to jail for failing to do so, as did Miller. In order to stop the investigation, in which authorities suspect Chief of Staff C.J. Cregg, Toby Ziegler admits to leaking the information, and the President is forced to dismiss him. In comparison, the Plame affair is still under investigation, but charges have been brought against Lewis Libby , the vice president's chief of staff, who has since resigned. Other issues explored in ''The West Wing'' include:
THE WEST WING UNIVERSE Glen Allen Walken temporarily became Acting President .]] See Also: List of politicians on The West Wing Sorkin, the show's creator, has noted in a DVD Commentary Track for the second season episode "18th and Potomac" that he has tried to avoid tying ''The West Wing'' to a specific period of time. Despite this, real years are occasionally mentioned, usually in the context of elections and President Bartlet's two-term administration. The September 11th attacks did not occur in ''The West Wing'', but the country has entered into a variation of the War On Terrorism . The war began in the show's third season, when a plot to blow up the Golden Gate Bridge was uncovered; in response, the President ordered the assassination of terrorist leader Abdul Shareef. At the end of the fourth season, the conflict escalated when Zoey Bartlet ( Elisabeth Moss ), the president's youngest daughter, was kidnapped by Muslim extremists. The result of this kidnapping was the bombing of Qumar , a (fictional) terror-supporting Muslim country. This bombing was similar to the real-world U.S. Invasion Of Afghanistan as it brought the Middle East to the forefront of U.S. foreign relations and elevated terrorism as a serious threat in ''The West Wing'' universe. Other recent historical events from the real world that are mentioned in ''The West Wing'' include the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the wreck of the Exxon Valdez , the Gulf War , U.S. Military operations in Bosnia And Herzegovina , the signing of the Kyoto Protocol , and the 1998 Northern Irish Good Friday Agreement . Domestic Politicians, cabinet members, and Supreme Court justices are necessary to create a believable political drama. President Bartlet has made three appointments to the fictional Supreme Court and maintains a full cabinet, although the names and terms of all members have not been revealed. Some cabinet members, such as the Secretary Of Defense , appear more often than others. The full Presidential Line Of Succession For The Bartlet Administration , including all cabinet members, is also available. Foreign Several real-world leaders exist in the show's universe, but most foreign countries are given fictional rulers. Some persons from the real world mentioned in ''The West Wing'' include Muammar Al-Qaddafi , Yasser Arafat , Fidel Castro , Queen Elizabeth II , and Osama Bin Laden . However, when a peace accord was worked out between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at the start of the show's sixth season, the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority was Nizar Farad, not Arafat. Entire countries are invented as composite pictures that epitomize many of the problems that plague real nations in certain areas of the world. Qumar , a terrorist-sponsoring Middle East ern state is repeatedly a source of trouble for the Bartlet administration. According to maps on the show, Qumar appears to consist of a small part of southern Iran , including the important Strait Of Hormuz . Elsewhere, Equatorial Kundu is an Africa n nation blighted by AIDS and a civil war resembling the 1994 Rwandan Genocide . PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS Timeline skew See Also: Timeline skew theories for The West Wing (left) asks Josh Lyman to consider joining then New Hampshire Governor Bartlet 's 1998 presidential campaign]] The passage of time on the show relative to that of the real world has always been somewhat ambiguous. The show's presidential elections have been held in 2002 and 2006. In real life, U.S. Presidential Election s are held in years divisible by four, that is, 1996, 2000, and 2004. Although, at one point, the timeline in ''The West Wing'' matched up with that of the real world, it appears that in the middle of the fifth season a year was lost. For example, the filing deadline for the New Hampshire Primary , which would normally fall in January 2006, appeared in an episode airing in January 2005. In interviews John Wells stated that the series began one and a half years into Bartlet's first term and that the election to replace Bartlet was being held at the correct time.Elber, Lynn. " ''West Wing'' Eyes Successor for Bartlet ." Yahoo! Entertainment. 13 October 2004. There is evidence against this claim, which is discussed further in the Main Article . 1998 presidential election Bartlet's first campaign for president has never been significantly explained in the series. Bartlet won the election with 48% of the popular vote, 48 million votes, and a 303–235 margin in the Electoral College . Bartlet faced three debates with his Republican opponent. It is believed that his opponent was the incumbent Republican Vice President, who had served under two term Republican President Owen Lassiter . There is, however, absolutely no evidence to suggest this claim. It is mentioned that Bartlet won the third and final debate and that this helped swing a close election in his favor. The campaign for the Democratic nomination was extensively addressed. In the episodes "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" and "Bartlet for America", flashbacks are used to tell how Bartlet defeated Texas Senator John Hoynes ( Tim Matheson ) and Washington Senator William Wiley for the Democratic nomination. The flashbacks also revealed how Leo McGarry convinced Bartlet, who was then governor of New Hampshire , to run for president and how he ultimately selected John Hoynes as his choice as running mate. 2002 presidential election participates in a Rock The Vote rally during the 2002 campaign.]] See Also: The West Wing presidential election, 2002 ''The West Wing'' Bartlet's staff contemplated replacing Vice President John Hoynes on the ticket with Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff Admiral Percy Fitzwallace ( John Amos ), among others. After it was clear that Ritchie would be the Republican nominee, Bartlet dismissed the idea, declaring that he wanted Hoynes in the number two spot, "Because I could die." Throughout the season it was anticipated that the race would be close, but a stellar performance by Bartlet in the sole debate between the candidates gave Bartlet a landslide victory in both the popular and electoral vote. 2006 presidential election See Also: The West Wing presidential election, 2006 and Leo McGarry at the 2006 Democratic National Convention .]] A speed-up in ''The West Wing'' Congressman Matt Santos (D- TX ) was nominated on the fourth ballot at the Democratic National Convention , staged as the sixth season finale. Santos was planning to leave Congress before being recruited to run for the presidency by Josh Lyman. Santos polled in the low single digits in the Iowa Caucus and was virtually out of the running in the New Hampshire Primary before a last-ditch direct television appeal vaulted him to a third-place finish with 19% of the vote. Following allusions during the Bartlet administration, Josh Lyman, Santos's campaign manager, convinced Leo McGarry to become Santos's running mate. However, John Spencer , the actor portraying Leo McGarry, died on December 16, 2005. Senator Arnold Vinick (R- CA ) ( Alan Alda ) secured the Republican nomination, defeating Glen Allen Walken ( John Goodman ) and the Reverend Don Butler ( Don S. Davis ), among others. Initially, Vinick wanted Butler to become his running mate. However, Butler did not want to be considered, citing the differences in their Abortion rights views. Instead, West Virginia Governor Ray Sullivan ( Brett Cullen ) was chosen as Vinick's running mate. Vinick was portrayed throughout the sixth season as virtually unbeatable because of his popularity in California , a typically Democratic state, his moderate views, and his wide crossover appeal. Vinick, however, has faced difficulty with the Pro-life members of his party as a Pro-choice candidate, and criticism for his support of nuclear power. On the evening of the election, Leo McGarry suffered a massive Heart Attack and was pronounced dead at the hospital, with the polls still open on the West Coast. The Santos campaign released the information immediately, while Arnold Vinick refused to use Leo's death as a "stepstool" to the presidency. Santos emerged as the winner in his homestate of Texas , while Vinick won his homestate of California . The election came down to Nevada , where both candidates needed a victory to secure the presidency. Vinick had told his staff repeatedly that he would not allow his campaign to demand a recount of the votes if Santos was declared the winner. Josh Lyman was seen giving Santos the same advice, although the Santos campaign did send a team of lawyers down to Nevada. Matthew Vincente Santos was pronounced the winner of the election, having won Nevada by 70,000 votes, with an electoral margin of 272–266. It was recently revealed, however, that Vinick was originally slated to win the election. According to executive producer Lawrence O'Donnell, the death of Spencer forced him and his colleagues to consider the taxing of emotions that would come from having Santos lose both his running mate, and the election. It was eventually decided that the last episodes would be rescripted by John Wells , executive producer of '' ER '' and ''The West Wing.'' Steinberg, Jacques. " ''West Wing' Writers' Novel Way of Picking the President.' " NY Times. Accessed 10 April 2006. SEE ALSO
REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS ;Official websites
;General ;Major fansites
;Articles |
|
|