A West Wing occurs as popular & widely acclaimed American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin for NBC which has aired since 1999 & is presently airing shows from either its seventh year within its newly slot, 8pm in Sundays (Eastern and Pacific). A indicate is placed in the White House — which serves as a home of a President & his personal — in the period of the made-up Democratic administration of Josiah "Jed" Bartlet. A West Wing of the White Home is the location of the President's Oval Office and the agents of virtually all of his senior staff. A indicate is produced & co-written by John Wells.

Show's evolution

A series has its roots in the 1995 theatrical film, The American President, for which Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. Sorkin took unused plot elements from either a film & created totally fresh characters in the area of the children. These plot elements & characters became The West Wing.

At first, a character of the President wwhen designed to exist as an spiritual world or even a secondary role, however it was expanded as the series progressed. Caring critical & public reaction to Lustre's occasionally Clintonesque performance raised his character's profile, sidelining Lowe's Seaborn. This shift is one of a reasons for Lowe's departure from either a indicate in the period of its quaternary year [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2150891.stm].

A West Wing typically features extensive discussion of todays or even recent political issues, & using the real-globe election of Republican President George W. Bush in 2000, many wondered whether the show could retain its relevance and topicality.

As the result 9/11, a third year premiere was postponed a week. The script for the favorite episode was quickly written & cinematography began in September 21. "Isaac and Ishmael" finished shooting around all about the week, an implausibly promptly turnaround for the TV drama. A episode aired in October 3 and addressed the sobering reality of terrorism in America & a wider globe, albeit by using there is no specific information to September 11. When Isaac & Ishmael received mixed critical reviews, it withal illustrated a indicate's flexibility around addressing todays cases.

For the 1st 4 seasons, Sorkin wrote about each episode of the series. the stress of meeting deadlines could use at times contributed to his increasing personalized problems, including a super public arrest for possession of illegal doses followed by a few stillborn tries at rehab. Although he in time appeared for his life back in track, he opted to leave the indicate fallowing a quaternary year, leading several to require that a indicate would prepare a extra two-party footing. Plot themes centering in foreign policy (peradventure aware of overseas syndication), e.g., own grown additional park, arguably making a indicate further approachable. Though these are however now and then derided when A Left Wing, the indicate's award-winning writing, high production values, & acclaimed standard of ensemble acting, + an unprecedented accuracy around showing how else the presidency operates (demonstrated around a favorite infotainment episode interviewing actual preceding West Wing staff member which aired in the period of Year Three), use at times earned A West Wing respect. Potentially numbers of world health organization don't part its unambiguously expressed views admit to the training value of the series.

A perceived switch of emphasis from either Sorkin's dialogue-centric style of writing to John Wells' focus on plot-caused drama has angered a select few of the indicate's fan base, two or three of whom sense thus passionately all about a switch that it is [http://dontsaveourshow.org/ actively campaigning] for the indicate to become cancelled, citing Sorkin's departure when a resole induced of the indicate's "decline". All a same, virtually all viewers prove my point to enjoy the indicate, stating that despite Sorkin's departure these are however far superior to more shows, & around its theme unique among drama series.

Year 6's plotlines, including a replacement of Leo McGarry when White Home Chief of Staff by previous Click Secretary C.J. Cregg, develop lent themselves to thomas more of the witty rapid-fire dialogue for which Sorkin's scripts were noted. This trend appears to exist when accelerating by using a occasionally accidentally-comic Toby Ziegler ingesting in recently duties as acting click secretary, a transport of Bartlet's bodyman Charlie Young to C.J. Cregg's staff, & departures from either a West Wing of Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman & his senior supporter Donna Moss to the campaigns of opposing Popular presidential candidates. A addition of Kristin Chenoweth has also been the breath of freshly air for the series.

Usually, a series has rebounded somewhat when a moo point including virtually all of the fifth year & the 1st both episodes of the sixth year. A recent episode "Faith Based Initiative", written by series regular Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman), reminded some of the rapid-fire, politically intricate & eventually drily witty scripts from either a foremost couple of seasons which mass produced the Sorkin-created & fenced in drama such a large hit. Ironically, a episode chronicled Lyman's departure from either a White Home to redo a presidential campaign of Representative Matt Santos.

Main characters

Note: A as punishment characters come considered "main characters" in thatIt keep around appeared when stars in the opening titles for the series. More significant characters come utilized in the independent article: Characters on The West Wing.

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet — Martin Sheen (Seasons 1 - ) Number 1 Lady Abbey Bartlet — Stockard Channing (Seasons 1 - ) Claudia Jean "C.J." Cregg — Allison Janney: White House Press Secretary (Seasons 1 - 6); White House Chief of Staff (Seasons 6 - ) Leo McGarry — John Spencer: White House Chief of Staff (Seasons One - Captain hicks); Favorite Counselor to the President (Year 6); Popular Vice Presidential Candidate (Year 6 - ) Josh Lyman — Bradley Whitford: Deputy White House Chief of Staff (Seasons One - 6); Campaign Manager, Santos / McGarry Campaign (Seasons 6 - ) Donnatella "Donna" Moss — Janel Moloney: Senior Assistant to Josh Lyman (Seasons 1 - 6); Media Specialist and Campaign Spokesperson, Bob Russell for President Campaign (Season 6) Charlie Young — Dulé Hill: Personal Aide to the President (Seasons One - 6); Favorite Help to the Chief of Staff (Seasons 6 - ) Toby Ziegler — Richard Schiff: Director of White House Communications (Seasons One - ); hwhen been quoted as locution he might leave a indicate in a period of the 2005-2006 season Sam Seaborn — Rob Lowe: Deputy Communications Director (Seasons One - Four); resigned to run Congress, he was, based on data from previous Executive Producer, successful (Year 1-Four) Will Bailey — Joshua Malina: Deputy Communications Director (Seasons 4 - Five); Chief of Staff to the Vice President (Seasons Five - ) Mandy Hampton — Moira Kelly: Media Consultant (Year Ace) Kate Harper — Mary McCormack: Deputy National Security Advisor (Seasons 5 - ) Representative Matthew Santos (D - TX) — Jimmy Smits: 2006 Democratic Presidential Candidate (Seasons 6 - ) Senator Arnold Vinick (R - CA) — Alan Alda: 2006 Republican Presidential Nominee (Seasons 6 - ) Santos/McGarry Staff member Annabeth Schott — Kristin Chenoweth: Formerly Deputy Click Secretary for Media Relations (Year 6- )

Episodes
Watch List of The West Wing episodes

The West Wing universe

A West Wing parallels the real life around many ways, eventually as well has several key differences. Sorkin, a indicate's author, has noted around the DVD commentary track for the second year episode "18th and Potomac" that he has tried to stay away from ligature the indicate to a specific period. Despite this, very years come once in a while mentioned, ordinarily in a context of elections, & the indicate's cases pass in the period of President Bartlet's 2-term administration.

A September 11, 2001 attacks did not unfold in the equivalent way where it waste the real life, however the united states has entered into a variation of the War on Terrorism, which began with a prevent of Year Four after Zoey Patricia Bartlet, the president's immature girl, was kidnapped by Muslim extremists. Prefer 9-11, this work sparked an invasion & bombing campaign of the terror-supporting Muslim united states.

A few real-globe leaders survive, or even use existed, in the indicate's universe, however virtually all foreign countries run fictitious rulers. A bit of souls from either the real life mentioned in The West Wing include: Yasser Arafat Fidel Castro Queen Elizabeth II Osama bin Laden

Fictitious countries come besides invented for utilize in the plotline, including: Qumar, a terrorist-sponsoring Middle Eastern state based within a share in each Taliban Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. Qumar is repeatedly the source of condition for the Bartlet administration. Based on datthe from maps shown on the indicate, Qumar appears to consist of a little section of southern Iran, including the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Equatorial Kundu, an African nation blighted by AIDS and civil war, resembling that of Sudan and Somalia

A select few cases from either the real life mentioned in The West Wing include: North Korea has nuclear ambitions similar to those it has in the real world Iran allegedly pursues nuclear weapons The International Space Station is faced with problems recirculating atomic number 8. The U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983 The 1990-1991 Gulf War U.S. operation around Bosnia The 1998 Irish Good Friday Agreement, presumably by using Republican President Owen Lassiter as a major player instead of Bill Clinton Legislation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement The formation of the Minuteman Project

Presidential elections
Timeline Skew
A passage of period on the indicate relative to it of the real life has universally been somewhat ambiguous. After A West Wing premiered withinside late 1999, the Bartlet Administration was said to develop been within professional for a little to a lesser degree a year, implying that Bartlet was ab initio elected in 1998. Around realistic, U.S. presidential elections are held in years divisible by four, i.e. 1996, 2000, & 2004. In the 2nd year episode "17 People", Toby Ziegler questions whether Vice President Hoynes is dropped from either a 2002 ticket, specifically mentioning a season. That year featuring a 2002 election was shown within the fall of 2002 in real globe period. Still, it appears that onetime in a midst of the fifth year a year was misused; the filing deadline for the New Hampshire primary, which would normally fall around January of the election season, was in the episode "Faith Based Initiative", which aired inside January 2005.

Nonetheless, within [http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/ap/20041013/109771080000.html interviews] given prior to a run of the sixth year, John Wells stated that the beginning of year of these pass off a year and a half years into Bartlet's foremost term & thereby implied that a election to replenish Josiah Bartlet was existence held at the correct instance forgoing a year being missing. This is incontrovertibly treasonably, but, when many information inside every month date a number 1 year to a number one year of professional & place every subsequent year, at least until the fifth, a year late. This statement too doesn't tell you how come just leash years develop passed since a election inside 2002 or even how come an significant event like a midterm elections of Bartlet's second term was non addressed. A simply explanation is the big hole midmost of year Five.

An article within an issue of the British magazine TV Zone has put forward the cause for the vary in the election period. It suggests that a 25th Amendment passed in 1967 in the real world wasn't passed in The West Wing therefore fallowing President Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974 as there was no todays Vice President in office when Spiro Agnew had been forced to quit in 1973, the Presidency would keep around passed to the Speaker of the House Democrat Carl Albert. It suggests that he would use at times been reluctant to profits reverse a mandate of the Republican landslide triumph of 1972, and announced he would lone help until the favorite Presidential election can be known as for Tuesday November 5 1974. Logically, Ford must own been a Republican candidate & apparently won. Inside West Wing's globe, Ford would non develop been infected by returning Nixon a pardon & the fact he was liked by Republicans & Democracts like before becoming President , this would keep close at hand processed him a popular selection to recover the wounds of Watergate. As well Ford is non present at a funeral of previous President Owen Lassiter in 2004 it must be assumed that he has died in The West Wing globe.

When numerous assume this a plausible theory, the Twenty-fifth Amendment would stand been passed later, since within 2003 in the West Wing world, the Democrats got to pick a recently Vice President following the resignation of John Hoynes. Up to now, a program has never discussed how else a election period was altered by 2 years from either reality.

A go real-life president to have existed in the indicate's universe is Richard Nixon, although it has not been processed all clear in case Gerald Ford was President or non. There own been deuce indirect information to Ford. the number one is that of a mention of Donald Rumsfeld who served as Ford's Chief of Staff & in the future when Secretary of Defense until 1977. A 2nd information is to Executive Sequentially 11905 which was signed by President Ford within 1976. In a 2nd year President Bartlet & Josh Lyman were treated for gun shot wounds at the Ronald Reagan Institute of Emergency Medicine as can be seen in a period of exterior shots of Toby Ziegler & Ron Butterfield talking outside the hospital.

West Wing presidents ensuing Nixon & Ford include Democrat D. Wire Newman (played by James Cromwell) and Republican Owen Lassiter, who passed away in the season five episode "The Stormy Present." Newman served only one term and was defeated for re-election. Lassiter served deuce terms. When it never was clarified that Newman so Lassiter's terms immediately preceded Bartlet's, these are heavy implied about an episode which centered around Lassiter's funeral. Withwithin an epsiode that will require place in 2000, these are stated that there keep around been tetrad Republican Presidents in the endure 30 years. These would become Nixon, Ford, Lassiter & a single more, meaning their must been a second Republican President when Ford however prior to Lassiter. When you underst& that Lassiter served deuce terms when President and in the instance frame you understand, he would use been President from either 1991 to Bartlet's arrival in 1999, meaning he must have won a Presidential election inside 1990 defeating Newman, which means he was elected in 1986. Besides within that globe there use been deuce Presidential elections where the Republican candidate hequally won 49 away from L states in the endure xxx years, as mentioned in year hexad. In the real life, lof these one candidate in the equivalent period frame has done this: Ronald Reagan in the 1984 election.

Bartlet's First Campaign (1998)
Bartlet's 1998 campaign in the general election to win the presidency has never been significantly explained in the series however, though these are known that he was elected by owning 48% of the popular vote, 48 million votes & using a 303-235 margin in the Electoral College. It has non been mass produced known world health organization Bartlet`s Republican opponent was, although in the foremost episode of year Foursome the title Richards may be heard as a opponent when you took a debate. It's non clear in case this was the presidential debate. (These are assumed by virtually all fans to use at times been ii-term Republican President Owen Lassister's Vice President.) These are known from either a bit of episodes, that Bartlet won Florida, New Hampshire and Oregon (by 10,000 votes), but misused around Maine, and Texas. However thanks to Hoynes' presence on the ticket, Bartlet did super easily in the rest of the southern states. Unlike iv years late Bartlet faced triad Presidential debates using his Republican opponent. A final debate was held inside St Louis in October 30 1998. Bartlet was elected in Tuesday November 3 1998. A campaign for the Popular nomination was extensively addressed. Around "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" & "Bartlet for America," extensive flashbacks come utilized as a vehicle to tell how else Bartlet defeated Texas Senator John Hoynes (played by Tim Matheson) and Washington Senator William Wiley. Besides declared, every bit can be potential, is that there were extra less successful primary opponents. A previous episode besides revealed how else Leo McGarry convinced Bartlet as much as late October or even early November 1997 world health organization was so Governor of New Hampshire, to run, how else Bartlet didn't require to win, you bet he come to finally take Hoynes when his selection for Vice President.

Bartlet's Re-Election (2002)
A West Wing's 2002 presidential election honeycombed Bartlet & Vice President John Hoynes against Florida Governor Robert Ritchie (played by James Brolin), and his heading mate Jeff Heston. Bartlet wwhen unopposed for renomination, when Ritchie emerged from either the field of septet more Republican candidates (world health organization come known as as Simon, Daniel, Kalmbach, O`Rourke, Ross, Stephens, & American).

Popular Senator Howard Stackhouse launched a third-person electioneering from either the left of Bartlet, however withdrew & at last endorsed Bartlet. Bartlet's staff contemplated replacing Vice President John Hoynes from either a 2002 ticket with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Percy Fitzwallace (played by John Amos) among others, in April 2002 fallowing it was clear Ritchie would exist as a Republican campaigner however Bartlet vetoed a idea, declaring that he wanted Hoynes in the #2 spot, "Because I could die."

Throughout a year it was anticipated that a race would exist as close, however a prima performance by Bartlet inside the resole debate between the candidates gave Bartlet a landslide triumph in each the popular & electoral vote.

At 11:01 EST in election nighttime a popular vote stood at:

Bartlet (D): 53,766,221

Ritchie (R): 42,992,342 According to the states i underst& Bartlet won and misplaced a probably electoral college symptom is 423-115. Bartlet won an unusual triumph for the modern Popular presidential candidate. He carried tons of the states of the Great Plains and the Midwest, but in the deep South he just carried Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina, losing Hoynes's home state of Texas just as he got inside his number 1 race & Florida which was Ritchie's home state & which Bartlet got carried iv years prior to, he likewise lost Georgia which he also won in 1998. He as well carried his at home state of New Hampshire as well as Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Santos vs. Vinick (2006)
Based on data from series producer John Wells, a coming election may occur around November of the 2005-2006 season (for United States viewers), with a inauguration happening inside January. Nonetheless, recent click articles keep around indicated that a timeline might once more become altered sequentially to stand a election occur late inside a year, so allowing for the Bartlet administration to remain in professional for many extra episodes. A altered schedule for a indicate has the election episode airing inside March. Starting by using a seventh year, Fall 2005, a indicate moves to Sunday nights. An article from either TV Guide [http://www.tvguide.com/News/Insider/2005/0810/02insider.htm] revealed that the producers were thinking astir broadcasting survive an episode centering around the debate between Santos & Vinick.

Santos/McGarry
The speed-quickening in The West Wing's timeline (around a portion due to the expiration of numerous cast member's contracts & a want to prove my point the program using moo production costs) has resulted in the omission of the 2004 midterm elections and an election in a period of the 2005-2006 season. A recently all over 2004-2005 season extensively detailed a primary campaigns, when the 2005-2006 season may handle a general election & transition to a freshly administration, & will slow the timeline down once again to concentrate additional on the general election race. A forthcoming November 2006 election will choose place within March of 2006 in real time.

Texas Congressman Matthew Vincente Santos (played by Jimmy Smits) wwhen nominated on a fourth ballot per Democratic Person at their convention, arranged as the 2004-2005 season finale. Santos, world health organization was planning to leave Congress before being recruited to dog by Josh Lyman, polled inside the moo lone digits in Iowa and was virtually out of a going around New Hampshire when the endure-ditch straight television appeal vaulted him to a third place finish by having 19% of the vote.

Polling behind officeholder Vice President & early front-favourite "Bingo" Bob Russell (played by Gary Cole) and former Vice President Hoynes, Santos surged late in the primaries, picking up delegates (winning among others the California primary). A revelation of an alleged sexual harassment incident from either to a higher degree eight years ago involving Hoynes profits dropped him from good contention, however there is no candidate experienced a 2,162 votes necessary to assure a nomination running into a convention.

At a convention Pennsylvania Governor Eric Baker (played by Ed O'Neill), who in November 2005 had announced he would not seek the nomination, announced that if chosen he would accept the nomination after all. Ensuing a number 1 ballot, delegates flocked to Baker from either a camps of completely terzetto more candidates, & briefly it seemed when in case it would become Baker, non Russell, Santos or even Hoynes, that would become a campaigner. However the revealing all about Baker's married woman's health -- thomas more right a fact that Baker experienced failed to disclose a ill health, like than a condition itself -- slowed his macd substantially, until he was away from a going wholly. Late, Leo again attend Josh, & told him that Santos would develop to step down sequentially to "save the party". Even so, Santos instead pulled off a stunning speech sequentially to rally Popular support and benefit the nomination. Fallowing numbers of allusions when you took a Bartlet administration, Josh convinced Leo to get Santos's running off mate.

Vinick/Sullivan
California Senator Arnold Vinick (played by Alan Alda) secured the indicate's Republican nomination, defeating Glen Allen Walken (played in last seasons by John Goodman, but spiritual world in the period of 2004-2005), Rev. Don Butler (played by Don S. Davis) and a host of other, known but not-mentioned-by-name candidates.

West Virginia Governor Ray Sullivan (played by Brett Cullen) was chosen as his heading mate when Butler au fond refused the nomination due to a disagreement by owning Vinick on the issue of abortion. Vinick has been portrayed throughout a 2004-2005 season as virtually unbeatable due to his popularity inside California, moderate views, and wide crossover appeal.

Supreme Court appointments
Many episodes of "The West Wing" develop focused on the President's power to fill vacancies on the United States Supreme Court by nominating justices, who require professional whenever a United States Senate confirms them. Up to now, President Bartlet's appointments use at times been:

Associate Justice Roberto Mendoza (Edward James Olmos) — (nominated in "The Short List," Jan. 1999; confirmed around "Six Meetings Before Lunch," April 2000). Chief Justice of the United States Evelyn Baker Lang (Glenn Close) — ("The Supremes," March 2004) Associate Justice Christopher Mulready (William Fichtner) — ("The Supremes," March 2004)

Cabinet and Presidential Order of Succession

Awards
A West Wing has won a Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series inside 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003, along using Nineteen single Emmys awarded for the writers, actors & crew. It holds the record for virtually all Emmys won by a series around one year (Nina from carolina) which it accomplished inside its foremost year on the air. By winning the Emmys for Spectacular Drama Series inside its number one 4 seasons it go in a tie sustaining Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law for most Emmy Awards won in that category. A West Wing presently ranks Eighth 100%-instance within total of Emmy Awards won by the series.

A actors world health organization develop won Emmys include: Allison Janney — Right Supporting Actress (2000, 2001), Better Actress (2002, 2004) Richard Schiff — Right Supporting Actor (2000) Bradley Whitford — Right Supporting Actor (2001) John Spencer — Right Supporting Actor (2002) Stockard Channing — Better Supporting Actress (2002)

W.G. "Snuffy" Walden (thirtysomething) received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music, 2000.

Martin Sheen, the central character & a virtually all acclaimed actor on the indicate, has eventually to win an Emmy, though he did win a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

A indicate has won both Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Broadcasters and home video releases
View List of The West Wing broadcasters and home video releases