What I Learned From The West Wing, Its Actors, And The Network

As The West Wing comes to an end Sunday I thought it was time to share some of the thoughts I collected about one of the best-written series ever.

What I learned from the series:

1. Topics as seemingly boring as census statistics can become absorbing, fascinating and interesting with the right script writer. The census was a major part of the storyline in Episode 1.6 – “Mr. Willis of Ohio”.
2. Politicians, as depicted on the series, are much more articulate, thoughtful and, at times, inspiring than the real ones you read about in the newspapers.
3. Fictional presidents are easier to adore than real presidents.
4. Money, greed, and campaign donations do not have to be the deciding factors on issues and campaign decisions, unlike in real American politics.
5. The West Wing has an incredible number of hallways, often filled with people walking and talking. Such conversations, referred to as “walk and talks,” were a staple of the show.
6. There are many thought-provoking, emotional conversations and circumstances taking place in The West Wing.
7. It is hard to keep a series fresh, especially after its best writer, Aaron Sorkin, leaves the show.
8. Shows can be rewritten when key characters die. In fact, not only were episodes changed when John Spencer, who played the White House chief of staff, died but the election results were even changed. Spencer’s character was a Democratic vice presidential nominee. According to Wikipedia and other sources, the Republican candidate played by Alan Alda was originally written to win the election. However, after Spencer died, the producers decided they couldn’t have the vice president die – both on the show and in real life – and also lose the election.
9. A bad episode – and I’m one of those who stopped watching for a few seasons when the show went downhill – is still better than most television shows and movies.
10. The West Wing actors – especially during the first four years when Sorkin was the main writer – often repeat comments and talk in an unusual cadence.

An unusual cadence? Yes, an unusual cadence unlike any I have heard before.
A sample exchange between C.J., the press secretary, and Sam, Rob Lowe’s character:

C.J.: Sam, I read my briefing book last night on the commerce bill regarding the census and there are certain parts of it I don’t understand.
Sam: I can help you out. Which parts?
C.J.: Well… all of it.
Sam: All of it?
C.J.: Yes.
Sam: You don’t understand the census?
C.J.: I don’t understand certain nuances.
Sam: Like what?
C.J.: Like, the census.
Sam: C.J., we’ve been working on this commerce bill for three weeks, I hear you talk about the census all the time.
C.J.: Yeah. Yeah.
Sam: Well…I don’t understand. How could you-?
C.J.: I’ve been faking it.
Sam: You’ve been faking it?
C.J.: I’ve been playing it fast and loose there’s no doubt about it, but sitting in on some of the meetings we’ve been having, and reading the briefing book last night, I have to say that the census is starting to sound to me like it’s, well, important.

See how that not only is interesting and engaging as well as going on to give a decent primer on how the census works and why it matters?

What I learned from the actors playing West Wing characters:

1. It’s possible to talk about issues like the census without looking bored (see #1 above).
2. It is possible to appear to almost never sleep, use the bathroom or go home without it showing.
3. It’s the economics, stupid. Sunday’s finale was promoted as recently as last week as being two hours long. There was going to be the one hour final episode, which is still the case. But, as The Washington Post and other publications have reported, a one-hour retrospective that was to follow has been axed. Instead the original pilot will be shown. This is because some of the actors balked at doing this retrospective at a reduced pay, let alone for free.
4. Sick outs work. Key West Wing actors, like those at CSI and other series, have refused on occasion to continue the series without a pay hike. I thought about doing that at my job but I have a feeling I would be replaced. Whether or not that is good in the end is a topic I’ll leave for another day.
5. A good television episode, thanks to great acting and excellent writing, can be better than most movies.

What I learned about NBC, the network on which the show aired:

1. Don’t use ratings to make decisions. The pilot had 17 million viewers but the average episode this season is drawing 8 million viewers. But this season, with the campaigns and election of a new president, the series was picking up momentum and becoming more interesting. The network’s decision to pull the plug on the series was a mistake.
2. Being cheap hurts you in the end. While I have mixed feelings about the actors asking for more money, the problem could have been solved if the network had just agreed to pay the actors their due. Not only does this upset fans of this series but it will probably lead to fewer retrospectives as series end, removing a nice piece of closure that used to be a staple as hit series end.

So, goodbye to the best political drama I have ever seen. Goodbye to a show that was an inspiration to this idealistic writer who is still crazy enough to think government can do good. Goodbye to characters who were so well-written and developed that they are easier to relate to than most actual politicians and their staff.

Goodbye, West Wing.