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October 19, 2004
SHAKE-UP IN THE WEST WING
Look for big changes in the Bartlet administration
By Charlie McCollum
Mercury News
Note: The following story reveals a significant number of story lines and character developments for the upcoming season of ``The West Wing.'' Consider yourself warned.
It's been a tough year for the administration of President Josiah Bartlet.
The troubles at NBC's ``The West Wing'' began in the spring of 2003 when series creator Aaron Sorkin departed after four seasons. When the show returned last fall, it took a deservedly fearsome drubbing from critics -- and many fans -- who believed the White House drama had lost much of its spark, smarts and distinctive style.
The dissatisfaction was reflected in the Nielsen ratings. Once a top 10 show with an audience of 17.2 million, ``The West Wing'' saw its audience drop to 11.8 million. The plunge was particularly noticeable among younger viewers, who fled in large numbers to such reality series as ``The Bachelor.''
As a result of all that, NBC executives started to suggest that it was time for ``The West Wing'' to finish its run. Kevin Reilly, the new president of NBC Entertainment, pointedly told reporters in July that the show was ``ratings-challenged last year'' and made several other comments that implied the end was near.
But TV veteran John Wells -- who took over as executive producer after Sorkin's exit -- says that reports of the show's demise have been greatly exaggerated. What may vanish this season, though, is ``The West Wing'' as viewers have known it since the fall of 1999.
``One of the things that starts happening to long-running television shows is that unless you start to shake things up and change the relationships and the way the characters react to each other, you start to feel like you're repeating yourself,'' says Wells, who also produces such dramas as ``ER.''
Successors to Bartlet
So, there will changes -- major changes -- on ``The West Wing'' when it starts its sixth year on Wednesday (9 p.m., Chs. 8, 11):
• The season will focus on the last months of the Bartlet administration after two terms and on the campaign to succeed President Bartlet.
``What we tried to look at,'' says Wells, ``was: `What haven't we done with the Bartlet administration?' And one of the things we haven't done is play the latter part of an administration and what -- when you no longer have the political pressures of being re-elected -- you want to accomplish.''
• As the show's timeline is now constructed, Bartlet (Martin Sheen) will leave office in the late fall of 2005, when the show is in its seventh season. But the timing of that departure depends entirely on whether Sheen decides to stay with the series after his contract is up next spring.
Wells certainly would like him to stay around for another season, saying he's ``very interested in what happens with the old president. I'd be interested in seeing episodes on what happens when you leave.'' But if Sheen opts out, Bartlet's departure from office would happen this season.
• Three candidates will emerge early on as possible Bartlet replacements: Vice President Robert ``Bingo Bob'' Russell (Gary Cole), Texas Rep. Jimmy Santos (Jimmy Smits) and U.S. Sen. Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda), a Republican from California.
• The White House staff -- which has been together longer than any West Wing staff has been together in real life -- will undergo a major shake-up.
In just the first few episodes, one major character has a heart attack and another takes on an important new position. Donna Moss (Janel Maloney) survives her injuries from the terrorist bombing that ended last season and returns to Washington with Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford). But when they get back, things change for both.
``We're trying to set up a situation where they're at odds but could also have a relationship if they wanted to,'' says Wells. ``We love those two characters and we love their interaction. People who are interested in the possibility of that romantic relationship will enjoy the season.''
The aim, Wells says, is to keep ``West Wing'' alive and kicking for several more seasons.
While acknowledging that it was hard to follow Sorkin, Wells bridles a bit when asked about criticism of last season's episodes.
``We had the experience of changing drivers in a race car in the middle of the track doing 200 miles per hour,'' he says. ``It was as difficult a thing as I have ever been involved in creatively -- but a lot of the shows we were very proud of.''
Restoring the humor
He does admit that he doesn't ``think the show was funny enough. The other thing that Aaron Sorkin could always do was maintain a level of humor. I've gotten a lot of questions over the year about what's really different about the political climate that affects the show. I'd say that's the main area because I think the general situation in the country has, to most people, not felt very humorous.''
Now, he adds, the writers want to make the series more ``enjoyable and restore the buoyancy it had prior to Sept. 11.''
And the producer strongly believes NBC will stick with the show when its contract expires next year, pointing out -- among other things -- that it still attracts large numbers of high-income viewers coveted by advertisers.
``You can look at NBC's schedule,'' he says, ``and see that losing a show of `The West Wing's' quality would be a bad thing.
``There will be saber rattling and all kinds of comments going back and forth. But I'm fairly certain we'll be on NBC next season.''
The West Wing
*** 1/2 (first four seasons)
** 1/2 (last season)
Airing: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Chs. 8, 11
Posted by Jo at October 19, 2004 07:56 AM