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The West Wing

  • TV Series
  • 1999–20061999–2006
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 44m
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
79K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
204
28
Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Moira Kelly, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, and Bradley Whitford in The West Wing (1999)
Watch Trailer Season 1
Play trailer1:31
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Drama
Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
79K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
204
28
    • Aaron Sorkin
  • Stars
    • Martin Sheen
    • Rob Lowe
    • Allison Janney
    • Aaron Sorkin
  • Stars
    • Martin Sheen
    • Rob Lowe
    • Allison Janney
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 292User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated TV #57
    • Won 26 Primetime Emmys

    Episodes155

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos3

    A Guide to the Work of Aaron Sorkin
    Clip 5:24
    Watch A Guide to the Work of Aaron Sorkin
    Trailer Season 1
    Trailer 1:31
    Watch Trailer Season 1
    Why Sarah Wayne Callies Would Trust RuPaul and C.J. Cregg to Raise a Family
    Video 2:54
    Watch Why Sarah Wayne Callies Would Trust RuPaul and C.J. Cregg to Raise a Family

    Photos981

    Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Moira Kelly, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, Kevin Foley, and Mandy Hampton in The West Wing (1999)
    Allison Janney in The West Wing (1999)
    Mary-Louise Parker in The West Wing (1999)
    The West Wing (1999)
    Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, and Bradley Whitford in The West Wing (1999)
    Jimmy Smits and Ed O'Neill in The West Wing (1999)
    Ed O'Neill in The West Wing (1999)
    Melinda McGraw in The West Wing (1999)
    Martin Sheen and Allison Janney in The West Wing (1999)
    Mary McCormack in The West Wing (1999)
    The West Wing (1999)
    Joshua Malina in The West Wing (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Martin Sheen
    Martin Sheen
    • President Josiah Bartlet
    Rob Lowe
    Rob Lowe
    • Sam Seaborn
    Allison Janney
    Allison Janney
    • C.J. Cregg
    John Spencer
    John Spencer
    • Leo McGarry
    Bradley Whitford
    Bradley Whitford
    • Josh Lyman
    Janel Moloney
    Janel Moloney
    • Donna Moss
    Richard Schiff
    Richard Schiff
    • Toby Ziegler
    Dulé Hill
    Dulé Hill
    • Charlie Young
    NiCole Robinson
    NiCole Robinson
    • Margaret Hooper…
    Melissa Fitzgerald
    Melissa Fitzgerald
    • Carol Fitzpatrick…
    Joshua Malina
    Joshua Malina
    • Will Bailey
    Stockard Channing
    Stockard Channing
    • Abbey Bartlet
    Kim Webster
    Kim Webster
    • Ginger…
    Kris Murphy
    Kris Murphy
    • Katie Witt…
    Timothy Davis-Reed
    Timothy Davis-Reed
    • Mark O'Donnell…
    Mary McCormack
    Mary McCormack
    • Kate Harper
    William Duffy
    William Duffy
    • Larry…
    Peter James Smith
    Peter James Smith
    • Ed…
      • Aaron Sorkin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Final project of John Spencer, who quit acting in movies to fully concentrate in his role as Leo McGarry (which earned him one Emmy and two SAG Awards).
    • Goofs
      In a couple of instances, Secret Service agents are seen holding an umbrella for a protectee. In reality, Secret Service agents must keep their hands free at all times.
    • Quotes

      Leo McGarry: This guy's walkin' down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, "Hey you! Can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole, and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, "Father, I'm down in this hole; can you help me out?" The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey, Joe, it's me. Can ya help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are ya stupid? Now we're both down here." The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.

    • Crazy credits
      The special post-9/11 episode was broadcast without the regular opening credits. Instead, the episode began with the cast, out of character, speaking about the episode, followed by credits on a black screen.
    • Alternate versions
      The first airing of the episode "20 Hours in America" contained a scene between President Bartlet and the First Lady in which they good-naturedly tease each other, calling each other Medea and Jackass. This scene was not included in subsequent reruns because of commercial limitations and was also not included on the DVD.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      West Wing Main Title
      (uncredited)

      Written by W.G. Snuffy Walden

      Performed by Pete Anthony

    User reviews292

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    A series to savour
    Now that the last episode has been shown in Australia, and having very much enjoyed the show despite seeing it out of order in several different countries, I'd like to make a few general comments. Thankfully the ABC showed series six and seven weekly in blocks of two episodes without commercials; thus the pleasure was undiluted.

    1. Whatever inaccuracies there may have been in the depiction of White House procedure (apparently Clinton adviser Dick Morris was not impressed) and however impossibly smart everybody seemed, "West Wing" caught the essential flavour of politics, US style, where a squillion issues, some great, others trivial, all compete for attention in a complex legalistic and ponderous system.

    2. There is a lot of emphasis on the trappings of the "imperial presidency"- flitting around the countryside in Air Force One at a cost of about $10,000 an hour, the amazing White House protocol for almost everything, the veneration of the public for the office. Louis XIV never had it so good. But then I was brought up in a country where until recently the Prime Minister's phone number was in the phone book and he used to walk the 800 metres to work. Of course the security measures don't require much justification in the land of guns for all.

    3. President Jed Bartlet is indeed the liberal ideal (the show could well be called "Left Wing") but he is also a patriot, and to those of us who have to put up with the US heaving its weight around abroad this is a problem, not a matter for praise.

    4. The "walking heads" delivering rapid-fire dialogue are off-putting at first, but do give the show pace; compare "Commander in Chief" which is leadenly slow (and otherwise dire) by comparison. It no doubt helps to know something about how the US political system works but generally there is enough information provided to at least follow the story.

    5. The internal politics of the White House are downplayed; Bartlet's team are portrayed as uniformly bright, keen and loyal, both to the president and each other, and not interested in internecine conflict. Lucky Jed.

    6. The acting from the main players is all that one could ask for – they emerge as real people, but then they get a lot of air time, sometimes with most of an episode to themselves. Some of the minor roles tended to be written and played as stereotypes. My favourite was Lily Tomlin as the Pres's secretary – she acted as if she could do his job herself, although Allison Janney as CJ ran a close second.

    7. It must have been a fun series to create and we must thank Aaron Sorkin for the effort he made in developing this show from his "The American President" which was a piece of fluff by comparison. He got away with what must be about the talkiest show on television. Alas, things did tail off a bit after he left (after the fourth series) but the show had enough momentum to make it entertaining right to the end of Bartlet's second term, though the last few shows were rather limp.
    helpful•48
    12
    • Philby-3
    • Apr 21, 2007

    Iconic On-Screen Romances

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    FAQ13

    • It is said a few times in the show that the president really only has 18 months to govern. Can somebody explain to people not from the United States and not all that familiar with U.S. politics why that is and what happens during the remaining two and a half years?
    • How much real life political knowledge is required to fully understand and enjoy his show?
    • What parallels to real world politics have been elements of the show?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 22, 1999 (United States)
      • United States
      • NBC (United States)
      • Official Facebook
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Alexandria, Virginia, USA
    • Production companies
      • John Wells Productions
      • Warner Bros. Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 44 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby

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