"The West Wing" Tomorrow (2006)

Director:

Chris Misiano

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator) and
John Wells (written by)

TV Series:

"The West Wing" (1999)

Original Air Date:

14 May 2006 (Season 7, Episode 22)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Santos and his staff prepare for the inauguration as Bartlet and his team look back on their years in the White House. Series Finale. |

Plot Keywords:

Inauguration | Unemployment | Train Derailment | Ice Storm | Transition

Cast

Alan Alda	...	Senator Arnold Vinick
Stockard Channing	...	Abbey Bartlet
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Annabeth Schott
Dulé Hill	...	Charlie Young
Allison Janney	...	Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Cregg
Joshua Malina	...	Will Bailey
Mary McCormack	...	Kate Harper
Janel Moloney	...	Donna Moss
John Spencer	...	Leo McGarry (credit only)
Bradley Whitford	...	Josh Lyman
Jimmy Smits	...	President Matthew Santos
Martin Sheen	...	President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet
Teri Polo	...	Helen Santos
Lily Tomlin	...	Deborah Fiderer
Michael O'Neill	...	Secret Service Agent Ron Butterfield

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

John Wells Productions

Trivia:

When President Bartlett is walking through the west wing saying good-byes to everyone in the staff, he asks Nancy (played by Renée Estevez) "How is your mother?" And tells her "I am looking forward to seeing her again." Renee Estevez is Martin Sheen's real life daughter. (Sheen's real name is Ramon Antonio Gerard Estevez.)

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Kate Harper and 'President Josiah \'Jed\' Bartlet' are discussing the train derailment between Haverhill (pronounced "Haive-rill"), Mass. and Exeter, N.H., Kate pronounces "Haverhill" like halve-er-hill, which Bartlet, being from New Hampshire, would have at least grimaced at, if not corrected her outright.

Quotes:

President Josiah Bartlet: Make me proud, Mr. President.
President Matthew Santos: I'll do my best, Mr. President.

A great end to the greatest.

I can try to be articulate. I can try to be witty. I can try to be funny. All of these things are usually easy for me. I've never known what it was like to be so attached to another world through a television show, much less what it was like to feel so empty after it was all said and done. This was, by immeasurable standards, the greatest show on television.

The last episode started like any other. If anybody tuned in, not knowing it was the last, they likely wouldn't have noticed. The last ten minutes tied off the loose ends in an ominous, but casual way. I was able to hold myself together until the very last scene. I'm not going to spoil anything for anyone, but those who have followed the show and developed the same attachment to the characters that I have will also find themselves with watering eyes.

It is now Tuesday, roughly 36 hours after the show ended. It truly is an empty feeling. Anyone can identify with the show. Things about it hit so close to home because they are things that all of us have to deal with on a daily basis. It's not an emergency room, it's not a desert trench, and it's certainly not a plastic surgeon's office. It discusses real issues with real scenarios, and even more real (if not terrifying) resolutions.

But more than all of this it reminds all of us that the people we elect to office are only human. They make mistakes just like the rest of us. They are haunted by memories and demons just like we are, yet they keep on because they know more than anything that the minute details of their day to day doings affect millions.

There is a saying they are sure to throw around just enough that it is remembered.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." I'd vote for Jed Bartlet.