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January 31, 2006

Why I'll always be a Wing Nut

by Ben Macintyre
London Times
How do you make people sit through a whole hour of the US education budget? Ask West Wing fans

SIX YEARS AGO I attended the White House Correspondents Dinner, the annual schmoozefest when the entire Washington press corps sups with the President and his staff, and both sides pretend, for a few short hours, to like one another. The guests of honour on this occasion included several members of the cast of The West Wing, the hugely successful TV series depicting a fictional White House. Here were all the President�s men and women rubbing shoulders with the people who played them on television. There was something deeply eerie in watching the real White House Press spokesman at the time (Joe Lockhart), talking to the fictional White House spokesman (C. J. Cregg, played by Allison Janney), while the former White House spokesman (Dee Dee Myers, who also happened to be a consultant on the programme) looked on.
But that was the point of The West Wing, which has now reached its term limit, and will end in May. It was completely made up, but somehow true; it offered a contrast to real politics, but also identified genuine political dilemmas; it was make-believe that somehow made people believe that politics had a point after all. And it lasted over a full, two-term presidency.

The series was, of course, Hollywood wishful thinking: the stalwart Democratic president, Josiah �Jed� Bartlet (Martin Sheen), Nobel laureate, tough yet caring, humane, liberal and loveable, surrounded by his cadre of loyal staffers, trying to deploy power decently in a complicated world. Some of it was insufferably pious. At least once an episode, one of the characters would offer an earnest, thumping soliloquy on the nature of truth, power and the American Way, accompanied by a crescendo of uplifting soundtrack music written by W. G. Snuffy Walden. (In our family of dedicated Wing Nuts, any statement of portentous sincerity is known as a �Snuffy�.)

In The West Wing, Josh, Toby, CJ and the others frantically belt up and down corridors waving pieces of paper and making decisions, loudly, on the hoof. On the few occasions I have been in the White House, by contrast, it has seemed almost deserted. The staffers were all locked away in basement rooms, running the country very quietly and secretly, by e-mail; the only people in the corridors were enormous Secret Servicemen talking to their cuffs.

Right-wing critics dismissed the series as a left-wing fetish, an idealised fantasy of what Bill Clinton could have been if he had not been Bill Clinton. Yet Republicans tuned in as avidly as Democrats; British and Japanese viewers became as thoroughly hooked as Americans.

The show�s success went far beyond partisan politics; it takes more than ideology to make people sit through an hour of television based on whether or not the US Senate will pass the education budget.

What The West Wing managed to do was put the drama back into politics when voters in both America and Britain are deeply alienated by the entire political process. British television writers have done a superb job of lampooning politics with Yes, Minister and The New Statesman, but The West Wing attempted something far harder: to make legislation and administrative bureaucracy into soap opera, to take television drama out of the hospital, squad car and courtroom, and place it in a bunch of offices (with, admittedly, rather good furniture) inside one large Georgian house. Rather than focus on the political collision of Left and Right, the series concentrated on the leaking and spinning, the internal decisions, confusions and compromises that are the warp and weft of political power. This was a series about �the art of the deal, and the thrill of the motorcade�.

It worked because politics has historically produced some of the best stories about the human condition, the nature of honour, ambition and loyalty. Politics offers stark moral choices, and thus the best drama, as Shakespeare understood.

President Bartlet tackled the crucial issues week after week: genocide, terrorism, drugs policy, capital punishment and war, while simultaneously wrestling with human frailties and complex moral choices, his own flawed character and illness, and the frailties of his courtiers.

Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the earliest and best episodes of The West Wing, once described his job as �telling stories about kings and their palaces�, the ancient tradition of saga-telling. Bartlet was always the wise king, enthroned in splendour in his white palace, all-powerful but at one with his subjects. The West Wing gave the glow of virtue back to the presidency when it badly needed shoring up: here was a president who could keep his trousers on (unlike Clinton) and quote Latin verse (unlike Bush). Bartlet�s election came, culturally, just in time.

The series was saved from sanctimony by self-mockery, a knack for bringing its holy characters down to earth with a bump. In one early episode, Sam and Josh, spin-doctor and deputy chief of staff, are walking and talking breathlessly down one of the West Wing�s endless corridors, looking purposeful and important. Then they stop.

Sam: Where are you going?

Josh: Where are you going?

Sam: I was following you.

Josh: I was following you. (Pause.) All right, don�t tell anyone this happened, OK?

The West Wing forgot where it was going a few series ago. Like any US administration, the initial energy began to pall; a few of the stars quit (Sam, Rob Lowe), or died (Leo, John Spencer). By the end of his term in office, Bartlet was a lame duck, and so was the series. After 131 episodes, it is time for a change of regime.

America produces the worst television in the world but also, very occasionally, the best. The West Wing was one of those entertainments that changed the landscape by dumbing-up, reminding viewers that politics, ludicrous and corrupt though it is, can also be funny, thoughtful and important.

Farewell President Bartlet, the best leader America never had.

(Hang on, I think that may have been a Snuffy.)

Posted by Jo at 07:08 PM

'West Wing' ends in style

By DUSTY SAUNDERS
Scripps Howard News Service

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- The president, on a hotel stage rather than in the West Wing, gave his state-of the-TV-union address.

"I love 'The West Wing' for many reasons," Martin Sheen said. "The show has been a fantasy. But we have offered a parallel universe to reality."

Sheen, aka President Josiah (Jeb) Bartlet, then looked around the stage at fellow cast members.

"To have been a part of this crowd and those who were here before has been a powerful gift for me. It's a great inspiration to older actors, like me. If you stick around long enough, something good may happen," said Sheen, 66.

"There have been occasions where people have asked me if I was interested in public political life. And I thought, 'My God, are we in that bad of shape?' "

Sheen, fellow actors, writers and producers of "The West Wing," gathered last week to meet with the press following executive producer John Wells announcement the seven-year-series will end May 14.

It was an emotional weekend for "The West Wing" crew. The day before the announcement they attended a final service for the late John Spencer.

"I don't think anyone was really surprised. The rumors had been all over the place," said Wells. "I had conversations with Warner Bros. and NBC late last year. We agreed the time had come. But I'm thankful we'll have the opportunity to finish in graceful style, while providing a legitimate ending to Jeb Bartlet's administration."

"The West Wing," off the air during the Winter Olympics, will return with episodes leading up to shows April 2 and April 9 dealing with the presidential election between Democrat Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Republican Alan Vinick (Alan Alda).

The series finale will deal with the inauguration of the new president and the departure of the Bartlet administration.

"That's a perfect ending," Wells said. "We were very fortunate to get two more wonderful actors (Smits and Alda), who you could actually believe could be president of the United States.

Paying tribute to creator Aaron Sorkin, Wells said another major success ingredient was showing the remarkable strength of American democracy.

"That was one of Aaron's original concepts," Wells said. "And the peaceful passing of power from one leader to another expresses this strength and makes for wonderful storytelling."

So who will win the election?

"Obviously, we won't share (the winner) with you, because that wouldn't be fun for anyone," said Wells. So the guessing game begins while the question is asked: In the blabbermouth world of Hollywood, will the final plot remain secret until air time May 14?

The death of Spencer (Leo McGarry, formerly Bartlet's chief of staff and then Santos' running mate) happened at a point where producers and writers had "pretty much" made a decision, according to Wells. Perhaps Spencer's death has changed the original thinking.

There's a feeling among some critics and NBC insiders that having Alda's Republican candidate win the election would be a tour de force ending for "The West Wing," which has projected a Democratic liberal face during its run.

The show's cancellation hasn't put a negative spin on cast members' attitudes.

"It's a miracle to be able make a living in a non-humiliating way as an actor," said Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman). The actor stressed that "The West Wing" has offered creativity on a cultural level in an arena (commercial TV) where the stakes are high.

Sheen said all the cast members felt they were involved in something special when the series started.

"The only real doubt we had was whether it would work on network television. It was a political show. There were no car chases or fires. The action was in the word. We wondered if the audience and sponsors would support us. And we quickly found there was a market for this type of show," he said.

The series has been regularly criticized for its liberal story lines. "We've maintained a core of viewers who have been with us from the start," Sheen said. "A core is what most politicians depend on for their success, so we sort of fell into that."

That core audience includes Washington politicians, predictably mostly Democrats. But cast members have discovered that some Republicans watch.

Broadway performer Kristin Chenoweth, who plays a presidential aide, recalled the response she received recently while singing at the Kennedy Center.

"I was at a table with former Sen. Tom Daschle and Sandra Day O'Connor. After realizing I wasn't going to tell them who would win the election, both said they had never seen a movie or TV show that was more true-to-life about life in Washington."

Whitford chimed in: "Alan Greenspan _ you know, with that face that's just not trained to express anything _ once said to me he was really upset when our Fed chairman died and nobody cared. It wasn't even the 'A' story line."

Posted by Jo at 06:58 PM

Credit NBC's 'West Wing' for soaring ideal

OK, the show featured an embattled Democratic president, but its realism and focus on issues made it worthwhile. It had a great run.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinion/articles/2257341.html

The right's persistent gripes over Hollywood's political agenda hit a new peak in 1999 with NBC's debut of "The West Wing." The White House drama was created by Aaron Sorkin, whose 1995 film "The American President" amounted to a two-hour attack on evil Republicans.

Sure enough, Sorkin's TV show, like his movie, starred a brilliant, courageous Democratic president. Like the Democratic president then actually in office, Jed Bartlett (played by Martin Sheen) was both a policy wonk and deeply empathetic with regular folks. But when Bartlett lied, it was to cover up his multiple sclerosis, not a tawdry dalliance with an intern.

Yet a funny thing happened that made the show palatable to a lot more than just left-wing partisans. "The West Wing" came across not as a celebration of Democrats' purported moral superiority but a rebuke of both Clintonian ethical lapses and triangulation and politics in general. For all their flaws, Bartlett and his staff were deeply idealistic. In a time of cynicism, this had no small appeal -- the idea that the people we trust to run the country actually had their hearts in the right places.

Yes, over the past seven years, there has been occasional gratuitous Republican-bashing -- the casting of James Brolin as a thick-witted, callous GOP presidential nominee quickly comes to mind. But by and large that original, endearing idealism remains intact. For this reason alone, we lament the recent announcement that "West Wing" had been canceled.

As for Republicans' griping about unflattering portrayals by Hollywood, well, they have fresh fodder. The president on Fox's smash hit "24" is a spineless, soulless Richard Nixon lookalike who keeps his spunky wife drugged. This isn't what one might expect from the network that brought us Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.

Posted by Jo at 06:55 PM

January 24, 2006

'West Wing' passes into presidential _ and TV _ history

By Dale McFeatters
Scripps Howard News Service

It was often said that the TV series "The West Wing" was the Clinton administration the way Hollywood wished it would be. As it is, the series outlasted the presidency it was presumably based on by five years, but the May 14 episode will be the last.

Seven seasons is a good, long run, almost two full presidential terms. The show was intelligent political drama, leavened with lightning-quick _ and highly improbable _ dialogue, and taking place in a West Wing, where the president has his offices, not remotely like the real thing. But who cared?

Initially, "West Wing" had a huge following in Washington. At a White House correspondents' dinner early in the show's run, the actors playing President Bartlet, press secretary C.J., speechwriter Toby and chief of staff Leo attracted more attention than their for-real counterparts.

From the outset, the show had its faults _ the characters wore their idealism on their sleeves; it was prone to a preachy approach to issues; and it was suffused with a certain liberal smarminess. But the show was witty and often dead-on. Political junkies loved it _ not that there are a lot of prime-time political melodramas to choose from.

But like presidencies, the show ran out of steam in its second term, an aura of lame-duckery hovered over it and, in striving for drama and novelty, the show fell prey to that fatal phenomenon known as "jumping the shark."

TV is not real-life, and a good thing for Presidents Clinton and Bush. Presidencies aren't subject to cancellation if their ratings fall low enough.

Posted by Jo at 10:23 PM

'West Wing' will end its run in character

by Gail Pennington
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Janel Moloney asked for waterproof mascara. Bradley Whitford seemed to choke up momentarily. The "West Wing" cast might agree that it's the right time to go, but saying goodbye won't be easy.

With ratings in continuing decline, "The West Wing" will end its run on May 14, NBC announced Sunday. Hours later, producers and cast met with visiting TV critics to talk about the show's legacy and to celebrate their friend and colleague John Spencer, who died Dec. 16 of a heart attack.

This season, the parallel America created by Aaron Sorkin is preparing to elect a new president to replace Martin Sheen's Josiah Bartlet. The change of administrations seemed like a natural place to end the series, executive producer John Wells said.

"One of the things that's most dramatic about American democracy is the peaceful passing of power from one leader to another," he said. "We thought that was a really wonderful way to conclude our storytelling."

Nine episodes leading up to the finale are still set to air, with a break for the Olympics. Spencer, who played vice presidential candidate Leo McGarry, will be seen in one more episode and mentioned in another. Then a newly written episode will deal with his death, apparently of a heart attack, just before the election.

A day before NBC announced the series finale, the "West Wing" cast gathered at a memorial service for Spencer.

"I walk on the set every day since his ... you know, since his death, and feel a great loss," said Allison Janney, who like Spencer, is an original cast member. "It feels like a very organic ending to the show with him gone because I just can't imagine doing it without him."

Whitford said, "It's very hard. John was the biggest enthusiast for this show. He was the guy always saying this is phenomenal, relish this."

Moloney didn't need the waterproof mascara she asked for, but she dug in her handbag for a tissue later when talking about Spencer and about the finale.

With so much new business, "I think it's the first time nobody asked a Josh-and-Donna question," she said.

So what about Josh, played by Whitford, and Donna, his former assistant? In the few episodes left, will they finally get together?

"I won't tell you that," Moloney said, putting her tissue away. "But I will tell you that I think viewers will be, um, satisfied by the outcome of their story."

Posted by Jo at 04:07 PM

Actor's death will not halt `West Wing'

By GLENN GARVIN
Miami Herald

PASADENA, Calif. -- Producers of the NBC political drama The West Wing considered yanking the show off the air for good around Christmas when long-time cast member John Spencer died, a move that would have left viewers with one of the greatest unresolved cliffhangers in television history.
Spencer, who for nearly seven years played the intense political operative Leo McGarry -- first a presidential chief of staff, then a vice presidential candidate -- died unexpectedly of a heart attack Dec. 16.
''We had conversations about whether it was even appropriate to continue to do the show without John,'' said John Wells, one of West Wing's executive producers. ``He was such a close friend and a wonderful actor and such a central part of the ensemble and of our lives together as a group.''
Even before Spencer's death, the producers -- bowing to the inevitability of declining ratings -- had decided this season would be The West Wing's last. But if the show had been canceled at Christmas, barely halfway through the season, viewers would never have known the conclusion to the storyline that has dominated The West Wing for the past year: the outcome of a fierce presidential election battle between Republican Arnold Vinick (played by Alan Alda) and Democrat Matthew Santos (Jimmy Smits).
Ultimately, the producers decided that an abrupt cancellation -- which would have meant that five episodes already shot that included Spencer would never have been aired -- would have been insulting to the memory of their friend.
''John was so wonderful in the episodes that the best homage we could make to his contribution to the show was to let people see the last days of his work,'' Wells said.
BITTER FIGHT
So the bitter contest between Vinick and Santos will continue, with the election decided in episodes that air April 2 and 9. The two-hour series finale, the inauguration of the new president, will air May 14. Don't bother to ask who wins.
''We've spent the entire year going back and forth on that question and hearing from people, what they thought, people passionate on one side and another, and have only in the last couple of days made that decision,'' said Wells. 'Which we certainly won't share with you because it would be no fun . . . [but] we have passionate advocates for both candidates in the writers' room and in the producing group, and it's been quite the brawl we've had.''
CHARACTER DIES
Spencer's absence will be explained by the death of his character -- a plot development that sent West Wing writers scurrying to their constitutional law textbooks. Spencer's character McGarry was Santos' vice presidential running mate, and the writers had to figure out what happens when a vice presidential candidate dies. The answer is, nobody's quite sure.
''There's certainly no constitutional provision with how to deal with the death of a vice presidential candidate during the electoral cycle,'' said Wells.
The closest thing they could find was the 1972 election, when Thomas Eagleton, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, was driven off the ticket of George McGovern by disclosures that he'd undergone electroshock therapy. In that case, several months before Election Day, the Democratic National Committee chose a replacement.
But in a case so close to the election that ballots can't be reprinted, Wells said, the politicians that West Wing writers consulted said the candidate would probably be wise to wait until after the vote to name a replacement, then ask Congress to confirm him under the provisions of the 25th Amendment, which governs presidential succession.
''So it's actually kind of a gray area. . . . It makes for some very compelling drama on the show,'' said Wells, perhaps offering a clue to the election's outcome. You read it here first.

Posted by Jo at 07:36 AM

January 23, 2006

On TV: No 8th term for NBC's 'West Wing'

by Melanie McFarland
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Even fictional presidents cannot escape term limits.

That's one admittedly snarky way to sum up "The West Wing's" pending exit in May. Another is to simply say that Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his driven staff took us on a twisty ride for a few years, some were better than others, and each with its share of controversy and scandal. Mild does not fly in prime-time politics.

No doubt that in the coming months, many comparisons will be made between a successful politician's career and "The West Wing's" seven-season run. The show drew critical praise, was flooded with citations and inspired the faith and devotion of millions. And the drama did what all politicians say is essential to survival and success: It attracted money.

In its lowest-rated season, "The West Wing" still boasts the most upscale audience in television. The average fan's annual income tops $75,000, reports have said. NBC bragged about this for years.

But as any wise politico knows, when your numbers have gotten unfavorable, and when a key player is gone, it's time to relinquish your seat.

NBC entertainment president Kevin Reilly officially announced Sunday that "The West Wing," winner of 25 prime-time Emmys, two Golden Globes and more awards than we care to list here, would end May 14. NBC plans to give it the standard sendoff, with an hourlong retrospective from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by the last episode at 8.

That means a lot of things to a lot of viewers, and certainly John Spencer's death played a major part in NBC's decision. Series star Allison Janney even said it felt very organic to close NBC's Oval Office.

"I just can't imagine doing it without him. He was one of the most important parts of the show for all of us on so many different levels," she told critics on Sunday.

But to those of us who appreciate the drama's contributions while shaking our heads at the fact that it won Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row -- undeservingly in at least two of them -- its exit is something of a relief. The old Emmy voters will be forced to find something fresher, worthier and more innovative to reward.

For now, that honor won't go to ABC's "Commander in Chief," the top-rated series of the 2005-2006 class, which is far shallower than "West Wing." Still, even with the ABC series' post-Christmas ratings slump, Geena Davis as the prez brought in more viewers on a widely reported off night, more than 11 million, than its NBC counterpart has scratched together for a show this entire season and is ranked No. 15 during the season to date, rivaling the Bartlet administration in its heyday.

But "Commander" hasn't even weathered a full season without running into problems. "The West Wing" made it through most of a decade, with a creative surge near the end of its run. That should be some comfort. Spurred on by the heated campaign pitting Republican Sen. Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) and Democratic Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits), "The West Wing" became less about what Bartlet's lame-duck administration was doing than whether his successor would continue his dream.

Years from now, we'll call it a groundbreaking series that left while holding on to enough dignity to make its passing honorable. And that's enough validation for executive producer John Wells.

"The series has celebrated from the beginning ... the remarkable strength of American democracy, and part of that ... is the peaceful passing of power from one leader to another," Wells told reporters. "And we thought that was a really wonderful way to sort of end the series, the storytelling of it. So as the numbers were declining, we started to think ... we'd conclude the series at its natural place."

"The West Wing" hit its height in season three, when creator Aaron Sorkin and fellow executive producer Thomas Schlamme oversaw a writing staff that produced peppery, lightning-paced dialogue that grabbed you by the ears for an hour each week. That season, it averaged 17 million viewers, according to a Reuters report.

Then "West Wing" started to head south. First Rob Lowe departed over a salary dispute, then Sorkin and Schlamme left, leaving Wells to take the reins.

Wells, whose influence continues to steer "ER," changed the focus from urgent banter to longer, deeper stories, and it took some getting used to. Some fans never got used to it, truth be told.

Not surprisingly, Seattle gave the series consistently higher ratings than most of the country, even in tougher seasons. According to Nielsen Media Research's season-to-date rankings, "The West Wing" comes in at No. 63, while in Seattle it's No. 29. Two years ago, when Wells took over and the ratings tumble accelerated, it remained in fifth place in Seattle after the November sweeps period.

Unfortunately, by the time the series regained its equilibrium, which happened midway through last season, it was well into endangered territory. Its shift by NBC from Wednesdays to Sundays at 8 p.m. this season only hastened the viewer exodus. The season opened to around 7.6 million viewers, and has more or less held steady at that.

Then Spencer died from a heart attack in December, tearing a hole in the show. His character, Leo McGarry, is in two more episodes, one in which he appears and one in which he's mentioned, before the series begins to address his death. The show returns March 12.

Wells indicated the election would be decided during the April 2 and 9 episodes, with the inauguration taking center stage in the finale. Wells knows who's going to win, but isn't dropping any hints.

To Sheen, who becomes the new president of this fictional America matters less than what the series stood for as a whole. "No matter what administration is in, the government continues because of the people who care for the country. And that's been, frankly, the most rewarding part of the show ... was that I always felt a sense that we were performing a service," he said.

"We were a fantasy, there's no question. ... We were like a novel. But people were reading the novel, and they were getting good ideas and kind of having a hope and a faith and a trust in their leadership. And if we go out with that, I don't think we can ask for much more. All the rest was a gift -- a very great, special gift."

Posted by Jo at 11:16 PM

Final closure of The West Wing

Political drama The West Wing, which has been axed after falling ratings, has earned widespread acclaim in its seven-year history.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4639514.stm

Set in the West Wing of the White House, it follows the administration of fictional Democratic president Josiah "Jed" Bartlet, played by Hollywood veteran Martin Sheen.

Touching on issues such as anti-terror legislation and presidential scandal, its view of White House life earned the series an unprecedented 24 Emmy awards and two Golden Globes.

"It didn't insult you and it was supremely clever at it," said freelance TV critic William Gallagher.

'Huge tension'

"You might not know the finer points of US law but you got it and - much more - you got why it was so important to these characters."

The series had "verve", Mr Gallagher added. "It could build huge tension over people just waiting to go into a meeting."

The West Wing was devised by New York writer Aaron Sorkin, who created the series with unused plot elements from his 1995 movie The American President and 1998 TV series Sports Night.

Martin Sheen's role as President Bartlet was expanded in the series
He originally intended to make deputy communications director Sam Seaborn, played by Rob Lowe, the central figure among a cast that included Stockard Channing and John Spencer.

However, when The West Wing made its debut on NBC in 1999 the role of the president soon expanded as critics praised Sheen's portrayal of a tough-minded liberal.

In 2000 former White House aide Matthew Miller said The West Wing "captivates viewers by making the human side of politics more real than life - or at least more real than the picture we get from the news".

Anti-terror episode

Attracting 17.6 million US viewers and winning a record nine Emmy awards for its first season, The West Wing was soon broadcast in countries including Japan and the UK.

Programme-makers endeavoured to keep the show relevant by basing plots around ongoing or current political issues.

It dealt with public stances on homosexuality and religion, and in 2001 a one-off episode entitled Isaac and Ishmael discussed anti-terror legislation in the wake of the Twin Towers attacks.

Aaron Sorkin (left) had drug charges against him quashed
It was later revealed that President Bartlet had multiple sclerosis, with the show examining the personal and political implications of the disease.

The West Wing's first setback came in 2002 when Lowe left in a dispute over pay and the prominence of his character.

"It has been increasingly clear, for quite a while, that there was no longer a place for Sam Seaborn on The West Wing," the actor said.

The show had developed a loyal following by this time, however - even in the UK, where it lacked a permanent timeslot and moved from Channel 4 to E4 then More4.

But a turn of events tested that loyalty to such an extent that a number of fans would actively campaign for The West Wing to be taken off air.

The show's creator Aaron Sorkin was arrested in possession of cocaine, marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms in 2001.

When (creator Aaron) Sorkin left, the show stepped off a cliff

TV critic William Gallagher
Charges against him were quashed but he subsequently quit the show in 2003 amid rumours of tension with producer Warner Bros.

The West Wing continued for a further three seasons, but ratings fell as the series replaced Mr Sorkin's dialogue-heavy writing with traditional plot-heavy drama.

"There were teams of writers on it from the start but Aaron Sorkin wrote or rewrote all of them for the first four years and the show had his voice," William Gallagher said.

"When Sorkin left, the show stepped off a cliff - its fifth season was extraordinarily poor."

The first episode of its final season attracted a respectable 7.6 million viewers in the US, but this remained 10 million fewer than the series at its height.

John Spencer, who played Leo McGarry, died in December 2005
The West Wing's unprecedented run of award wins came to an end at last week's Golden Globes, with drama series such as Lost, House and new political drama Commander-in-Chief - with Geena Davis as a female president - stealing its thunder.

"It's a different world from when the West Wing started in 1999," said Mr Gallagher.

"Politics is getting very serious debate in the most unexpected dramas like Battlestar Galactica and we do have the more straightforward Commander-in-Chief."

Meanwhile John Spencer, who had played politician Leo McGarry since the series began, died of a heart attack in December aged 58.

Spencer will be remembered in a two-hour US finale in May.

And with that, the respected and influential West Wing will close to the public for the last time.

Posted by Jo at 06:42 PM

More specifics on the end of "The West Wing."

by Melanie McFarland
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/archives/101234.asp

Here's where the phrase "schedule subject to change" comes back to bite us.

In early versions of the Winter Press Tour Schedule, NBC's listed "West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin and fellow executive producer Thomas Schlamme among those expected to attend the drama's panel. This brewed speculation that Sorkin and Schlamme might have a hand in creating the episodes following John Spencer's untimely death in December.

All the excitement amounted to naught, however, because final lineup contained no mention of the pair. (They are developing "Studio 7," a scripted comedy that goes behind the scenes of a fictional sketch series resembling "Satutrday Night Live.")

Besides, the bigger news is that "The West Wing" will end with the exit of Josiah Barlet's (Martin Sheen) administration. Sunday morning, NBC entertainment president Kevin Reilly officially announced the show would end Sunday, May 14, with a hourlong retrospective from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by the last episode at 8.

That may create a conflict in Bradley Whitford's household. Whitford, who plays Josh Lyman, Barlet's former deputy chief of staff, is married to Jane Kaczmarek, the mom on "Malcolm in the Middle." The Fox sitcom takes its last bow the same night, possibly in the same timeslot as "West Wing's" walk-talk-walk-talk down memory lane.

On the other hand, it wouldn't be surprising if on that very evening, Whitford and Kaczmarek found themselves sequestered on a tropical island for some much-deserved R&R.

As for your concerns, "West Wing" executive producer John Wells indicated the election will be decided during the April 2nd and 9th episodes, with the inauguration taking center stage in the finale.

Producers also are talking to Rob Lowe about returning for the finale. "Rob will have to decide whether he can make his schedule work and be able to come back for it," Wells said.

And Wells knows who's going to win but as one would expect, he refused to spill it.

Posted by Jo at 07:26 AM

`West Wing' To End 7-Year Run; Momentum Seen For `Housewives'

By ROGER CATLIN
Hartford Courant

PASADENA, Calif. -- "The West Wing" will end its term May 14 at the close of its seventh season, NBC announced Sunday.

The disclosure was part of a newsy final day of the nearly two-week TV Critics Association winter press tour Sunday at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel.

NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said the intent to end the highly honored show with a one-hour episode preceded by an hourlong retrospective was to "give the show the send off it truly deserves."

The demise of the show, which has won four consecutive Emmys as outstanding drama, is not because of the sudden death of actor John Spencer Dec. 16.

"That was a shocker to us all," Reilly says. "The discussion of making this the final year was determined before that.

"It's no secret that the ratings have been tough the last couple of seasons," he says. "There's a point where you want to send off a show with dignity and some semblance of success."

"The cast was just officially notified very recently," he says. "I don't think anybody was shocked by this."

Reilly wouldn't reveal details of the finale, but he said that executive producer John Wells "walked us through everything that's happening. I don't use the word `extraordinary' very lightly but it will include a great sendoff to John Spencer."

In other announcements Sunday, "Will & Grace" will conclude its eight-year run with an hourlong finale May 18.

The game show "Deal or No Deal" introduced just before Christmas on NBC returns for a week of shows Feb. 27 before becoming a weekly Monday night fixture March 6.

Other new shows premiering after the Olympics include:

"Conviction," from Dick Wolf of "Law & Order" fame, which will begin March 3 alongside a relocated "Las Vegas," moved from Mondays to Fridays; and "Heist," a cops and robber drama from the makers of "Lucky," starting March 22.

When "The Apprentice" returns for a new season Feb. 27, it will be in the Monday night slot formerly occupied by "Las Vegas."

Full season orders have been made for both "The Office" and "My Name is Earl," though "The Office" ends its season March 30 to allow its star, Steve Carrell, to make a movie. Its slot will be taken by a new comedy, "Teachers."

The NBC summer schedule will include the ensemble drama "Windfall," the reality series "Treasure Hunters" and the return of "Last Comic Standing." The network may also import a telenovela from its Spanish sister network, Telemundo.

Reilly also mentioned one drama planned for the fall, "The Black Donnellys," from Paul Haggis of "Million Dollar Baby" and "Crash" fame.

A session about the comedy hit "My Name is Earl" went on Sunday despite the absence of its star, Jason Lee. Reilly said Lee will be prevented from working for two to three weeks because of chicken pox, something of particular concern to the network executive. "I just hugged him at the Golden Globes and I've never had chicken pox."

Posted by Jo at 07:23 AM

Lowe May Return to West Wing

By Ben Grossman
Broadcasting & Cable

Abstract: West Wing Executive Producer John Wells said Sunday negotiations are under way with former cast member Rob Lowe to appear on the show as it enters its final stretch of episodes.

Posted by Jo at 07:20 AM

January 22, 2006

'The West Wing' to end in May

By Maria Elena Fernandez
Los Angeles Times

When President Josiah Bartlet's second term runs out on "The West Wing" this spring, NBC's portrayal of the inside workings of the White House also will draw to a close. The network and the show's executive producer, John Wells, have decided to end the award-winning critical darling after a new president is elected.

One of the last decade's most honored series, with 25 Emmys, including four consecutive wins as best drama from 2000 to 2003, "The West Wing" holds the record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season (nine in its first) and has earned 90 nominations to date. But the series has been losing audience over the last few years and has averaged 8.4 million viewers this year, its lowest audience ever.

"We went back and forth with NBC about it," Wells said. "The audience was getting smaller. We had a moment in time in which it was right in the cycle to inaugurate a new president. And the question was, is that the right moment in the life of this series for this series to end?"

On Sunday, NBC's president of entertainment, Kevin Reilly, announced to a semiannual gathering of television critics in Pasadena that the storied drama starring Martin Sheen will end May 14.

"It's no secret that the ratings have been tough for the last couple of seasons," Reilly said. "The most frustrating thing is that the work has been so outstanding. There's a point where you want to send a show off with dignity and a semblance of success."

But before the show's writers commit to paper which candidate will become the next president � Democrat Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) or Republican Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) � they must grapple with the death of actor John Spencer, who played Leo McGarry, the former chief of staff who became Santos' running mate. The actor's death did not precipitate the ending of the series, but it did alter story lines significantly, Wells said.

Since the beginning, lovable Leo has served as the show's anchor and has remained a viewer favorite. Five episodes, including the compelling Jan. 8 installment, which centered on Leo's vice presidential debate, had been produced before Spencer's death Dec. 16, just days after the show had wrapped for the holidays.

"We thought the best way to honor his work was to actually let people see it and not overreact," said executive producer Wells, a friend of Spencer's for 20 years. "But it does mean that we can't, on the air, deal with it until after the Winter Olympics," which will air on NBC next month.

Since the new year, Wells has been writing the two-part episode in which Leo will die of a heart attack. The cantankerous politician with a soft side and a sense of humor survived a heart attack last season, an illness Wells said he would have never written for the character had they known Spencer would be prone to it. The episode in which Leo dies, five days before the election, will air on April 2, Wells said.

"I've never been confronted with this, and I hope I'm never confronted with it again," he said. "Not only do you have to deal with the death of your friend � the person that you know � but then you have to keep reliving it....We'll all have to continue to grieve it because we have to put it in the narrative. The character will, sadly, die on the show. We really didn't have any other way to deal with it."

When the show's writers began researching how the government would handle the death of a vice presidential nominee just before an election, they were surprised to learn there was no constitutional provision for it. Based on the advice of election attorneys, Wells decided that Leo McGarry's name will remain on the ballot and if Santos wins, he will then appoint a vice president after his inauguration.

"To John and his team's credit, they've concocted a story that really honors his memory and his spirit and the value that he brought to the show," said Peter Roth, president of Warner Bros. Television, the studio that produces the show. "They managed to make it as organic as one could hope for. But as well as this may have worked out logistically, we would have much preferred to have scrapped this notion and followed through with a great man and a great actor."

To be sure, the unexpected death of an actor, and consequently, a beloved character on television, presents its own complications. When John Ritter died of a heart condition in September 2003, his character, Paul Hennessy, on "8 Simple Rules ... for Dating My Teenage Daughter," died also.

Other stars whose deaths were acknowledged in the context of their shows include Nancy Marchand of "The Sopranos," David Strickland of "Suddenly Susan," Lynne Thigpen of "The District" and Phil Hartman of "NewsRadio."

Because Spencer's death occurred during the holiday hiatus, the cast and crew of "The West Wing" held a memorial service for him on their first day back to work, Wells said.

"He was at my house on Sunday, before he died on Friday," Wells said. "He was a good friend. So before we even started to deal with the notion of this wonderful character being gone, we had to accept the sad reality of our friend's death. It's been a very hectic month."

Spencer was nominated five times for an Emmy and won once for his portrayal of the intelligent, funny, always urgent McGarry. He also was nominated once for a Golden Globe for the role.

Last Thursday, Wells faced a deadline for the second part of the episode he would do anything not to write.

"Oddly, it's very dramatic, and I think it will be dramatic and very moving on the show, but boy, oh, boy," he said. "I would much rather be writing five or six more episodes with John Spencer in it than writing that."

Posted by Jo at 09:36 PM

'West Wing' regular takes George St. stage

by Bill Westhoven
Daily Record

Richard Schiff hasn't yet turned in his "West Wing" credentials, but his character, White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler, has already been shown the door. And the Emmy-winning actor isn't wasting any time looking for new challenges.

He's found a big one at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, where he'll star in "Underneath the Lintel,"which opens Tuesday.

Like the thrill seeker who conquers a fear of death by standing in harm's way, Schiff, who has yet to conquer his fear of acting, is facing it head-on by starring in this one-man drama.

With only 12 days of rehearsal.

Three of which he lost to strep throat.

During a phone interview conducted just before Christmas from a Manhattan rehearsal studio, Schiff was also suffering from the holiday blues and the loss of a dear friend.

"I'd much rather have been with my family at Christmas,"he said. "And I'd certainly much rather be back in L.A. this past week, when John Spencer (who played Leo McGarry on 'The West Wing'and died Dec. 18) passed. They (the 'West Wing' cast) all gathered at John's house for his birthday last night, and all I wanted to do was be there."

To accommodate his schedule, rehearsals for the play have taken place in both New York and Los Angeles.

"The schedule we chose is insane," he said. "I'd be ready to show it to people around March, even though it closes in February."

But after a long search for the right project, Schiff found something in Glen Berger's drama that demanded his interest. He plays a Danish librarian who, after finding a book that was overdue for 113 years, embarks on a life-changing journey, with mystical and spiritual implications.

"Underneath the Lintel"slipped by many theater fans after its ill-timed premiere in New York in September 2001, so this revival in New Brunswick, with Schiff's high profile on board, is sure to attract a great deal of attention.

"In the most simple terms it's a journey, a heroic journey by an unlikely hero," he said. "Some people quest after the Holy Grail, others after a Super Bowl ring. This guy's quest is a little more personal and a little more mysterious."

For Schiff, it's a return of sorts to his stage roots, which he doesn't recall with fond nostalgia.

"I hated being on stage," he said. "I got a job on my first audition, got paid $35 a night for a play in Brooklyn called 'Blues for Charlie.' I hated it. I had to warm up for an 8 o'clock performance starting at noon."

But he gradually built up a resume as a character actor in films ("Seven,""Jurassic Park: The Lost World," more recently "Ray") and television. He joined "The West Wing" in 1999 and won an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama.

As the seventh season focuses on the race for a new president, the former hit show's red-ink ratings don't bode well for the new administration. Either way, Toby is a goner.

"I think the Toby story (he was fired and faces indictment for leaking classified information) pretty much ended when he was booted out of the White House," Schiff said.

"I've been wanting to leave for a while. I love it. I love everyone on it. At times I think it was the best show on television. But it's different now, and it's been different for a few years. I'm sure whoever owns it might want to make some more money on it or, out of pride, see where it goes with a new administration. But it's not my 'West Wing,' so I don't have any interest in it. I don't want to do it without John Spencer."

And what's in store for Toby before the final curtain call?

"You mean to hang him in jail or something?" he joked. "I think what they've already done is that Josh and Toby's connection can't die. They find a way to communicate, even though it's not cool to be talking to a felon."

So it seems Schiff will avoid federal prison, although starring in a one-man show is no day at the beach.

"The idea of being alone on stage for however many minutes is not a fun idea to me," he said. "I don't know if it's going to be brilliant or what, but you want to do in your career what fascinates you, what puts you on that rail."

Posted by Jo at 06:23 PM

NBC ANNOUNCES SPECIAL TWO-HOUR FAREWELL FOR MULTI-EMMY-WINNING "THE WEST WING" ON MAY 14 AS DRAMA CONCLUDES EPIC RUN WITH ONE-HOUR RETROSPECTIVE FOLLOWED BY SERIES FINALE AFTER SEVEN HALLMARK SEASONS

http://nbcumv.com/entertainment/release_detail.nbc/entertainment-20060122000000-nbcannouncesspecia.html

BURBANK, Calif. -- January 22, 2006 -- NBC announced that its multi-Emmy Award-winning drama "The West Wing" (Sundays, 8-9 p.m. ET) will conclude its storied run on Sunday, May 14 after seven hallmark seasons with an hour-long retrospective (7-8 p.m. ET) followed by a special series finale (8-9 p.m. ET), it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment.

"We are proud to have had the opportunity to bring television viewers one of the most acclaimed series in television history," said Reilly. "From the venerable, moving performances by the first-rate cast to the sterling creative team behind the camera, this series has left an indelible imprint on the landscape of television drama."

As the critically acclaimed winner of four consecutive Emmy Awards as Outstanding Drama Series, "The West Wing" -- under the direction of executive producer John Wells (NBC's "ER") -- has always offered viewers a realistic, behind-the-scenes peek into the Oval Office and the campaign trail that leads there.

The sophisticated, one-hour drama series stars Emmy winner Martin Sheen ("Apocalypse Now"), the late Emmy-winning John Spencer ("L.A. Law"), Emmy winner Bradley Whitford ("My Fellow Americans"), Emmy winner Richard Schiff ("Deep Impact"), Emmy winner Allison Janney ("American Beauty"), Emmy winner Jimmy Smits ("NYPD Blue," "L.A. Law"), Emmy winner Alan Alda ("M*A*S*H"), Emmy nominee Dule Hill ("Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk!"), Emmy nominee Janel Moloney ("Sports Night"), Emmy winner Stockard Channing ("Six Degrees of Separation"), Joshua Malina ("Sports Night"), Kristin Chenoweth ("Wicked") and Mary McCormack ("Private Parts").

"The West Wing" holds the record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season (its first) and has earned 90 total nominations to date. Other awards include a Peabody Award for Excellence in Television, five Golden Globe nominations and one Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Series, and three Television Critics Association Awards.

At the core of the current 2005-06 season is the campaign between Democratic nominee Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Republican challenger Vinick (Alan Alda) for the Presidency. President Bartlet (Sheen) and his team find themselves leading the country with the administration's days coming to a close.

"The West Wing" is from John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. Wells serves as the executive producer along with Christopher Misiano, Alex Graves, Lawrence O'Donnell and Peter Noah. Aaron Sorkin is the creator.

Posted by Jo at 03:28 PM

'West Wing' Calls It Quits

http://www.nbc30.com/entertainment/6339168/detail.html

LOS ANGELES -- NBC is closing the doors on "The West Wing," according to Access Hollywood.

The multi-Emmy award winning political drama will air for the last time on Sunday, May 14 in a special two-hour broadcast.

An hour-long retrospective will be followed by a special series finale, accordiong to Kevin Reilly, NBC Entertainment President.

"We are proud to have had the opportunity to bring television viewers one of the most acclaimed series in television history," Reilly said in a statement. "From the venerable, moving performances by the first-rate cast to the sterling creative team behind the camera, this series has left an indelible imprint on the landscape of television drama."

At the core of the current 2005-06 season is the campaign between Democratic nominee Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Republican challenger Vinick (Alan Alda) for the Presidency. President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his team find themselves leading the country with the administration's days coming to a close.

As the critically acclaimed winner of four consecutive Emmy Awards as Outstanding Drama Series, "The West Wing" -- under the direction of executive producer John Wells (NBC's "ER") - has always offered viewers a realistic, behind-the-scenes peek into the Oval Office and the campaign trail that leads there.

Posted by Jo at 03:07 PM

NBC Cancels 'West Wing' After 7 Seaso

Associated Press

PASADENA, Calif. - The new president on "The West Wing" will be a real short-timer: NBC announced Sunday it was pulling the plug on the Emmy-winning political drama after seven seasons in May.

NBC, struggling to regain its footing after the worst season in its history, also outlined several midseason schedule changes - including the moves of popular dramas "Law & Order" and "Las Vegas."

"The West Wing" announcement wasn't much of a surprise. Although this season's story line with a presidential campaign involving a Democrat played by Jimmy Smits and Republican portrayed by Alan Alda has been strong critically, ratings have sunk with its move to Sunday nights.

The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack Dec. 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.

"There's a point when you look at the ratings and say, it feels like it's time," Reilly said.

The series finale will be May 14, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. The campaign to replace the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president will be settled, NBC said.

Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, who created the show and guided it through its early years, will not be involved in the finale, Reilly said.

"The West Wing" won four Emmy Awards for best television drama in a row for its tales of political intrigue. At its prime, it also offered NBC two valuable benefits: critical acclaim and the most upscale audience on television, an important drawing point for advertisers.

NBC's revamped schedule offered veteran "Law & Order" producer Dick Wolf good and bad news. NBC is putting Wolf's new drama "Conviction," about young prosecutors in New York, on Friday's schedule starting March 3. But it is moving "Law & Order" up an hour to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET - competing directly with ABC's blockbuster "Lost."

NBC is also moving "Las Vegas" from Monday to Friday starting in March. Donald Trump is changing addresses again, with "The Apprentice" moving to Monday where it will be preceded by the Howie Mandel-hosted game show "Deal or No Deal."

The network has two more midseason shows: "Heist," a cops-and-robbers drama from the director of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," and "Teachers," a comedy about a high school English teacher.

"The Office" will go off the air at the end of March so star Steve Carell can film a movie, Reilly said. He said he also hasn't figured out what to do with the ill-fated

"Friends" spinoff "Joey," which has 12 new
episodes done but no place on the schedule.

"NBC is stable and our vital signs are encouraging," Reilly said. "Most predictions were that we were going to go from bad to worse this year, and that hasn't happened."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Jo at 02:57 PM

NBC Cancels 'West Wing' After 7 Seasons