Bartlet4America News Archive

Sorkin returns to old 'Wing'

By Mark McGuire
timesunion.com

Sunday's Emmy Awards handed three wins to members of the ensemble cast of "The West Wing."

The statues -- for best actress in a drama Allison Janney, best supporting actress Stockard Channing and best supporting actor John Spencer, and six other nominations were more evidence that the NBC drama carries a crushing load of acting talent.

But while that surplus contributes mightily to one of the best dramas on television, an actor or two can get lost.

Ask Moira Kelly. The actress, who played brassy political consultant Mandy Hampton, disappeared after the first season.

Ask Emily Procter. Her character, GOP lawyer Ainsley Hayes, had little to do over the course of two seasons -- except maybe the time she hid in the President's closet. Procter recently decamped for CBS' "CSI: Miami."

After this season, you can ask Rob Lowe.

But don't ask Aaron Sorkin. The talented executive producer admits his last-second writing habits leave some characters temporarily shortchanged. "(The writing) is done very much by the seat of my pants. ... It's possible that a character can fall victim to my poor writing habits," he said.

But he insists that's not the case with Lowe, who plays deputy communications director Sam Seaborn.

"Sam's always been one of my favorite characters," Sorkin said. "They are all favorites, (but) Rob is singularly terrific at it.

"There are eight characters, plus Stockard (Channing, who plays First Lady Abby Bartlet), 22 episodes in a season," he continued. "This is a cast, by and large, who could all carry their own show. You would love to be able to showcase all of them more."

This summer, Lowe announced that the 2002-'03 season will be his last on the NBC drama. Lowe was upset he did not get the same proportional raise other cast members received, although Sorkin and others noted the actor was paid more at the start of the series' run.

But there has been speculation that Lowe -- one of the few cast members not to be nominated for an Emmy -- was upset at the marginalizing of Seaborn. "It's not an unreasonable observation to make," Sorkin said. "It's just an unfortunate one, because it's wrong.

"There is nobody at NBC, nobody at Warner Brothers and nobody on the show that wants Rob to leave," Sorkin continued. "My fingers are crossed that he's going to stay."

Lowe was by far the most recognizable name in the cast when "The West Wing" debuted three years ago. (Martin Sheen's President Josiah Bartlet was originally slated to appear in only a few episodes.) But as time went by, Lowe saw his screen time eaten up by his equally talented castmates.

"The West Wing" premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday (WNYT Ch. 13) with a two-hour episode, "20 Hours in America." It follows Josh (Bradley Whitford), Toby (Richard Schiff) and Donna (Janel Moloney) after they get left behind by the Presidential motorcade.

Sorkin said the show, which has won the best drama Emmy for each of its three seasons, will be rejuvenated this year. An early focus will be on Bartlet's re-election campaign; "The West Wing" operates on a political cycle two years removed from reality.

Sorkin, meanwhile, is just pleased to be one year removed from last season.

"For me, one of the most exciting things about this season is that it's no longer last season," Sorkin said. It was harder, he suggests, for viewers to empathize with his fictional heroes during a year when real ones -- firefighters, soldiers and others -- were at the center of public attention.

"We had no stomach for stories about Democrats fighting with Republicans, and repealing the estate tax, and the White House fighting with Congress," Sorkin said. "We just all felt, all year long, like we were doing something wrong and we just couldn't put our finger on it.

"It's a year later. When I came back to writing the show ... I suddenly felt comfortable in my chair again."

Sorkin said he continues to write as if Lowe/Seaborn will remain, and insists the character isn't headed for an untimely end.

"Sam Seaborn isn't going to die," he said. "The door is going to remain open."