The West Wing was a TV present about work, like many others about hospitals or cops, with the most important distinction being that it occurred to be in The White House. With Aaron Sorkin on the prime of his recreation, Tommy Schlamme’s path (they created the walk-and-talk form of scenes), and an unbelievable forged, the present talked about America, democracy, and idealism. The scripts and performances have been celebrated and gained many awards, because the forged was the most effective in historical past: Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, John Spencer (RIP), Richard Schiff, Janel Maloney, Dulé Hill, and, because the President, Martin Sheen. Let’s sit within the Oval Office and rank all The West Wing seasons.
7/7 Season 5
This was the primary season after Sorkin left, and it reveals. John Wells grew to become the showrunner and, at first, tried to mimic Sorkin’s type (one thing unattainable). That interval introduced a few of the worst episodes, as he didn’t know write the characters, or perceive their quick dialogue and idealism. Even then, there are nonetheless a few episodes price saving: “The Supremes”, an episode that might’ve been written in Sorkin’s seasons, the place Glenn Close visitor stars as a federal decide who turns into the primary feminine Chief of Justice of SCOTUS; and “Shutdown” the place, after being benched for an enormous mistake, Josh (Whitford) comes again with a bang, serving to President Bartlet (Sheen) towards the Republican Speaker of the House throughout a shutdown, due to the federal funds.
6/7 Season 6
After a nasty fifth season, the sixth was when The West Wing grew to become a unique animal, one the place Wells and his crew wished to do a political marketing campaign. The West Wing grew to become two completely different reveals, anchored by the 2 most charismatic actors: the political marketing campaign with Josh (Whitford) coaching to make Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) the Democratic nominee, and one other one within the West Wing the place CJ (Janney) grew to become the Chief of Staff.
Janney had proven within the earlier seasons how gifted she was, and this efficiency continues to be the most effective of her profession. The greatest episodes of the season are “Impact Winter”, the place the President’s Multiple sclerosis seems in a tricky method, and we see Bartlet unable to do even the simplest issues; and “King Corn”, the place the three candidates have their very own small tales about the identical challenge, and, particularly, the season finale, “2162 votes”, the place we discover out who the Democrat candidate for President can be.
5/7 Season 7
The finale season of the present offered us with an election day with actual stakes. Being the final episodes, Alan Alda as Vinnick might’ve gained, and a few actual feelings, because the dying of actor John Spencer was additionally used within the present, in one of many saddest episodes of any present ever. This season stored the twin narrative between The White House and the election, and the worst a part of all, was how they did Richard Schiff and his character soiled, making him a traitor (one thing the character would by no means have executed) and taking the actor from the present. Richard Schiff instructed Entertainment Weekly about that call: “I would have talked them out of it because it was not in line with the six years of work that I built with that character. I was very, very hurt by it.”
This season was additionally a tour-de-force by Martin Sheen in considered one of his greatest performances ever, as his character had extra difficulties due to his illness, displaying his frustration and concern with what was taking place to him. The greatest episodes of the season are “The Debate”, which was filmed dwell as if it was an actual debate; “Tomorrow”, the collection finale that offers everybody lovely endings, and the heartfelt, chill-inducing “Requiem”. The funeral of Leo McGarry (Thompson), mixes actual life and fiction, because the actors say goodbye to their pal John Thompson, whereas performing out these actual emotions.
4/7 Season 3
After President Bartlet made his MS recognized to the general public on the finish of the second season, the third one offers with the aftermath, whereas attempting to run the marketing campaign for reelection. This season additionally reveals Sorkin’s mastery as a author, be it writing concerning the penalties of mendacity to the American individuals; or if it’s justified to kill a terrorist for the higher of humanity.
The greatest episode of the season is “Bartlet for America”, the place we see the origin of Bartlet’s candidacy for President in a showcase for the late actor John Spencer. The episode reveals the friendship between Leo (Spencer) and the President (Sheen), the idealism of each, and why Leo creates such loyalty that any of his workers would do something for him. Especially Josh (Whitford). Another is “Hartsfield Landing”; the episode the place on an evening when the small city of Hartsfield Landing votes first within the Election, whereas the entire crew continues to be in The White House, whereas the President has chess matches and revealing conversations with each Toby and Sam. The season additionally has “Posse Comitatus”, as Sorkin and co. at all times knew do nice season finales, and this one spells the tragic finish of Mark Harmon’s Secret Agent character.
3/7 Season 4
The final season with Sorkin on the helm was considered one of many adjustments, as not solely the author and the director, Thomas Schlamme left, however so did Rob Lowe. The season was full of motion, as there was an election evening, a vice chairman scandal, and a season finale the place the President’s daughter was kidnapped. The West Wing was the present the place most individuals found a younger Elisabeth Moss, enjoying the President’s daughter, Zoey. It may not be considered one of her greatest performances, however she noticed from the entrance traces what nice actors might do, and she or he realized these classes as she has turn out to be one of many best actresses of her technology.
The greatest episodes of the season are the season-opening two-part, “20 Hours in America”, the place Toby, Josh, and Donna are left behind by the motorcade and have an odyssey journey again to Washington; “Game On” with the controversy between Bartlet and his Republican opponent for president, and we see how good Martin Sheen is because the President, and particularly, “Commencement”, the season finale, the place they kidnap Elisabeth Moss, in an electrical last ten minutes.
2/7 Season 1
The present began with a bang, with an already outlined tone and magnificence, idealist characters who felt like actual (if generally too sensible) individuals, and a President who wished to vary America and assist each one of many individuals dwelling there. Sorkin had already written The American President, the most effective films about politics from the twentieth century, and it appeared like a trial run. Sorkin himself has admitted that some scenes that obtained minimize from the film have been used for the present’s pilot and first episodes. Rob Lowe instructed Empire about studying the pilot: “My first reaction was, “The West Wing? Is it about a squadron of fighter jets?” Then I turned the page and saw, ‘by Aaron Sorkin’ and I knew it was going to be something good. Then I started reading it and the very first scene is Sam Seaborn talking to a guy at a bar in DC. Sam was the first character that I saw and immediately fell in love with.”
The greatest episodes of the season are “Pilot”, the place we get to fulfill the characters, particularly Rob Lowe’s Sam, who began because the lead of the present, whereas we find out how The White House works, and what sort of obstacles they need to undergo to do their job correctly; “Take This Sabbath Day”, the place the President should resolve if he’s okay with the dying penalty and displaying all of the conflicts his Catholicism provides him about it; and “Let Bartlet be Batlet”. This final episode was a recreation changer the place, after being ineffective for many of the season, they determined to go on the offensive. The scene the place every of our major characters says: “I serve at the pleasure of the President” continues to be chill-inducing.
1/7 Season 2
This is the very best season of the present by a mile, as everybody is aware of their characters in and out, and Sorkin is aware of what he needs to inform, displaying mastery of his writing craft. It’s additionally the most effective seasons of tv ever. This season has so many bangers that we might do a top-ten record of greatest episodes of the present solely with this yr. From “In the Shadow of Two Gunmen”, the place we get to see how the crew was united, whereas Josh and the President are preventing for his or her lives; to “Noel”, the place we perceive Josh’s PTSD after the capturing, to “17 People”, the place Toby involves know the President has MS in one of the uncomfortable conversations ever; and, particularly “Two Cathedrals”, the very best episode of the entire present, the place there are moments of grief, but in addition hope as we revisit the connection between the President and Miss Landingham (who simply died), and he decides to run for President once more, even when will probably be harder as his MS is made public. An unbelievable tv season; simply pretty much as good as those from The Wire, The Sopranos, or Mad Men.