There are few works of filmmaking, regardless of medium, that have captured the scale and scope of the current American political system quite likeThe West Wing. While there have been many films, television shows, miniseries, and documentaries dedicated to just one aspect of the democratic process,The West Wingexamined the decisions made by lawmakers as a workplace drama. While it may not have been as formally inventive as early 21st century shows likeThe WireorThe Sopranos,The West Wingcontinued to provide insightinto the issues at the heart of the American experience. Given the current climate of politics and the trend of classic shows being rebooted and reimagined,it’s a better time than ever to reunite the cast ofThe West Wing.
The West Wing
Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.
Why ‘The West Wing’ Should Continue to Modern Day
In what felt like a parallel to the political events relevant at the time of the show’s release,The West Wingfollows the fictional United States President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen), a former governor of New Hampshire with a strong commitment to his faith. While Bartlet is tasked with making many critical decisions regarding the nation’s future,he’s assisted by an incredible staffthat handles the everyday responsibilities of the executive branch. Chief of Staff Leo McGary (John Spencer), deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), communications director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), deputy communications director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), press secretary C.J. Craig (Alison Janney), and his aide Charlie Young (Dule Hill) all play a key role in mapping out his policies.The excellent ensemble is what madeThe West Wingunique,as it was able to show the diversity of perspective within Bartlet’s inner circle.
WhileThe West Wingwas not serialized in the way that many modern dramas are,the series was able to respond to recent news events by creating parallel storylines within the show. The result was an informative series that helped expose its audience to the complexity of the democratic process, and often presented both sides of a given issue with equal weight. AlthoughThe West Wingdealt with issues like gun violence,post-traumatic stress disorder, LGBT representation, the perils of the judicial system, and homelessness, it never felt like showrunnerAaron Sorkinwas spoon-feeding the audience with a lecture. Rather, the compelling characters kept the audience engaged in how they would respond to each scenario.
That ‘West Wing’ Reunion Tease Isn’t What You Were Expecting
Mary McCormack and Josh Malina previously teased a big announcement tagging stars Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, and more.
While the seriesfeatured a fair number of jaw-dropping moments,The West Wingcould be accused of idealizing aspects of the American political system, and does feel out-of-date in some instances. While Sorkin presents a version of politics where members of both parties are willing to engage with each other in intellectual, respectful conversations, the divisiveness that has swept the country in the time since the show’s conclusion indicates that this was simply fantasy. By continuing the events ofThe West Wingin modern day, the series could modernize itself in order to reflect the starkly different way that American politics are perceived now.
This Wouldn’t Be The First Time ‘The West Wing’ Cast Has Reunited
While the cast seems to be teasing the release of a new behind-the-scenes book about the show’s creation,it wouldn’t be the first time thatThe West Wingcast has reunited and took on their characters.The cast reunited in 2020for a live reading of the iconic episode “Hartsfield’s Landing” as part of a get-out-to-vote campaign. While the story was a familiar one for long time fans of the show, the special indicated that the cast hadn’t lost sight of what made their characters so unique, and could successfully retain the same characteristics that had made them so beloved in the first place. While the “Hartsfield’s Landing” performance evoked nostalgic feelings, the strong performance suggested that the series could continue moving forward with entirely new material.
Not every television reboot has been successful, as the continuation of shows likeFull House, Fraser,andRoseannefailed to justify picking up where the original shows had left off. However,The West Wingwas not building towards a definitive conclusion, as the series has always reflected that political battles will have to be fought countless times.The West Wing’s finale left the story open-ended when it came to the success of Matthew Santos (Jimmy Smits), Bartlet’s successor; while showing how the Presidency fared would be fascinating, the series could also explore how characters like C.J., Josh, Tony, and Sam have fared in the aftermath of their tenure with Bartlet.
‘The West Wing’ Did Not Have a Satisfying Finale
While the series is often regarded asone of the greatest drama shows of all-time,The West Wingsuffered a serious decline in quality over time. AfterSorkin left the showat the end of its fourth season, the series began developing more unbelievable storylines that didn’t reflect the meticulous realism that had made the initial installments so successful. A well-crafted reboot could help the series steer the ship in the right direction by dropping its more melodramatic elements in favor of a more authentic depiction of political discourse.
The potential ofa reboot ofThe West Wingcould lure Sorkin back to television, a medium that he has yet to return to ashe continues to write and direct new films. While Sorkin’s work in the immediate aftermath ofThe West Wing’s conclusion withThe Social NetworkandMoneyballsuggested he had a grand career ahead of him in cinema, the backlash that films likeBeing the Ricardosreceivedfor embellishing aspects of historyindicates that he might be better suited for small-screen stories.
There hasn’t been a new political series that has filled the void left byThe West Wing, as once promising shows likeHouse of CardsandThe Crownfizzled out in their later seasons. Given that the nation is headed for what will surely be another contentious election year, a reboot ofThe West Wingcould provide the insight, optimism, and education that audiences really need to see to open their minds.
The West Wingis streaming on Max in the U.S.
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