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April 01, 2006
'West Wing' Merits A Vote With Remote
By ROGER CATLIN
Hartford Courant
"The West Wing" is not the water-cooler item it once was, long since supplanted by ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy." More recently, the Sunday night spotlight has been taken by the long-awaited return of HBO's "The Sopranos."
But NBC's "The West Wing," in its 8 p.m. slot, competes with none of those hits. And now that it's in the final seven episodes of its last season, it's time to tune back in before the still-smart show is gone for good.
Here are some reasons to get on board Sunday:
Election Day! - After what seems like years of campaigning (another mark of political realism on the show), it's time for voters to elect the successor to Martin Sheen's President Josiah Bartlet. Producers are mum on who will win, and it will be announced next week, but Jimmy Smits' Rep. Matt Santos has been surging in the polls, especially since a clip of Alan Alda's Republican Sen. Arthur Vinick supporting nuclear energy years ago was constantly being rerun after the meltdown of a plant in his home state.
Anybody's race - Ordinarily we'd say Santos long had the edge because his administration would provide jobs for most of the show's lingering characters, including Leo McGarry, Josh Lyman and Donna Moss. But since the January announcement that this would be the series' last season, anybody could win. In fact, having the moderate Vinick win could provide a more emphatic bookend to the Bartlet administration, which has been followed for the length of the series.
Death of a major character - The death of actor John Spencer Dec. 16 was a shock to "The West Wing" family; his Leo McGarry character, as chief of staff and then vice presidential candidate, was a strong pillar of the program. Several episodes already completed when Spencer died have been broadcast. The show will deal with the death of his character in Sunday's episode, as his chirpy aide Annabeth Schott, played by Kristin Chenoweth, discovers his body.
A history lesson - What would happen when a vice presidential candidates dies so close to the election? The writers investigated and wrote the conundrum into the drama.
Josh and Donna - Seven seasons' worth of sexual tension was broken two weeks ago when longtime co-workers Josh and Donna shared a lingering kiss in a hotel room.
"It was totally inappropriate," Josh said afterward. Donna tried to slip him her hotel key. But things obviously progress in the lull before the votes are counted: The preview for Sunday's episode shows them in bed together (it's not my spoiler; it's the network's).
Guest stars - The election episodes have been packed with familiar actors in strong roles. Besides the marquee names as candidates, there are Vinick campaign workers played by Ron Silver, Patricia Richardson ("Home Improvement") and Melinda McGraw; the Santos campaign has employed Janeane Garofalo and Stephen Root.
Returning stars - Rob Lowe is the biggest name returning to "West Wing" on or before the May 14 finale. Others include Mary-Louise Parker, Anna Deveare Smith, Emily Procter, Marlee Matlin, Tim Matheson, Gary Cole and Timothy Busfield.
Posted by Jo at April 1, 2006 04:50 PM