Bartlet4America News Archive

Creator Aaron Sorkin leaving 'West Wing'

by Gail Pennington
Post-Dispatch Television Writer
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

updated: 05/01/2003 06:05 PM

"The West Wing" as fans know it is no more. Creator Aaron Sorkin is leaving the show after this season, a departure characterized by NBC as "friendly and gracious."

Possibly, but Hollywood buzz is that Sorkin exits under pressure from NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker and studio Warner Bros. The Emmy-winning drama has slipped in the ratings this year, apparently leading to demands for creative changes.

Exiting along with Sorkin, who wrote most of the scripts, is executive producer Tommy Schlamme. That leaves the series in the hands of John Wells, who also produces "ER" and "Third Watch" for Warner Bros.

In addition to well-known problems with drugs, Sorkin -- considered one of Hollywood's writing geniuses -- was famous for his poor work habits and missed deadlines, which often left the series far behind schedule and over budget. By all accounts, the cost overruns particularly irked Warner Bros.

Before "West Wing," Sorkin wrote the play and movie "A Few Good Men" and created the series "Sports Night." He and Schlamme (whose wife is actress Christine Lahti) said in a statement that they would pursue projects in stage and film as well as television and would remain "the two biggest fans of 'The West Wing.'"