"The West Wing" A Proportional Response (1999)

Director:

Marc Buckland

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator)
Aaron Sorkin (writer)

TV Series:

"The West Wing" (1999)

Original Air Date:

6 October 1999 (Season 1, Episode 3)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After being offered "a proportional response" to the Syrian military's downing of a U.S. military plane...

Plot Keywords:

President | Political | Secretary | White House | First Lady

Cast

Rob Lowe	...	Sam Seaborn
Moira Kelly	...	Mandy Hampton
Dulé Hill	...	Charlie Young
Allison Janney	...	Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Cregg
Richard Schiff	...	Toby Ziegler
John Spencer	...	Leo McGarry
Bradley Whitford	...	Josh Lyman
Martin Sheen	...	President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet
John Amos	...	Percy Fitzwallace
Renée Estevez	...	Nancy
Janel Moloney	...	Donna Moss
Suzy Nakamura	...	Cathy
Kathryn Joosten	...	Dolores Landingham
NiCole Robinson	...	Margaret Hooper
Rose Rollins	...	Suzanne

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Trivia:

In the movie The American President (1995) (also written by Aaron Sorkin and considered the catalyst for creating this show), the president must deal with a very similar situation. In the movie, Libya bombs a US missile defense system and the president is pushed to make a "proportional response", at the end of which he ruminates "Someday someone's going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response". The events are very similar to those in this episode, including that line, mirrored almost word for word by President Bartlett.

Goofs:

Continuity: Right before they introduce Charlie to the president, Sam Seaborn is wearing glasses in one shot, is without them the next, and then has them on again.

Quotes:

Sam Seaborn: You ever tried to overthrow the government?
Charlie Young: N-No sir.
Sam Seaborn: What the hell's been stopping you?

Movie Connections:

References "Hard Copy" (1989)