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April 06, 2005
Red or blue? 'West Wing' fans wait to see who will be next TV president
Rick Bentley
The Fresno Bee
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- Madam chairperson. The great state of confusion on television would like to cast its millions of votes for the next great television president of the United States. We the people select Jimmy Smits.
No wait.
Make that Alan Alda. He was great on "M*A*S*H." advertisement
But Smits was so good on "NYPD Blue."
Madam chairperson ... we'll get back to you.
Smits and Alda have portrayed presidential candidates throughout this season of the NBC drama "The West Wing." The Bartlet administration, played out so well under the guidance of Martin Sheen, comes to an end next season.
Yes, there will be a next season. NBC executives already have shown their confidence in "The West Wing" and renewed it for the 2005-06 television campaign.
The confusion for the show comes in the story line about the presidential race this season.
Just like the real race last year for the White House, this season of "The West Wing" has featured numerous presidential candidates. That field has been whittled down to two: Republican Sen. Arnold Vinick (Alda) and Democratic Congressman Matt Santos (Smits).
"We're hoping that by the time we get into the fall, that there will be a real question in the viewer's mind as to who would make the better president. They both have strengths and weaknesses," says John Wells, executive producer of "The West Wing," while talking with TV critics about the future of the political drama.
Wells is flanked by his two TV candidates during the interview. Wednesday night's season finale wraps up the nomination process. The election process will start the next season in the fall. Bartlet will step down in January.
Creating this run for office has meant setting up characters who will be favorites with different parts of the viewing public. That suggests that no matter which way the TV election goes, some viewers will be left disappointed that their candidate did not win.
"It's politics," says Wells. "It's what happens in this country.
"Even when we dislike what's happened with an election, I think oftentimes we find ourselves still turning on the news at night to see."
Unlike the actual election, "The West Wing" executives can make a decision on who wins based entirely on demographics.
The NBC series ranks as one of the top primetime shows with older viewers. That would suggest Alda, 69, would be the best candidate for the job.
Producers could think that since the show already has an older audience, Smits, 49, would be the better candidate to lure younger viewers to the political drama.
Alda comes to the show with some political history. He certainly has never been afraid to express his liberal points of view. Those views would be in sharp contrast to what a Republican president would bring to "The West Wing."
"Anything to turn this great country of ours around," Alda says in a mocking tone. He's a little frustrated that the world has become so "red and blue states" that an actor's viewpoints would conflict with an acting job.
' "Can you possibly play a Republican?' I was never asked that when I played a murderer."
Alda points out that the strength of "The West Wing" has been how it provides both sides of an issue. The show has certainly had a more liberal skew because of Bartlet. But a skew is far from being one-sided.
His most worthy opponent agrees. Smits likes being part of this race because the scenario gives the writers the opportunity to present two fundamentally different points of view.
"It just deepens and broadens the show in another way," Smits says.
Wells admits that because "The West Wing" has focused on a Democratic president, the Republicans on the show tend to be presented as the enemy. Having two candidates has given the writers two equal voices to discuss the same important topics.
That duality will come to an end. One of the actors will become the star of one of television's best dramas.
The other goes back to looking for work.
Neither Smits nor Alda wants to give away any clues about the eventual outcome. In fact, both actors sound like politicians when pressed about whether they have contracts to be part of the program next season.
"I'll do as many episodes as it takes to accomplish our goals," Alda says, flashing a smile that would have made President Kennedy proud.
Smits smiles at Alda and says, "Spoken like a true candidate."
Asked the same question, Smits shows he, too, can speak like a candidate.
"We're there for next season," Smits says.
Even Alison Janney, who also was talking to TV critics about her role as White House Chief of Staff C.J. Cregg on the show, gets caught up in the political banter.
When asked if she had a preference of whether Alda or Smits wins, she says, "Whichever one appreciates my talents."
Alda immediately says, "I just want to go on record in saying I really appreciate it."
Wells makes one point clear. The winner will not be determined by any kind of voting by the viewers.
Unlike a reality show that is broadcast live, episodes of "The West Wing" are produced weeks or months in advance.
There would be no way to wait for viewers to pick a winner and then produce episodes featuring the winner.
No political race, whether it be real or a television version, would be complete without some information being leaked. One of the candidates confirms he has signed a deal to star in a new series for ABC next year.
Stop reading now if you prefer to wait and see how the voting goes.
"You guys are a bunch of tattletales. What is wrong with suspense?" Smits says of his future TV deal.
It is just politics.
Posted by Jo at April 6, 2005 03:56 PM