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The West Wing

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Picture Credit: martouf.btinternet.co.uk

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> Description

The West Wing is a popular and widely acclaimed American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin for NBC, airing since 1999. The show is set in the White House—which serves as the residence of the President and his family—during the fictional Democratic administration of Josiah "Jed" Bartlet. The West Wing of the White House is the location of the President's Oval Office and the offices of most of his senior staff. The show is produced and co-written by John Wells.

The West Wing parallels the real world in many ways, yet also has several key differences. Sorkin, the show's creator, has noted in a DVD commentary track for the second season episode "18th and Potomac" that he has tried to avoid tying the show to a specific period of time. Despite this, real years are occasionally mentioned (usually in the context of elections, see below) and the show's events take place during President Bartlet's two-term administration.

Some real-world leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II, Fidel Castro, and Yasser Arafat exist, or have existed, in the show's universe, but most foreign countries are given fictional rulers, as well as fictional names—"Qumar," a terrorist-sponsoring Middle Eastern state based in part on both Taliban Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, is repeatedly a source of trouble for the Bartlet administration. According to maps shown on the show, Qumar appears to consist of a small part of southern Iran, including the important Strait of Hormuz. Another hotspot is "Equatorial Kundu," an African nation blighted by AIDS and civil war, resembling that of Sudan and Somalia. The September 11, 2001 attacks did not unfold in the same way in which they did in the real world, but the country has entered into a variation of the War on Terrorism, which began with the end of Season 4 when Zoey Patricia Bartlet, the president's youngest daughter, was kidnapped by Muslim extremists. Like 9/11, this act sparked an invasion and bombing campaign of a terror-supporting Muslim country. Osama bin Laden exists on the show as of Season 2 and he is apparently still at large; it is unclear if he has prominence in terrorism. Some recent concerns have also been reflected in the show; in the West Wing universe, for example, North Korea has nuclear ambitions similar to those it has in the real world. Iran also allegedly pursues nuclear weapons, and the International Space Station is faced with problems recirculating oxygen.

The series had its roots in the 1995 theatrical film The American President, for which Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. Sorkin took unused plot elements from that film and created entirely new characters around them. From all of this The West Wing was created.

Initially, the character of the President was intended to be a secondary role, but it was expanded as the series progressed. Positive critical and public reaction to Sheen's sometimes Clintonesque performance raised his character's profile, sidelining Lowe's Seaborn. This shift is one of the reasons for Lowe's departure from the show during its fourth season.

2005 Emmy Nominations:
Best Supporting Actor In A Drama-Alan Alda
Best Supporting Actress In A Drama-Stockard Channing

Show Description Credit: wikipedia.org

> Airing History & Information

Last Airing

Apr 06, 2005

Premiere

September 22, 1999

Episodes

132

Network

NBC

Format/Time

Color / 60 Minutes

Country

United States

Upcoming Airs

Not currently airing

> Cast

Stockard Channing....   Abbey Bartlet (2001 -)
Melissa Fitzgerald....   Carol Fitzpatrick (94 episodes)
Dulé Hill....   Charlie Young
Allison Janney....   Claudia Jean 'C.J.' Cregg
Janel Moloney....   Donna Moss
Peter James Smith....   Ed (45 episodes)
Kim Webster....   Ginger (54 episodes)
Bradley Whitford....   Josh Lyman
Mary McCormack....   Kate Harper (2004 -)
Kris Murphy....   Katie Witt (48 episodes)
John Spencer....   Leo McGarry
Moira Kelly....   Mandy Hampton (1999-2000)
NiCole Robinson....   Margaret (93 episodes)
Martin Sheen....   President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet
Rob Lowe....   Sam Seaborn (1999-2003)
Alan Alda....   Senator Arnold Vinick (2004 -)
Martin Rutegard....   White House Guard (3 episods 2005)
Joshua Malina....   Will Bailey (2002 -)

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> News (News Archive) (Post a News Story)

‘West Wing’ debate throws out the rules

(Posted November 17, 2005 by Leah Yoakum)

NEW YORK - Who won the debate? That was up to each viewer of “The West Wing” to decide. No pundits came on afterward to spin the results.

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Source: MSNBC

'West Wing' Tackles Live Debate

(Posted November 11, 2005 by Leah Yoakum)

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Let the presidential debate begin ... even if it isn't for real.

At one lectern will be Republican candidate Arnold Vinick, played by Alan Alda; at ... [More Information]

Source: Zap2it

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