Information AboutThe West Wing |
''The West Wing'' is an American Television Serial Drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast from 1999 to 2006 . It was produced/written by Sorkin (for the first four seasons) and also produced by Thomas Schlamme . After season four it was produced by John Wells . The series is set in the West Wing of the White House , the location of the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior staff, during the fictional Democratic Administration of Josiah Bartlet ( Martin Sheen ). ''The West Wing'' was produced by 2006 . Accessed 12 February 2006 . The show received positive reviews from critics, 2002 . Reprinted at Bartlet4America. Accessed 12 December 2005 . CAST See Also: List of characters on The West Wing ''The West Wing'' employed 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 Cast . Numerous Secondary Character s, 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 Speech Writer and campaign guru Will Bailey , Mary McCormack as deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper , Kristin Chenoweth as Communications Advisor Annabeth Schott , Jimmy Smits as Texas Congressman Matt Santos , and Alan Alda as Senator Arnold Vinick of California . Each of the 2003 . Accessed 16 December 2005 . John Spencer , who played Leo McGarry , died from a Heart Attack on December 16 , 2005 — about a year after his character experienced a nearly fatal heart attack on the show. A brief Memorial message from Martin Sheen ran before " Running Mates ", the first new episode that aired after Spencer's death. The loss of Spencer's character was addressed by the series beginning with the episode " Election Day ", which aired on April 2 , 2006 . Different performers had been originally considered for many of the roles. 2006 . Accessed 19 May 2006 . PLOT See Also: List of The West Wing episodes ''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 personal drug use (a major plotline throughout the first and second seasons). The typical episode loosely follows the president and his staff through their day, generally following several plots connected by some idea or theme. 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. These " Walks-and-talks " became a trademark of the show. In the first season, the administration is in the middle of its first year and is still having trouble settling in and making progress 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 for a second term. The third and fourth seasons take an in-depth look at the campaign trail and the specter of both foreign and domestic terrorism. In the fifth season, the president begins to encounter 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. EVOLUTION (second from left) talks via speakerphone 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 and a suggestion from Akiva Goldsman inspired Sorkin to create ''The West Wing''. Sorkin intended to center the show 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 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 in the fourth season." 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, episode titles, character names, and actors from his previous work, '' 2003 . Reprinted at Bartlet 4 America. Accessed 12 December 2005 . and he opted to leave the show after the fourth season, following increasing personal problems, including a very public arrest for possession of illegal drugs. Thomas Schlamme also left the show after the fourth season. John Wells , the remaining executive producer, took the helm after their departure. The show aired its series finale on Sunday, May 14 , 2006 . CRITICAL REACTIONS appeared in a Saturday Night Live skit with ''The West Wing'' cast members, on the show's Oval Office set.]] ''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. Realism ''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 served as consultants for the show from 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 compared the show's depiction of the West Wing to the real thing. Many former West Wing denizens applauded the show's depiction of the 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 . While some critics often praised ''The West Wing'' for its writing, others faulted the show for its unrealistic optimism.Millman, Joyce. " Don't blame me, I voted for Martin Sheen! ". Salon.com. 2003 . Accessed 10 December 2005 . Social impact Despite acclaim for the veracity of the series, Sorkin believed, "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 noted 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 noted that by portraying politicians with empathy, the show 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 agreed, 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 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 2006 . ''The Left Wing'' ''The West Wing'' is sometimes called '' 2003 . In his 2001 article "Real Liberals versus the ''West Wing''", Mackubin Owens pointed out, 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 useful insights about the views of the left. Filming techniques and reactions and Josh Lyman 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 2005 . ''The West Wing'' is noted for developing the "walk-and-talk"—long 2005 . 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 '' Hill Street Blues '' and '' L.A. Law '' for most won in this category. Each of its seven seasons earned a nomination for the award. As of 2006, ''The West Wing'' ranks 8th all-time in number of Emmy Awards won by a series. The series shares the Emmy Award record for most acting nominations by regular cast members (excluding the guest performer category) for a single series in one year. (Both '' Hill Street Blues '' and '' L.A. Law '' also hold that record). For the 2001–2002 season nine cast members were nominated for Emmys. Allison Janney, John Spencer and Stockard Channing each won an Emmy (for Lead Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress respectively). The others nominated were Martin Sheen (for Lead Actor), Richard Schiff, Dule Hill and Bradley Whitford (for Supporting Actor), and Janel Moloney and Mary-Louise Parker (for Supporting Actress). In addition, that same year Mark Harmon, Tim Matheson and Ron Silver were each nominated in the Guest Actor category (although none won the award). This gives the series an Emmy Award record for most acting nominations overall (including guest performer category) in a single year, with 12 acting nominations. Twenty individual Emmys have been awarded to writers, actors, and crew members. Allison Janney is the record holder for most wins by a cast member, with a total of four Emmys. In addition to its Emmys, the show has won two Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, in 2000 and 2001 , Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Martin Sheen is the only cast member to have won a Golden Globe, and he and Allison Janney are the only cast members to win a SAG award (best actor and best actress respectively) In both 1999 and 2000, ''The West Wing'' was awarded the Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. The following table summarizes award wins by cast members: W.G. "Snuffy" Walden received an Emmy Award for Main Title Theme Music in 2000 for "''The West Wing'' Opening Theme" . Many cast members have been Emmy-nominated for their work on ''The West Wing'' but have not won, including Martin Sheen—who was nominated each year for all seven seasons of the series without receiving the award—as well as Janel Moloney, who was nominated twice, and Dulé Hill, Rob Lowe, and Mary-Louise Parker , who were all nominated once. Matthew Perry , Oliver Platt , Ron Silver , Tim Matheson , and Mark Harmon have also received Emmy nominations for guest starring on the show. 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. In its second season President Bartlet admonishes 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. According to Barbara Mikkelson of snopes.com, many of the president's Biblical references in his comments to Dr. Jacobs are thought to have come from an open letter to Dr. Schlessinger, circulated online in early May 2000. Mikkelson, Barbara " Letter to Dr. Laura ." Snopes.com. 2004. The Bartlet administration experiences a scandal during the second and third seasons that has been compared to the 2002 . President Bartlet was diagnosed with Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1992. The scandal centers 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 accepts 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: 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 addresses 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 cast of the show state during the opening of the episode that it is not part of ''The West Wing'' Continuity . Glen Allen Walken temporarily becomes Acting President while Zoey Bartlet is kidnapped.]] While the September 11th attacks do not occur in ''The West Wing'' continuity, the country does enter into a variation of the War On Terrorism . The war begins during the show's third season, when a plot to blow up the Golden Gate Bridge was uncovered; in response, the President orders the assassination of terrorist leader Abdul Ibn Shareef . At the end of the fourth season, the conflict escalates when Zoey Bartlet ( Elisabeth Moss ), the president's youngest daughter, is kidnapped by Islamic extremists from a fictional country named Qumar . The result of this kidnapping is the bombing of Qumar . This storyline draws similarities to the real-world U.S. Invasion Of Afghanistan as well as U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia , as it brings the Middle East to the forefront of U.S. foreign relations and elevated terrorism as a serious threat in ''The West Wing'' universe. In Seasons 3, 4 and 5, the fictional Bahji Terror Group seems to act as a fictional stand-in for the real world Al Qaeda , but in Seasons 6 and 7, characters mention Al Qaeda itself as a threat, despite no clearly stated history of Al Qaeda terror attacks in ''The West Wing'' continuity (although Nancy McNally does refer to Osama Bin Laden as a potential threat at The Beginning Of Season 2 .) In the middle of the fourth season, Bartlet's White House is confronted with the genocide in the fictional African country of Equatorial Kundu which was compared to Rwandan Genocide of 1994. The result was new foreign policy doctrine for Bartlet Administration and military intervention to stop the violence, which came after much hesitation and reluctance to call the conflict a genocide. In reality, Clinton Administration didn't intervene in Rwanda, making series events look like a Moral Imperative .1 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 2005 . In the storyline, the International Space Station 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 resulted in the arrest and conviction of Lewis Libby , the vice president's chief of staff. However, Libby was convicted of perjury in testimony to a grand jury. No one was convicted for "blowing the cover" of Plame. ( Richard Armitage , an official in the Bush State Department, acknowledged leaking information about Plame to reporters but was never charged with a crime.) Libby's two and a half year prison sentence was later commuted by President Bush, though the other facet of his sentence ($250,000 fine) stands until Libby's appeals were to be considered. Other issues explored in ''The West Wing'' include:
THE WEST WING UNIVERSE See Also: List of politicians on The West Wing Domestic All contemporary domestic government officials in The West Wing universe have been fictional. 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. Many other government officials, such as mayors, governors, judges, representatives, and senators, have been mentioned and seen as well. Foreign While several real-world leaders exist in the show's universe, most foreign countries have fictional rulers. Some real persons mentioned in ''The West Wing'' include Muammar Al-Gaddafi , Yasser Arafat , Fidel Castro , Queen Elizabeth II , King Bhumibol Adulyadej , King Carl Gustaf , Thabo Mbeki 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 the fictional Nizar Farad, not Arafat. (By that time, Arafat was dead, and a successor had been elected.) Entire countries are invented as composite pictures that epitomize many of the problems that plague real nations in certain areas of the world. Qumar , an oil-rich, 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 . Real world events Recent historical events from the real world that are mentioned in ''The West Wing'' include:
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS Timeline skew (left) asks Josh Lyman to consider joining then New Hampshire Governor Bartlet 's 1998 presidential campaign]] The last real president who is known to have existed in the show's universe is Richard Nixon . Presidents who served between Nixon and Bartlet include Democrat D. Wire Newman ( James Cromwell ) and Republican Owen Lassiter (now deceased). It is not disclosed whether Newman and Lassiter served directly before President Bartlet. Leo McGarry is mentioned as being Labor Secretary in the administration prior to Bartlet's, suggesting a Democratic administration. It is clear however, that Newman lost an election to Lassiter, who then proceeded to serve for two full terms. Additionally, in the first season, an outgoing Supreme Court Justice tells president Bartlet that he had been wanting to retire for 5 years, but waited "for a Democrat". This indicates that the previous administration was Republican and it served two terms. The passage of time on the show relative to that of the real world is somewhat ambiguous when marked by events of smaller duration (e.g., votes, campaigns). Sorkin 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 show's presidential elections are held in 2002 and 2006, setting them off by two years from actual presidential elections in the United States (e.g., 1996, 2000, 2004, etc.). The election timeline in ''The West Wing'' matches up with that of the real world until early in the sixth season, when it appears that a year is lost. For example, the filing deadline for the New Hampshire Primary , which would normally fall in January 2006, appears in an episode airing in January 2005. In an interview, 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 . In the season 5 episode " Access ," it is mentioned that the Casey Creek crisis occurred during Bartlet's first term, and network footage of the crisis carries the date of November 2001. 1998 presidential election Bartlet's first campaign for president is never significantly explored 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 mentioned that Bartlet won the third and final debate, which was held nine days before election day in St Louis , Missouri , and that this helped swing a close election in his favor. The campaign for the Democratic nomination is 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 reveal how Leo McGarry persuaded Bartlet, who was then governor of New Hampshire , to run for president and how Bartlet ultimately selected John Hoynes as his choice as running mate. 2002 presidential election See Also: The West Wing presidential election, 2002 ''The West Wing'' Bartlet's staff contemplates 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 is clear that Ritchie will be the Republican nominee, Bartlet dismisses the idea, declaring that he wants Hoynes in the number two spot, "Because I could die." Throughout the season it is anticipated that the race will be close, but a stellar performance by Bartlet in the sole debate between the candidates helps give 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 ) ( Jimmy Smits ) is nominated on the fourth ballot at the Democratic National Convention , during 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 vaults him to a third-place finish with 19% of the vote. Josh Lyman, Santos's campaign manager, convinces 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 ) secures the Republican nomination, defeating Glen Allen Walken ( John Goodman ) and the Reverend Don Butler ( Don S. Davis ), among others. Initially, Vinick wants Butler to become his running mate. However, Butler does not want to be considered because of Vinick's stance on Abortion . Instead, West Virginia Governor Ray Sullivan ( Brett Cullen ) is chosen as Vinick's running mate. Vinick is 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, faces difficulty with the Pro-life members of his party as a Pro-choice candidate, and criticism for his support of nuclear power following a serious accident at a Californian nuclear power station. On the evening of the election, Leo McGarry suffers a massive Heart Attack and is pronounced dead at the hospital, with the polls still open on the West Coast . The Santos campaign releases the information immediately, while Arnold Vinick refuses to use Leo's death as a "stepstool" to the presidency. Santos emerges as the winner in his home state of Texas , while Vinick wins his home state of California . The election comes down to Nevada , where both candidates need a victory to secure the presidency. Vinick tells his staff repeatedly that he will not allow his campaign to demand a recount of the votes if Santos is declared the winner. Josh Lyman is seen giving Santos the same advice, although the Santos campaign does send a team of lawyers down to Nevada. Matthew Vincente Santos is pronounced the winner of the election, having won Nevada by 30,000 votes, with an electoral margin of 272–266. Santos organizes his administration, choosing Josh Lyman as Chief of Staff, who in turn calls on former colleague Sam Seaborn to be Deputy Chief of Staff. In need of experienced cabinet members, Santos taps Arnold Vinick as Secretary Of State , believing the senior statesman to be one of the best strategists available and respected by foreign leaders. President Bartlet's final act as President of the United States is pardoning Toby Ziegler. The series ends with Bartlet returning to New Hampshire. Having said his goodbyes to his closest staff, former President Bartlet tells President Santos, "Make me proud, Mr. President", to which Santos responds, "I'll do my best, Mr. President." According to executive producer Lawrence O'Donnell, the writers originally intended for Vinick to win the election. However, the death of Spencer forced him and his colleagues to consider the emotional strain that would result from having Santos lose both his running mate and the election. It was eventually decided that the last episodes would be rescripted by 2006 . INFLUENCES References to other Aaron Sorkin works
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