Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
The West Wing

Two Weeks Out

  • Episode aired Mar 19, 2006
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 42m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
501
YOUR RATING
S7.E14
  • S7
  • E14
All episodes
All
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Melinda McGraw in The West Wing (1999)
  • Drama
Both candidates face vital choices about which states to campaign in; Vinick tries to put the nuclear issue behind him; Bruno finds Santos's briefcase.Both candidates face vital choices about which states to campaign in; Vinick tries to put the nuclear issue behind him; Bruno finds Santos's briefcase.Both candidates face vital choices about which states to campaign in; Vinick tries to put the nuclear issue behind him; Bruno finds Santos's briefcase.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
501
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Laura Innes
  • Writers
    • Aaron Sorkin
    • Lawrence O'Donnell
  • Stars
    • Alan Alda
    • Kristin Chenoweth(credit only)
    • Allison Janney(credit only)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Laura Innes
  • Writers
    • Aaron Sorkin
    • Lawrence O'Donnell
  • Stars
    • Alan Alda
    • Kristin Chenoweth(credit only)
    • Allison Janney(credit only)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alan Alda
    Alan Alda
    • Senator Arnold Vinickas Senator Arnold Vinick
    Kristin Chenoweth
    Kristin Chenoweth
    • Annabeth Schottas Annabeth Schott
    • (credit only)
    Allison Janney
    Allison Janney
    • C.J. Creggas C.J. Cregg
    • (credit only)
    Joshua Malina
    Joshua Malina
    • Will Baileyas Will Bailey
    • (credit only)
    Mary McCormack
    Mary McCormack
    • Kate Harperas Kate Harper
    • (credit only)
    Janel Moloney
    Janel Moloney
    • Donna Mossas Donna Moss
    • (credit only)
    Richard Schiff
    Richard Schiff
    • Toby Ziegleras Toby Ziegler
    John Spencer
    John Spencer
    • Leo McGarryas Leo McGarry
    • (credit only)
    Bradley Whitford
    Bradley Whitford
    • Josh Lymanas Josh Lyman
    Jimmy Smits
    Jimmy Smits
    • Matthew Santosas Matthew Santos
    Martin Sheen
    Martin Sheen
    • President Josiah Bartletas President Josiah Bartlet
    • (credit only)
    Janeane Garofalo
    Janeane Garofalo
    • Louise Thorntonas Louise Thornton
    Ron Silver
    Ron Silver
    • Bruno Gianellias Bruno Gianelli
    Matthew Del Negro
    Matthew Del Negro
    • Bram Howardas Bram Howard
    Stephen Root
    Stephen Root
    • Bob Mayeras Bob Mayer
    Melinda McGraw
    Melinda McGraw
    • Jane Braunas Jane Braun
    Diana Maria Riva
    Diana Maria Riva
    • Edie Ortegaas Edie Ortega
    • (as Diana-Maria Riva)
    Ramon De Ocampo
    Ramon De Ocampo
    • Ottoas Otto
    • (as Ramón De Ocampo)
    • Director
      • Laura Innes
    • Writers
      • Aaron Sorkin
      • Lawrence O'Donnell
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      While watching Santos' press conference at the Philadelphia hotel, Bruno says "Saint Santos." Santos means saints in Spanish.
    • Goofs
      During the Vinick airplane scene, Jane repeatedly mentions "51%" on Election Day, alluding to a popular majority. However, U.S. presidential elections are decided by the Electoral College, No serious political operative would refer to getting "51%", but would instead say "270", the number of votes required to win in the Electoral College.
    • Quotes

      Louise Thornton: [Santos has lost his briefcase] There's nothing bad in there?

      Josh Lyman: Like?

      Louise Thornton: I don't know, heroin, porn?

      Josh Lyman: No. That's all mine.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      West Wing Main Title
      (uncredited)

      Written by W.G. Snuffy Walden

      Performed by Pete Anthony

    User reviews2

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Tour de force for Alan Alda
    The West Wing only really became alive for me with the Vinick - Santos Presidential race.

    Whilst The West Wing was a seminal TV series in so many different ways such as camera technique and a sense of real time political action, it often seemed mired in maudling sentimentality.

    This led to storylines which meant you had to suspend disbelief - such as rushing a Middle East peace deal before one of the commercial breaks and the endless self introspection which led viewers to wonder if anyone had the time to run a country!

    This, though, was far from the case with the Vinick - Santos storyline. Instead you had a sense of a battle of ideas and how the candidates' rival agendas for the country impacted on their personal lives.

    This was definitely on display in this incredibly inpressive episode. Senator Arnold Vinick, played by the inestimable Alan Alda, starts the episode on the back foot. An accident at a nuclear power plant has had negative political repercussions for him just two weeks from election day.

    At the same time, he is physically feeling the pressure where with constant hand shaking, he has fractured a bone in his hand but has to hide this from the media so that he is not typecast as too old for high office as compared to his much younger and physically fitter opponent, Matt Santos (as played by Jimmy Smit).

    Amidst all of this, some secrets about Santos' past are unexpectedly found by Vinick's campaign advisor, Bruno (played with real sensitivity by Ron Silver).

    Should Vinick use this new found information to win the election or should a higher sense of ethics prevail? When is it right to release confidential information? Is this about gaining a political advantage or letting voters know the truth?

    This is the morality tale that Alan Alda's character wrestles with and this really is an acting tour de force as the character figures out what to do.

    Whilst Jimny Smits is good in this episode and in this role, I felt he could have shown more emotion as to his conflicted state of mind in the final scene (without giving anything away!).

    Overall this is a very good episode which also contains an intriguing sub plot within the Santos campaign.

    Ultimately, after watching this episode, you will ask yourself what would you do if you were Vinick.

    By the show leading the viewers to question themselves, this, therefore, is the ultimate accolade for this episode.
    helpful•0
    0
    • js_watkins
    • Sep 7, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 19, 2006 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • John Wells Productions
      • Warner Bros. Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.