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|ProdCode = 2T5012
|ProdCode = 2T5012
|ShortSummary = On the day after Bartlet gives his last State of the Union address, Leo returns to the West Wing figuring out what to do during the remaining 365 days of Bartlet's term. The first of those days is taken up by the abduction of several American contractors in Bolivia, several other international concerns, Charlie's push to get a tax program that actually helps poor people taken seriously, Will's concern over his role on VP Russell's Presidential campaign, and the First Lady's planned visit to a NASCAR event.
|ShortSummary = On the day after Bartlet gives his last State of the Union address, Leo returns to the West Wing figuring out what to do during the remaining 365 days of Bartlet's term. The first of those days is taken up by the abduction of several American contractors in Bolivia, several other international concerns, Charlie's push to get a tax program that actually helps poor people taken seriously, Will's concern over his role on VP Russell's Presidential campaign, and the First Lady's planned visit to a NASCAR event.
<!-- The following episode summary needs severe pruning (down to 300 words or less) before it can be used in this field: The episode opens with Toby being interviewed for his speech writing efforts on the State of the Union address and West Wing staffers are giving him praise which he does not want.

On the day after [[Josiah Bartlet|Bartlet]] has given his last State of the Union address, [[Leo McGarry|Leo]] returns to the West Wing in an undefined role (later revealed to be a Special Counselor to the President), figuring out what to do during the remaining 365 days of Barlet's term and tells the senior staff that the administration needs to take its "internal temperature" and writes "365" on a whiteboard. The tone of the episode is one of melancholy: Leo wanders about at first, seemingly aimless. He tries, and fails, to give a little speech to the team at the beginning of the episode before they scatter to the crises of the day, and is left in his new office watching old State of the Union addresses. The staffers do return throughout the day individually to ask for Leo's input on policy issues from American policies in Latin America ([[Kate Harper]]) to selling Congress on a tax that will actually help poor people ([[Charlie Young|Charlie]]).

After the U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (repeatedly referred to as an idiot) makes a speech about the upcoming elections there, a Socialist candidate surges in the polls. His followers later kidnap several American contractors working on drug eradication efforts. The President is harshly critical of the CIA Director and Kate points out that the contractors are prisoners of war. Other international issues that are briefly referred to take place in North Korea, Burundi, and Chechnya.

The [[Abbey Bartlet|First Lady]] has to attend a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Martinsville. She is dreading it, until [[Annabeth Schott|Annabeth]] briefs her on the "advantages" (hotties driving the vehicles). This is really the only comic element in a sober narrative, including the First Lady's over the top reaction when meeting the winning NASCAR driver.

The President is sick: he needs to take regular naps. When Leo asks [[Toby Ziegler|Toby]] where the fire was in the State of the Union speech as Toby has pulled his punches (a speech that everyone is lavishly praising him for but Toby makes plain wasn't work he's proud of) Toby looks at him, incredulous and shouts: "You've had a heart attack and he can't stand up!" Toby says that most Presidents spend a lot of time going out and selling their SotU ideas, while he has VP [[Bob Russell (The West Wing)|Russell]] for a week to cover some of the President's events. He also questions [[Will Bailey]]'s loyalty.

The president and Leo have a healthy bland dinner, as befits their medical conditions. Finally Leo blurts out what he wanted to say all day: "You only have 365 days left! Make the most of it before we walk through those doors!" The President is tired and ill, of all people, Leo "Mr. Double Bypass" should know this. But Leo is adamant. Eventually, that evening, the President calls together the White House Staff, and Leo gets to finally speak. 364 days left, he says, and we can affect more change in any one of them than in a lifetime after leaving the White House forever. What can we do? One by one, [[C. J. Cregg|CJ]], Toby, Charlie, Annabeth, Will, and Kate all suggest pressing concerns, changes they would like to see made in the time they have left.

It is also the first of only five episodes in which character [[Josh Lyman]] does not appear.

In this episode Will feels the need to explain his actions to Leo by saying "I haven't sold my soul to the Devil … I may have rented it for a little while", but it is evident that he has doubts about the Vice President, Bob Russell. After listing a few of Russell's positive traits (plainspokenness, directness and clear-mindedness), he then tells Leo that he has been assuming that Leo and Bartlet must have "seen something in him, to appoint him the VP". -->

'''Guest stars''': [[Kristin Chenoweth]], [[Lily Tomlin]], [[Reed Diamond]], [[Steve Ryan]], [[NiCole Robinson (actor)|NiCole Robinson]], [[Melissa Fitzgerald]] and Ryn Cutrona
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Revision as of 12:54, 17 January 2012

The West Wing (season 6)
Season 6
DVD box cover. Cast from left to right:
Sen. Vinick, President Bartlet, and Rep. Santos.
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseOctober 20, 2004 (2004-10-20) –
April 6, 2005 (2005-04-06)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 5
Next →
Season 7
List of episodes

The sixth season of The West Wing aired in the United States from October 20, 2004 to April 6, 2005 and consisted of 22 episodes. It was the penultimate season of The West Wing and aired Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. ET in the United States on NBC, a terrestrial television network.[1][2]

The season was released on DVD as a six-disc boxed set under the title The West Wing: The Complete Sixth Season by Warner Home Video being released first in Region 2 on September 26, 2005 and then in Region 4 on May 9, 2006. All episodes from the season are available to purchase and download through Warner Bros. Studio online store,[3] to registered users of iTunes Stores in certain countries,[4][5][6][7] and in the US through Amazon Video on Demand.[8] In Canada, the sixth season was simulcast on the terrestrial CTV Television Network.[2] In the United Kingdom the series was moved from E4 (channel) to Fridays at 9:00 p.m. on sister-station More4 with the season premiering in October 2005.[9]

Crew

The season was produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.[10] The executive producers were the production company's namesake and founder John Wells, Christopher Misiano and Alex Graves – Llewellyn Wells (who left the show), Misiano and Graves had previously been co-executive producers in season five.[11] Carol Flint, Peter Noah and John Sacret Young were supervising producers, and Eli Attie, Kristin Harms, Michael Hissrich and Andrew Stearn were producers.[10][11] The West Wing was created by Aaron Sorkin. For the sixth season, regular staff writers were Wells, Flint, Noah, Young, Attie, Debora Cahn, Josh Singer, and former Democratic chief of staff on the Senate Committee on Finance, Lawrence O'Donnell.[12] The regular directors were Misiano, Graves and Laura Innes.

Cast

The sixth season had star billing for nine major roles. Stockard Channing as Abbey Bartlet, Dulé Hill as Charlie Young, Allison Janney as C. J. Cregg, Joshua Malina as Will Bailey, Janel Moloney as Donna Moss, Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler, Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet, John Spencer as Leo McGarry and Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman all returned to the main cast.[13][14] In an initial 10-episode arc, Alan Alda joined the cast as Californian Republican Senator Arnold Vinick alongside Jimmy Smits (as three-term Houston Democratic Congressman Matt Santos) with both characters described as having "presidential aspirations".[15][16] Mary McCormack took on a recurring role as Deputy National Secturity Advisor Kate Harper,[17] and new character Annabeth Schott was introduced as a former feature writer that becomes Deputy Press Secretary – Schott was originally cast to be played by Marley Shelton but actor Kristin Chenoweth eventually played the part.[3][16][18] Recurring guest-star Ed O'Neill played Governor Eric Baker with Mel Harris (as Senator Rafferty) and Christopher Lloyd (portraying the real-life Lawrence Lessig) also guest-starring in an episode apiece.[3]

Characters that returned in recurring roles were Gary Cole as Vice President Bob Russell, Tim Matheson as former Vice President John Hoynes and Mark Feuerstein as Senate Majority Counsel Clifford Calley.[3][19] Roger Rees as British ambassador, Lord John Marbury also returned for one episode.[3] Actors who left the cast include John Amos as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Percy Fitzwallace who was killed in the penultimate episode of the previous season,[20] Jesse Bradford as intern Ryan Pierce[21] and Micheal Hyatt as legislative affairs advisor Angela Blake.[22]

Reception

The season was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards in 2005 without any wins. The show was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series for the sixth year running. Alan Alda, as Senator Vinnick, and Stockard Channing, as Abigail Bartlet were nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series respectively.[11] Alex Graves was nominated for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series and production sound mixer Patrick Hanson and re-recording mixers Dan Hiland and Gary D. Rogers were nominated in the Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing for a Series category, both for the episode "2162 Votes".[11][23] "2162 Votes" also got Hanson, Hiland and Rogers a Cinema Audio Society Awards nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Series.[24] The show received a nomination in the Dramatic Series category and Carol Flint received a Writers Guild of America Award nomination in the Episodic Drama category for "A Good Day".[25] Allison Janney, as C. J. Cregg, was nominated at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series and the whole ensemble for the Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series award.[26] John Wells won the Humanitas Prize in the 60-minute category for "NSF Thurmont".[27] At the Producers Guild of America Awards ceremony in 2005, the show was nominated for the Norman Felton Producer of the Year Award – Episodic Drama.[28] Seth Adkins, as Cody Zucker, was nominated for a Young Artist Award in the Best Performance in a Television Series (Comedy or Drama) – Guest Starring Young Actor category.[29] Composer W. G. "Snuffy" Walden was awarded a BMI Television Award for his work on the show.[30] The season won two Imagen Awards, a Latino awards ceremony, with the submitted work "La Palabra". Executive producers John Wells, Christopher Misiano, Alex Graves, Director Jason Ensler, writer Eli Attie, and the executive producers won Best Primetime Series and Jimmy Smits (as Matt Santos) won Best Actor in Television.[31][32]

Plot

The sixth season opens with the Israeli and Palestinian delegations arriving at Camp David for peace talks. Despite problems at the summit, a deal is thrashed out by President Bartlet, but not before he fires Leo as chief of staff. Leo suffers a heart attack in the aftermath, leading to a re-shuffle of the White House staff. CJ Cregg becomes chief of staff but she finds it difficult to adapt, a fact not helped by the President's MS and the interference from the First Lady. Away from the White House, Josh convinces Texas Congressman Matt Santos to run for President, and after a shaky start, he finds himself in a three-way race for the Democratic nomination with Vice-President Russell and former Vice-President Hoynes. While the Republican primaries provide a clear winner in California Senator Arnold Vinick, the Democratic ticket is not finalised until the Democratic National Convention, at which Santos is chosen as Presidential nominee, with Leo McGarry as his running mate. Meanwhile, someone at the White House has leaked national security information to reporter Greg Brock.

Episodes

No. in
series 		No. in
season 		Title Directed by Written by U.S. viewers
(millions) 		Original air date Production
code
1111"NSF Thurmont"Alex GravesJohn Wells12.27[33]October 20, 2004 (2004-10-20)2T5001
1122"The Birnam Wood"Alex GravesJohn Wells12.07[34]October 27, 2004 (2004-10-27)2T5002
1133"Third-Day Story"Christopher MisianoEli Attie13.82[35]November 3, 2004 (2004-11-03)2T5003
1144"Liftoff"Alex GravesDebora Cahn15.26[36]November 10, 2004 (2004-11-10)2T5004
1155"The Hubbert Peak"Julie HebertPeter Noah12.41[37]November 17, 2004 (2004-11-17)2T5005
1166"The Dover Test"Laura InnesCarol Flint11.76[38]November 24, 2004 (2004-11-24)2T5006
1177"A Change Is Gonna Come"Vincent MisianoJohn Sacret Young & Josh Singer (teleplay)
John Sacret Young (story)		13.28[39]December 1, 2004 (2004-12-01)2T5007
1188"In the Room"Alex GravesLawrence O'Donnell Jr.12.33[40]December 8, 2004 (2004-12-08)2T5008
1199"Impact Winter"Lesli Linka GlatterDebora Cahn12.53[41]December 15, 2004 (2004-12-15)2T5009
12010"Faith Based Initiative"Christopher MisianoBradley Whitford11.74[42]January 5, 2005 (2005-01-05)2T5010
12111"Opposition Research"Christopher MisianoEli Attie11.88[43]January 12, 2005 (2005-01-12)2T5011
12212"365 Days"Andrew BernsteinMark Goffman10.92[44]January 19, 2005 (2005-01-19)2T5012
12313"King Corn"Alex GravesJohn Wells10.69[45]January 26, 2005 (2005-01-26)2T5013
12414"The Wake Up Call"Laura InnesJosh Singer9.62[46]February 9, 2005 (2005-02-09)2T5014
12515"Freedonia"Christopher MisianoEli Attie10.17[47]February 16, 2005 (2005-02-16)2T5015
12616"Drought Conditions"Alex GravesDebora Cahn9.93[48]February 23, 2005 (2005-02-23)2T5016
12717"A Good Day"Richard SchiffCarol Flint10.66[49]March 2, 2005 (2005-03-02)2T5017
12818"La Palabra"Jason EnslerEli Attie10.10[50]March 9, 2005 (2005-03-09)2T5018
12919"Ninety Miles Away"Rod HolcombJohn Sacret Young9.75[51]March 16, 2005 (2005-03-16)2T5019
13020"In God We Trust"Christopher MisianoLawrence O'Donnell Jr.8.96[52]March 23, 2005 (2005-03-23)2T5020
13121"Things Fall Apart"Nelson McCormickPeter Noah9.88[53]March 30, 2005 (2005-03-30)2T5021
13222"2162 Votes"Alex GravesJohn Wells11.62[54]April 6, 2005 (2005-04-06)2T5022

DVD release

The DVD release of season six was released by Warner Bros. first in the UK in September 2005 and then in the US on May 9, 2006, after the season had completed broadcasting on television. As well as every episode from the season, the DVD release features bonus material including audio commentary on three episodes from producers, directors, writers, and the cast and a documentary on Allison Janney's portrayal of C. J. Cregg.[55][56]

The West Wing: The Complete Sixth Season
Set details[55] Special features[56]
  • Audio Commentary:
    • "King Corn"
    • "In God We Trust"
    • "2162 Votes"
  • Featurettes:
    • C. J. Cregg: From Press Secretary to Chief of Staff
    • Easter Egg – A Conversation with John Spencer
Release dates[55][57][58]
 United States  Canada  United Kingdom  Australia
May 9, 2006 September 26, 2005 May 2, 2007

References

  1. ^ "2004 Prime-time TV Lineup". Ebony. 59 (12). Johnson Publishing Company: 132. October 2004. ISSN 0012-9011.
  2. ^ a b "Canadian Television's 2004–2005 Fall Season Preview: Premiere Dates". Channel Canada. Archived from the original on October 9, 2004. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Download The West Wing: The Complete Sixth Season". WBShop.com. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  4. ^ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. "The West Wing, Season 6" (note: Requires iTunes software with US iTunes Store). Fox. iTunes Store. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  5. ^ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. "The West Wing, Season 6" (note: Requires iTunes software with French iTunes Store). Fox. iTunes Store. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  6. ^ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. "The West Wing, Season 6" (note: Requires iTunes software with German iTunes Store). Fox. iTunes Store. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  7. ^ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. "The West Wing, Season 6" (note: Requires iTunes software with UK iTunes Store). Fox. iTunes Store. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  8. ^ "Amazon Video on Demand – The West Wing". Amazon Video on Demand. Amazon.com. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
  9. ^ Deans, Jason (February 21, 2006). "Channel 4 streamlines West Wing schedule". The Guardian. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  10. ^ a b NBC: Press release (July 14, 2005). "NBC Universal Television Group scores big at Emmy nominations". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c d "Primetime Emmy Award Database: The West Wing". Primetime Emmy Awards. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  12. ^ "O'Donnell weighs in on White House woes". MSNBC. October 21, 2005. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  13. ^ "The West Wing: Biographies". Archived from the original on July 22, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  14. ^ "The West Wing: Biographies". Archived from the original on February 7, 2004. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  15. ^ "Jimmy Smits joins 'West Wing'". USA Today. August 30, 2004. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  16. ^ a b Shister, Gail (August 28, 2004). "Alan Alda will join cast of 'West Wing'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  17. ^ MacDonald, Daniel (August 14, 2006). "The West Wing: The Complete Sixth Season". DVD Verdict. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  18. ^ Buckman, Adam (November 11, 2004). "Smits not the Best "Wing" (subscription required)[[Category:Pages containing links to subscription-only content]]". New York Post. p. 111. Retrieved October 16, 2010. ...new deputy press secretary played by new cast member Kristin Chenoweth. {{cite news}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  19. ^ Beck, Marilyn (June 21, 2009). "Ask Stacey: Chris Noth, Mark Feuerstein..." The Jacksonville Observer. Retrieved October 14, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Pennington, Gail (October 20, 2004). "Critic's Picks (subscription required)[[Category:Pages containing links to subscription-only content]]". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. F06. Retrieved October 14, 2010. {{cite news}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  21. ^ "Breaking News – Development Update". The Futon Critic. August 11, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  22. ^ "ABC TV Guide". ABC Online. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  23. ^ Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Press release (July 14, 2005). "57th Annual Primetime Emmy Nominees". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  24. ^ "42nd CAS Award Winners and Nominees for 2005". Cinema Audio Society. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  25. ^ "2006 Writers Guild Awards Television and Radio Nominees Announced". Writers Guild of America. December 14, 2005. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  26. ^ "The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  27. ^ Bannon, Anne Louise (July 8, 2005). "Humanitas awards human values" (PDF). The Tidings. Humanitas Prize. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  28. ^ Producers Guild of America: Press release (January 1, 2005). "Producers Guild Awards Honorees". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  29. ^ "27th Annual Young Artist Awards – Nominations / Special Awards". Young Artist Award. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  30. ^ "2005 BMI Film/TV Awards". Broadcast Music Incorporated. May 18, 2005. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  31. ^ "20th Annual Imagen Awards Nominees". Imagen Foundation. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
  32. ^ "The 20th Annual Imagen Awards Winners". Imagen Foundation. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
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General references
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_West_Wing_season_6&oldid=471857495"