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The West Wing season 1

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The West Wing
Season 1
DVD box cover. Cast from left to right: Mandy, Sam, Josh, Leo, President Bartlet, Toby, C. J., Charlie and Donna
Starring
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 22, 1999 (1999-09-22) –
May 17, 2000 (2000-05-17)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of episodes

The first season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 17, 2000 and consisted of 22 episodes.

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

Plot

The first season, which begins in the middle of Bartlet's first year in office, is loaded with images of a West Wing "stuck in neutral" and powerless to govern. Several episodes (notably "Five Votes Down" and "Mr. Willis of Ohio") feature the White House desperately digging for a backdoor through which to pass a particular piece of legislation. This powerlessness ends in "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" when Leo and the president finally agree to fight any battle they believe to be important, even if they are not sure they can win. The season ends with a cliffhanger assassination attempt with an ominous call over a Secret Service radio: "Who's been hit?! Who's been hit?!"

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
US viewers
(millions)
11"Pilot"Thomas SchlammeAaron SorkinSeptember 22, 1999 (1999-09-22)47515116.91[1]
22"Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc"Thomas SchlammeAaron SorkinSeptember 29, 1999 (1999-09-29)22590113.71[2]
33"A Proportional Response"Marc BucklandAaron SorkinOctober 6, 1999 (1999-10-06)22590214.41[3]
44"Five Votes Down"Michael LehmannStory by : Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. and Patrick Caddell
Teleplay by : Aaron Sorkin
October 13, 1999 (1999-10-13)22590312.32[4]
55"The Crackpots and These Women"Anthony DrazanAaron SorkinOctober 20, 1999 (1999-10-20)22590412.41[5]
66"Mr. Willis of Ohio"Christopher MisianoAaron SorkinNovember 3, 1999 (1999-11-03)22590513.37[6]
77"The State Dinner"Thomas SchlammeAaron Sorkin & Paul RedfordNovember 10, 1999 (1999-11-10)22590613.66[7]
88"Enemies"Alan TaylorStory by : Rick Cleveland, Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. & Patrick Caddell
Teleplay by : Ron Osborn & Jeff Reno
November 17, 1999 (1999-11-17)22590712.92[8]
99"The Short List"Bill D'EliaStory by : Aaron Sorkin & Dee Dee Myers
Teleplay by : Aaron Sorkin & Patrick Caddell
November 24, 1999 (1999-11-24)22590812.37[9]
1010"In Excelsis Deo"Alex GravesAaron Sorkin & Rick ClevelandDecember 15, 1999 (1999-12-15)22590914.23[10]
1111"Lord John Marbury"Kevin Rodney SullivanStory by : Patrick Caddell & Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr.
Teleplay by : Aaron Sorkin & Patrick Caddell
January 5, 2000 (2000-01-05)22591013.65[11]
1212"He Shall, from Time to Time..."Arlene SanfordAaron SorkinJanuary 12, 2000 (2000-01-12)22591113.96[12]
1313"Take out the Trash Day"Ken OlinAaron SorkinJanuary 26, 2000 (2000-01-26)22591214.92[13]
1414"Take This Sabbath Day"Thomas SchlammeStory by : Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. & Paul Redford and Aaron Sorkin
Teleplay by : Aaron Sorkin
February 9, 2000 (2000-02-09)22591314.18[14]
1515"Celestial Navigation"Christopher MisianoStory by : Dee Dee Myers & Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr.
Teleplay by : Aaron Sorkin
February 16, 2000 (2000-02-16)22591413.48[15]
1616"20 Hours in L.A."Alan TaylorAaron SorkinFebruary 23, 2000 (2000-02-23)22591512.41[16]
1717"The White House Pro-Am"Ken OlinLawrence O'Donnell, Jr. & Paul Redford and Aaron SorkinMarch 22, 2000 (2000-03-22)22591615.76[17]
1818"Six Meetings Before Lunch"Clark JohnsonAaron SorkinApril 5, 2000 (2000-04-05)22591714.24[18]
1919"Let Bartlet Be Bartlet"Laura InnesStory by : Peter Parnell and Patrick Caddell
Teleplay by : Aaron Sorkin
April 26, 2000 (2000-04-26)22591813.97[19]
2020"Mandatory Minimums"Robert BerlingerAaron SorkinMay 3, 2000 (2000-05-03)22591912.89[20]
2121"Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics"Don ScardinoAaron SorkinMay 10, 2000 (2000-05-10)22592014.33[21]
2222"What Kind of Day Has It Been"Thomas SchlammeAaron SorkinMay 17, 2000 (2000-05-17)22592113.30[22]

Reception

U.S. viewers (in millions) per episode

Critical response

The first season of The West Wing received positive reviews, and scored a Metacritic rating of 79 out of 100, based on 23 reviews.[23] On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 96% with an average score of 8.3 out of 10 based on 46 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The West Wing is a gripping fantasy of lawmakers and government operatives looking to make a difference, presenting an idealized vision of politicking that audiences can strive toward."[24]

Accolades

The first season received 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards, winning a total of 9 awards. It won for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Richard Schiff), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Allison Janney), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Aaron Sorkin and Rick Cleveland for "In Excelsis Deo"), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot"), Outstanding Main Title Theme Music (W. G. Snuffy Walden), Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series (Thomas Del Ruth), Outstanding Art Direction for a Single Camera Series, and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. Notable nominations included Martin Sheen for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, John Spencer for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Stockard Channing for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and Aaron Sorkin for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "Pilot".[25]

Thomas Del Ruth received a nomination from the American Society of Cinematographers for the pilot episode.[26]

References

  1. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sep. 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. September 29, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  2. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sep. 27–Oct. 3)". The Los Angeles Times. October 6, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  3. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 4–10)". The Los Angeles Times. October 13, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times. October 20, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  5. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 18–24)". The Los Angeles Times. October 27, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  6. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 1–7)". The Los Angeles Times. November 10, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  7. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 8–14)". The Los Angeles Times. November 17, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times. December 1, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. December 22, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 3–9)". The Los Angeles Times. January 12, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 10–16)". The Los Angeles Times. January 19, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. February 2, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 7–13)". The Los Angeles Times. February 16, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 14–20)". The Los Angeles Times. February 24, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 21–27)". The Los Angeles Times. March 1, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Mar. 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. March 29, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Apr. 3–9)". The Los Angeles Times. April 12, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Apr. 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. May 3, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May. 1–7)". The Los Angeles Times. May 10, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May. 8–14)". The Los Angeles Times. May 17, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. May 24, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  23. ^ "The West Wing: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  24. ^ "The West Wing: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  25. ^ "The West Wing". Emmys.com. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  26. ^ "The ASC Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography". American Society of Cinematographers. Archived from the original on November 12, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
General references