Article written by Samuel Burnett.
Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury was an explosive look into the most poorly run White House administrations of all time. It was intense, pulled no punches and was naturally a best-seller. It was only a matter of time before talks of an adaption started and Emmy winning director Jay Roach has signed on to direct and produce the proposed television series. Even more interesting are the rumours of the frontrunner expected to play the man dubbed the ‘Tangerine Tyrant’:
Martin Sheen.
Fans of him will recall that he once played President Josiah Bartlett in the hit show, The West Wing.
The show was often (correctly) described as a ‘liberals wet dream’ and was praised for the optimism that it was able to bring to a story about politics. As Sheen will probably be playing the President of the United States once again, now is as good a time as any to look back and see just what made this show work so well.
The Cast
A show can have the best writers and the best directors in the world but if the characters are not likeable, or at least enjoyable, it won’t amount to anything and viewers will quickly change the channel. Thankfully, in addition to great writers and directors, The West Wing had a phenomenal cast, one of the best ensembles ever put to television.
From the paternal Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry, to the indomitable Press Secretary, CJ Craig, to the President himself, each character was perfectly suited to their role and built a rapport with the others (save for Mandy but we don’t talk about Mandy). While Rob Lowe’s Sam Seaborn was initially pegged as the main character of the show, he slowly started to lose prominence as the importance of the team took over, rather than the importance of one character.
This was especially important in the later seasons that focused on the presidential election. Characters could go for episodes at a time without making an appearance which was okay because when they did appear, it would be because the story was focusing on them rather than using them as part of the background.
The cast was likeable and well written and each one felt like the main character whenever they were on screen, the kind of attention and respect characters do not expect from other shows.
The Directing and Writing
The main charm of the show was watching these characters simply talk about what was happening as they navigated the labyrinth like White House. Such segments were infamously dubbed “Walk and Talks” and were imitated, spoofed and referenced by many other shows. In an unbroken tracking shot, the (usually two) characters would walk the hallways and discuss the matter of the day while extras would be busy in the background. Such scenes served multiple purposes, not only would it allow the characters’ various interactions and relationships to be highlighted, it also served to display the busy, sometimes chaotic nature of working in the White House.
The dialogue was snappy and always on point with lines such as "I think ambition is good. I think overreaching is good,” and “In the future, if you're wondering: "Crime. Boy, I don't know," is when I decided to kick your ass,” were regularly delivered.
Characters could and would go off on tangents, leading into monologues, Bartlett’s famous rant on Evangelical hypocrisy being a prominent example.
While this could become boring, or even annoying in the hands of a less talented creative team, fortunately, this show had one of the best and such scenes were always exciting.
The Humour
While the subject matter was often serious, the “seen it all” attitudes of the cast could often make such scenes hilarious. One notable scene involved President Bartlett bargaining with a reporter, Danny, attempting to find out his source on a story regarding the First Lady. While sympathetic to the President’s plight, Danny cannot budge as it would still be revealing a source leading to this gem:
Bartlet: You must save me from having this conversation with my wife.
Danny: Mr. President...
Bartlet: Or at least make it seem like I'm better armed than I evidently am.
Danny: I'm sorry, Mr. President.
Bartlet: Danny...
Danny: I'd be revealing someone else's source.
Bartlet: We're off the record.
Danny: Also, I'd get in trouble with the First Lady!
Bartlet: Welcome to the club, Danny. We had some jackets made. I'm not kidding...a personal bond here, Danny.
Danny: Sir, if makes you feel any better I just gave some very sage dating advice to Charlie Young.
Bartlet: You're coaching my Personal Aide on how to best score with my daughter?
Yes, Danny, that does make me feel better.
Danny: Well, anything I can do to help, Mr. President.
The show was also quite willing to poke fun at the general absurdity of certain White House traditions such as the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Pardoning Ceremony. Press Secretary CJ Craig, a person described as “a smart, savvy woman who could easily consider world domination for a next career move,” is forced to determine which turkey is more photogenic for the event, a task she handles with no amount of joy but which amuses her co-workers to no end.
The Optimism
Finally, what made the show work so well was its eternal sense of optimism. There was never any doubt that these characters would do their best at their given role. In this universe, it was never taken for granted that government workers were lazy, money grubbing politicians that only worked to further their own agenda. No, in the world of The West Wing, it was expected that everyone in politics, regardless of their party, would fight, reach across the aisle and work together to create a better world.
No episode encapsulated this better than Season Seven’s The Debate. In this episode, we were presented with two Presidential Candidates, one Democrat, Matt Santos and one Republican, Arnold Vinick. Despite the fact that the show has a definite liberal bias, neither candidate is vilified for their political leanings and they have an intense, fiery, passionate, yet wholly respectful debate where they each try to win the crowd without needing to make personal attacks at each other.
Each candidate had several moments to shine. Santos’s speech on the label “liberal” crushed Vinick, and, in turn, Vinick wiped the floor with Santos regarding the topic of oil mining.
The was the dream that the show gave us. The idea that politics just needs people to work together to serve a common goal or, as the show puts it:
Bartlet: There's a promise that I ask everyone who works here to make: never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. You know why?
Will: It's the only thing that ever has.
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