Previously On… The West Wing 

It has now been over a quarter of a century since The West Wing, the record-breaking Aaron Sorkin series, first aired. At the time, the show was an escape from the polarised and tense political climate that very much defined the early 2000s, with the fictional Bartlett Administration being deemed as almost too positive and hopeful, when compared to the actual state of American politics. With the world currently facing a similar (if not greater) amount of despair as it did 25 years ago, rewatching one of the most critically acclaimed dramas of all time has given me the perfect escape from our dreary reality.

Immediately established with his introduction at the end of the pilot episode, President Josiah ‘Jed’ Bartlett (Martin Sheen), appears to the American people as a lovable but unmistakably capable leader, governing a fairly successful and content version of the United States throughout the series for two terms – at least when compared to Trump’s America. The seemingly never-ending stream of international incidents, humiliating scandals, and a continuous inability to work with the opposition has been ever-present since Trump re-entered the office on Inauguration Day last year. In comparison, almost every issue put in the path of the Bartlett Administration, whether that be controversy over Supreme Court appointments, re-election dilemmas, or even the kidnapping of the President’s daughter, the White House staff always manage to change the narrative and end up inspiring the American public, with hope and a bit of bipartisanship. 

The characters’ individual stories are a huge part of what makes the series

My favourite aspect of the show is the cast ensemble, focusing on the hard-working and inspiring White House staff. The dynamic between the President and his staff, including the Chief and Deputy Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry and Josh Lyman, Press Secretary C.J. Cregg, Communications Staff, Toby Ziegler, Sam Seaborn and Will Bailey, and Assistants Donna Moss and Charlie Young gives a stark contrast to the often tumultuous workings of the actual White House, in fact, almost having a complete absence of sackings.  

Aside from the politics, the characters’ individual stories are a huge part of what makes the series (clearly demonstrated by the countless awards won by the cast), with the more emotional and personal side of the characters almost managing to humanise the political world. The (extremely) slow burn between Josh and Donna is a personal favourite of mine, adding a little bit of light-hearted romance with the ‘will they, won’t they’ trope to an otherwise quite serious political TV show.  

Furthermore, the incredible performance of Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg gives viewers an engaging character development to follow throughout the series, in both her professional life and personal life. Acting as the strong-willed and quick-witted White House Press Secretary and eventually ascending to the role of the Chief of Staff to the President, dealing with relationships and her father’s Alzheimer’s through the course of the show.  

The writers of The West Wing seamlessly weave in a huge amount of comedy

The relationship between President Bartlett and his wife, the First Lady, Abby Bartlett (played by the legendary Stockard Channing), and his three daughters, is also a very captivating and integral part of the show, exploring his family dynamic as a politician – something that we often don’t see with those in the real world. 

Despite the fact that we aren’t exactly lacking in laughable political moments – for example, Trump blaming a plane crash on DEI, or deciding to rename The Gulf of Mexico – the writers of The West Wing seamlessly weave in a huge amount of comedy into the series. C.J.’s classic ‘The Jackal’ performance in season one, Josh, Toby, and Donna’s chase to catch up with the President’s re-election campaign group, or the genius one-liners of comedy legend Lily Tomlin, who joins the cast from season four as the President’s PA, are just a fraction of the most memorable, comedic moments from the series. The only contrast to the real world is that when the President says something absolutely unbelievable, it usually has some pretty dire consequences.

My rewatch of the show in the past few months has definitely been helpful in distracting from the current state of the political world in the United States, or even here in the UK. Overall, I think everyone would definitely benefit from a watch (or rewatch) of The West Wing. Or maybe just a functioning political system that doesn’t make us want to live in a fictional world.