The West Wing: Behind the scenes, summer 1999

[@FrozenHero2010]

Shout out to John Amos, who played the part of Admiral Fitzwallace in _The West Wing._ His death was announced today (1 Oct 2024), although he died about two months ago.

[@bethanybdavidson]

Oh man. John Spencer. What a gem. Leo was the kind of guy that you’d work those long hours for happily because you knew he was leading you into the righteous fight. I get it 100% when President Bartlet says that Josh doesn’t wanna be the guy, but the guy that the other guy counts on. I wouldn’t wanna let Leo down either.

[@bradmagnuson6963]

I see a lot of myself in Josh, Leo, and Toby

[@TheBrookslyn]

John. F’in’. Spencer. Treasure. ❤️❤️

[@Mozart1220]

War Games 1983 kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5OpYpKGfLJ0oJI

[@AndreAFirenze]

one of the best serie in tv history, let's say in the top three.

[@2822MJ]

The West Wing is in my Top 5 favorite shows, along with ER, The Practice, Dawson's Creek, and Lost.

[@randelhodge3277]

For me, TWW is tied with Breaking Bad for #1.

[@sallygomez8799]

Mine too🙂

[@HAL_NINER_TRIPLE_ZERO]

I am a West Wing freak and I've seen just about everything made about it. I have not seen this. Thank you for posting.

[@AndreAFirenze]

I am a West Wing freak too, and not even american... we could start a Club and to lobby to have a reboot :-)

[@SalehSobhan]

Quarantine. 7 days. 7 seasons. Rewatched.

[@ΣταυρούλαΔώνου]

Same

[@bethanybdavidson]

Cue the slow clap...

[@traceyreynolds6709]

This show is relevant today. I watch twice a year. I see all things I missed before. This cast and Sorkin. If John Spenser had lived show would have run to 9 or 10 seasons. Love, love, love this show!

[@derrickstorm6976]

​@@traceyreynolds6709why would they have followed another administration? Especially when season 1 - and obviously the entire design of the future seasons - was rewritten almost entirely because Martin Sheen made Bartlett such a staple character

[@glamp63]

Currently re-watching the West Wing. Still enjoy & appreciate this intelligent, superbly written show. GOD bless America! 🇺🇸

[@suminshizzles6951]

I do it every year around christmas. Not this year so far....it takes a week.

[@mirapeerance]

Right now, post pandemic, Putin going postal, it feels so relevant, but where are these guys? Please come back!

[@barrettgrissett2740]

I agree with everything you just wrote even more so today report in 2023

[@jimough2441]

Since it's inception this has been my favorite show on television!

[@kenross9892]

I worked on the pilot and 1st Season as the Sound Mixer. It was the highlight my career and earned an Emmy Nomination. If it wasnt for the politics and being forced to work with someone they forced on me i would have been there for the run of the show. It was an honor to work with these amazing actors and Directors who challenged us on every scene. I will always remember John Spencer as we became friends and had many story telling sessions with Martin. Good times great show!!

[@FordFracture]

Pound for pound scene for scene the best TV has every had to offer and will never be matched or find a equal.

[@__________________4241]

I love John Spencer’s smile

[@tomfoolery815]

His smile is the best.

[@carolechapman731]

I love everything about John Spencer. He is a class act and definitely an asset to The West Wing. So devastating when he passed away, but they handled it with respect.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

EVERYTHING about this show is FABULOUS! I wonder how many times Sheen has been asked to run for president!

[@barrettgrissett2740]

Damn right it is

[@libertyann439]

Can we have this president instead of the one we have?

[@bradmagnuson6963]

@tim murray I think you missed what was said

[@traceyreynolds6709]

Amen! Oh if wishing made it so. Lol

[@peterjames6620]

I'm currently watching it for maybe the 5th or 6th time, not sure. It's just as good now as it was when it was first aired, and there are so many episodes and storylines that you can't remember too much of it, so you can watch it several times.

[@lauriel8735]

Its so refreshing to even contemplate what a real west wing should look like.

[@Egilhelmson]

You would need a decent replacement for Pres. Bill Clinton, just to start.

[@Mozart1220]

@@Egilhelmson Oh stop already.

[@randelhodge3277]

“Bartlet for America” 2020.

[@17Matt76]

We get the White House that we deserve. And that's why _The West Wing_ will only exist on television... because we can never truly deserve the talent that is Martin Sheen.

[@bradmagnuson6963]

I wish we had a president like this, instead of the clown we have now

[@lindamcdaniel2419]

@@bradmagnuson6963 I know Biden is the worst.Trump should still should be President.

[@bradmagnuson6963]

@@lindamcdaniel2419 no, dumbfuck. Trump was the single worst president in the entire history of the presidency. You're in a cult, trump LOST

[@bradmagnuson6963]

@@lindamcdaniel2419 trump will be behind bars soon

[@simonrhodes7087]

We’re now watching it for the 4th time. I know,pathetic. But it just gets better. Just watched Hartsfield Landing. Such a clever use of metaphor.

[@mariegarside8830]

The West Wing was television at its finest.

[@ThomasMinitsios]

5:41 This line of Mandy got cut in the final episode. I always wondered how could Mandy never say a word during that exchange and now my question has been answered: she did actually say something but it didn't work so they cut it.

[@allendracabal0819]

And it wouldn't be the last time something involving her didn't work.

[@ltrillium1000]

@@allendracabal0819 She played that character perfectly. They wrote a very unlikable character, the public responded to her and Moira Kelly paid the price for it. That one was on the writers.

[@allendracabal0819]

@@ltrillium1000 It was certainly an uphill battle, as the character as written was much less likeable than the others, but a better actress could have saved the character by, at a minimum, portraying her in a way that is fun to watch, rather than annoying, or even possibly helping the writers to discover interesting aspects about her, and then evolve her in a different direction.

[@LandotheDrummer1]

@@allendracabal0819 I was going to say, "It didn't work so they cut it" is an unfortunately apt summary of Moira Kelly's time on the show.

[@spicybiscuit88]

This show is probably my favourite ever TV drama, but jesus they really did film with potatoes in the 90s.

[@votemonty1815]

I've never seen this, thank you. 🙏

[@richard1472]

Is it possible to make a flawless TV series? If not, then The West Wing is as close as it gets.

[@Lepidopray]

Their optimism about the show was correct. Lowe and Sheen were the biggest stars at the time. I can understand Lowe being frustrated in such a large ensenble. Non of the romantic pairings seemed to work out, except between Jeb and Abby.

[@Sushi2735]

When Trump was in office, I thought of this show so often, and weeped.

[@jennygiallanza4524]

Me too

[@JJ-rb8sc]

Brilliant show. So hopeful.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

Thank you! I love this! ❤️

[@donbrewer6458]

I One of the greatest ever produced i have watched the show over 1000 times on Netflix only if our President was Martin Sheen

[@cynthiaennis3107]

@@donbrewer6458 I know! It saved me when I couldn’t stand the news nor our government anymore! Totally agree!

[@simonrhodes7087]

If I fell in a hole, I’d definitely want Leo to show me how to get out.

[@cryofpaine]

Wonder if Rob Lowe still watched the show after he was no longer in it.

[@nuke5430]

Lol look at Sorkin😂

[@lamsior]

Sopranos & The west wing best series ever !!!!!!

[@donaldmcdaniel1773]

I always wished that every President was Bartlett!!!

[@Egilhelmson]

We would have to ban lawyers, then. Bartlett was a Nobel winning economist (yes, I know it isn’t technically a Nobel Prize, but I am too lazy to look it up, and you’d be to lazy to look it up if I got the right name), as well as ex-Governor of New Hampshire, which his family was big in founding, supposedly.

[@DomClancy]

Such a shame Spencer passed and zapped their momentum to make an 8th season, focused entirely on the transition and a Vinick win instead. Would've been really interesting to see how they did it.

[@darkphyn]

Ugh. "In the event of a military coup, what makes you think the Secret Service will be on your side?" - rings harshly now, after J6 😬

[@christopherchapman2493]

Whats J6?

[@darkphyn]

@@christopherchapman2493 🙄

[@christopherchapman2493]

@@darkphyn 😂 You can keep trying to make it a big deal but it just isn’t. And it’s not gonna be taught that it is either.

[@darkphyn]

@@christopherchapman2493 Secret Service certainly didn't do any favors recently either. Coincidence?

[@darkphyn]

@@christopherchapman2493 It was a constitutional big deal. The disruptive peaceful transfer of power, breaking & entering, the call to murder a vice president...

[@storyofcory]

Oh, Leo... on one hand, God really screwed the show by taking John Spencer before the show ended. On the other hand, I don't think they could have scripted a better ending, had John Spencer lived.

[@TactlessBadge3]

I don't associate with Democrats usually, but this show is very refreshing compared to today's politics.

[@thebacons5943]

There Aphelion bro you guys elected TRUMP

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

You don't associate with people based on their exercise of their right to their freedom of association? Wow. America needs CPR.

[@LandotheDrummer1]

4:20 A rare Mandy/Moira Kelly sighting!

[@guybrushthreepwood8812]

Best show

[@jodie4609]

One word for martin sheen Yummy

[@gabrielabagala]

Bradley

[@olgaprofs]

Why did Sam Seaborn left the series ?

[@tomfoolery815]

According to news reports, Rob Lowe was told at the start that he would be the star of the show. When it became much more of an ensemble show, he was dissatisfied and left to be the star of a show called "The Lyon's Den," which lasted 13 episodes.

[@kaicreech7336]

@@tomfoolery815 he also eventually ends up being paid less than most of the rest of the cast

[@tomfoolery815]

@@kaicreech7336 I'm not sure that's accurate. His quote was much higher than everybody else's when the show started, since he was a much bigger star than everybody but Martin Sheen. If I recall correctly, in Season 2 or 3 several top-billed cast members got raises, and that may have gotten them closer to what RL was making; he found out, asked for a raise and was told no. At least that's how I remember it; it's been a while.

[@davidweihe6052]

Aaron Sorkin started unwriting his part, using him, when used, as Basil Exposition, rather than as a TWW character.

[@suminshizzles6951]

CJ...yum yum.

[@EvanMurphyCapstone]

Best show ever made...and I ? hate TV lol....except for TWW , Designing Women and documentaries

[@maskoblackfyre]

Sadly this show has less to do with the current administration than Lord of the Rings.

[@robinjackson7882]

Stephen Colbert would love your comment.

[@Mozart1220]

I hated Rob Lowe, but NO ONE could play Sam like he does, and the show was a bit less without him.

[@therugburnz]

Why is this presented as more interesting than the real political machines? I'm sure this show could have been about the people that work for the CEO of a small manufacturing company that makes widgets. Oh the soap made, the operas imagined, the important & impossible situations here people ate just like you eat, your life so similar. The only difference is ...

[@gabrielabagala]

Well, to tell you the truth, after this show Sorkin wrote Studio 60, about the lives of people who make a political comedy show on television. To my taste, St60 was even better written than TWW, and yet people didn't watch it, it only lasted one season. The public didn't find it "fascinating" like life in the White House...

[@Egilhelmson]

@@gabrielabagala Not to mention Sports Night, the series he wrote just before TWW.

[@spicybiscuit88]

Its the juxtaposition of these characters' being exceptional and hugely powerful, and also living their everyday lives alongside that, and making silly jokes, and doing more normal human things aswell. It's not our everyday experience to see people with this level of influence in the world, which is part of what makes it interesting , and a compelling fantasy.

[@danielueblacker9118]

Who was babysitting Charlie Sheen....

[@jamesterrell3850]

Wish this Democratic Party was still alive today

[@ceded2326]

The efficacious stomach macroscopically frame because letter conventionally wrap outside a neat handicap. exciting exclusive, splendid bed

[@agentsquish]

Are you having a stroke

[@hobnob_]

lol mandy

[@theshadow5800]

Based on current performance, I prefer they take the side of the rebels improving the chances the insurrection will be bungled.

[@sailorbychoice1]

5:56 I get a kick out of actors who say things like, "Oh it was the script writing that drew me to this project..." When anyone who has spent any kind of time in and/or around the business knows they took the job because they passed an audition against 15 other names of equal stature. If they hadn't gotten this job they'd have been doing Friday the 13th part 9 if offered that part. They only get picky AFTER they've been on a hit show, at least until their popularity drops again...

[@larrysmith2638]

I get a kick out of arm-chair critics who think they know what really goes on in the TV/film industry, and presume to tell us that they know the truth. I do know that Rob Lowe and Martin Sheen did NOT audition, but were specifically asked to do the show because Aaron Sorkin said so. Same for Bradley Whitford. They did do a reading, which is fairly normal, according to interviews. Many of the rest of the cast were specifically requested to audition, and had minimal competition. Most of my information came from several interviews with cast and production staff, especially an interview in The Hollywood Reporter.

[@ltrillium1000]

I thought it was a great show and never watched a single episode whilst on TV. Only saw it when the series was given to me as a DVD gift. The one scene that I wish they had not done was Alison Janney doing the jackal. It was sexist and gratuitous. Her character must have fought hard against it and in the end she lost. In hindsight, the series, while on of the best I have ever seen certainly had its cringe producing moments. The scene with Josh and Sam congratulating each other for having one night stands is certainly one, Toby had too many patronizing and insulting comments - too many to count, Bartlett looking up in the sky asking a Mars rover to "talk to us." and the worst of all - Josh imitating Marlee Matlin's voice and pronunciation of words as a deaf person. OMG how rude and insensitive.

[@jamessimmons3645]

It's about Bill Clinton

[@fireball0762]

i didn;t like when leo mocked the Christian Right, not all are hypocrites