Sept. 22 will mark the 25th anniversary of the premiere of “The West Wing,” an iconic political drama from the mind of Aaron Sorkin that earned 98 Emmy nominations and 27 wins in its seven-season run, Even after 25 years, the show continues to have a lasting impact on the world of entertainment and politics. The show’s legacy can perhaps be best summarized by Janel Moloney, who played Donna Moss, who said, “The show has not stopped but seemingly gotten more popular, remaining in the Zeitgeist, surging when people need political comfort — which these days is always — and amassing new devotees every day.”
Moloney’s words ring true. Devoted fans seem to draw parallels between real-life politics and the politics of “The West Wing,” and political figures themselves respect and acknowledge the show’s impact — look no further than the White House preparing a 25th anniversary event featuring the cast and Joe Biden himself, or former press secretary Jen Psaki discussing how she herself is rewatching the show.
As Moloney said, one of the reasons why “The West Wing” continues to be watched and rewatched is because it provides viewers with a sense of political comfort. In a time where politics feels far more cynical, the show allows people to see a government that is good run by people who are good. In an opinion guest essay published by The New York Times, Elizabeth Spiers calls “The West Wing” “an attractive fantasy that bears little relation to the world we live in, where partisan animosity is about more than policy disagreements and is rarely resolved via civil debate.”
“The West Wing” truly is an attractive fantasy of American politics. The world of “The West Wing” features a kind of bipartisan politics that we would never see today. A perfect example of this is the episode “The Supremes” (season 5, episode 17), in which President Jed Bartlet’s (Martin Sheen) staff work to select a nominee following the death of a Supreme Court judge. Upon realizing the struggle of nominating their ideal choice, the liberal Evelyn Lang (Glenn Close), White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) comes up with the idea to ask the Chief Justice to step down, creating a second open seat. Bartlet’s staff would then nominate Lang for the Chief Justice seat, making her the first female Chief Justice, and then allow the Senate Judiciary Committee to select a conservative to fill the other seat.
The conservative justice pick, Christopher Mulready (William Fichtner), says to the President that the court is at its best when the judges on opposite sides of the political spectrum are fighting each other. This helps convince President Bartlet, and the episode concludes with him nominating both Lang and Mulready.
It is clear in this episode how the show’s fantastical world of bipartisan politics would never be reflected in real life. First, it is impossible to imagine a Democratic president nominating a conservative justice to the court, even if that means they would get their first-choice nominee. Secondly, the idea that the best decisions and best debates come from extremes on both sides sounds nice in theory, but not in today’s world when much of these debates have to do with basic human rights.
Yes, the politics of “The West Wing” may be a fantasy and not the best example of how politicians and their staff actually act, but you can learn a lot from the show, and as a work of dramatic television, you cannot help but love the characters.
President Jed Bartlet is commanding, powerful, and at his core inherently good. If you want to watch Sheen at his best, watch “Two Cathedrals” (season 2, episode 22), which Rolling Stone ranked at 33 on their list of “The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time.” Allison Janney’s C.J. Cregg remains the best White House press secretary to stand behind the podium; Janel Moloney’s growth as Donna Moss is beautiful to watch over seven seasons; Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman is witty and sarcastic, and the dynamic between him and Moloney is one of the best in the show. The whole cast delivers stellar performances, capturing the highs and lows of working in the White House.
Rewatching “The West Wing” and reflecting on it today, the political dynamics of the show do feel somewhat unattainable and unrealistic, but it will continue to have a lasting impact. Whether it inspires more people to get involved in politics, continues to educate people on the American government or just allows people a chance to escape, “The West Wing” will still be relevant in another 25 years.
