The West Wing season 2
| The West Wing | |
|---|---|
| Season 2 | |
 | |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | October 4, 2000 – May 16, 2001 |
| Season chronology | |
The second season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from October 4, 2000 to May 16, 2001 and consisted of 22 episodes.
Production
The second season made frequent use of flashbacks, revealing Bartlet's campaign for the presidency in the period prior to events covered in the first season. The first two episodes, "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part I and "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part II", showed how many of the central characters were introduced to Josiah Bartlet, his campaign for the presidential nomination, and his election. Aaron Sorkin originally planned to have such flashbacks as a major part of the entire season, but budget and logistical demands prevented this.
Cast
The second season had star billing for eight major roles. Seven of these were filled by returning main cast members from the first season, while Moira Kelly departed the cast at the end of the previous season. Rob Lowe once again receives star billing, while Martin Sheen receives the "and" credit for his role as President Josiah Bartlet. The rest of the ensemble, now including previously recurring Janel Moloney, are credited alphabetically.
Main cast
- Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, Deputy Communications Director
- Dulé Hill as Charlie Young, Personal Aide to the President
- Allison Janney as C. J. Cregg, White House Press Secretary
- Janel Moloney as Donna Moss, Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff
- Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler, Communications Director
- John Spencer as Leo McGarry, White House Chief of Staff
- Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff
- Martin Sheen as Josiah Bartlet, President of the United States
Recurring cast
- Stockard Channing as Abbey Bartlet, First Lady of the United States
- Kathryn Joosten as Dolores Landingham, Personal Secretary to the President
- Elisabeth Moss as Zoey Bartlet, The President's youngest daughter
- Tim Matheson as John Hoynes, Vice President of the United States
- John Amos as Percy Fitzwallace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper, Assistant to the White House Chief of Staff
Plot
The second season details the period between the end of President Bartlet's second year in office and the middle of his third. It covers a wider legislative array than the first season does, and presents issues including the rights of hate groups and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
In this season, The West Wing characters are shown as being more capable of legislating thanks to an increased approval rating (described as a temporary "bubble" due to the shooting that ends the first season). Also vital to this theme is the new doctrine for legislating laid out in the first season episode "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet."
The multiple sclerosis arc (also introduced in the first season) becomes central late in the second season as staff members are introduced one-by-one to the President's ailment and the public made aware. This theme remains central to the entire series.
Mrs. Landingham, the longtime secretary of President Bartlet, dies in the penultimate episode, "18th and Potomac." In the final episode, "Two Cathedrals," Mrs. Landingham's funeral is central as is the question of whether the President will run for re-election.
The season ends with the President announcing his multiple sclerosis, and concludes just moments before he answers a reporter's question: "Mr. President, can you tell us right now if you'll be seeking a second term?"
Episodes
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23–24 | 1–2 | "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" | Thomas Schlamme | Aaron Sorkin | October 4, 2000 | 226201–226202 |
| 25 | 3 | "The Midterms" | Alex Graves | Aaron Sorkin | October 18, 2000 | 226203 |
| 26 | 4 | "In This White House" | Ken Olin | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Peter Parnell & Allison Abner | October 25, 2000 | 226204 |
| 27 | 5 | "And It's Surely to Their Credit" | Christopher Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Kevin Falls & Laura Glasser | November 1, 2000 | 226205 |
| 28 | 6 | "The Lame Duck Congress" | Jeremy Kagan | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. | November 8, 2000 | 226206 |
| 29 | 7 | "The Portland Trip" | Paris Barclay | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Paul Redford | November 15, 2000 | 226207 |
| 30 | 8 | "Shibboleth" | Laura Innes | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Patrick Caddell | November 22, 2000 | 226208 |
| 31 | 9 | "Galileo" | Alex Graves | Aaron Sorkin and Kevin Falls | November 29, 2000 | 226209 |
| 32 | 10 | "Noël" | Thomas Schlamme | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Peter Parnell | December 20, 2000 | 226210 |
| 33 | 11 | "The Leadership Breakfast" | Scott Winant | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Paul Redford | January 10, 2001 | 226211 |
| 34 | 12 | "The Drop-In" | Lou Antonio | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. | January 24, 2001 | 226212 |
| 35 | 13 | "Bartlet's Third State of the Union" | Christopher Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Allison Abner & Dee Dee Myers | February 7, 2001 | 226213 |
| 36 | 14 | "The War at Home" | Christopher Misiano | Aaron Sorkin | February 14, 2001 | 226214 |
| 37 | 15 | "Ellie" | Michael Engler | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Kevin Falls & Laura Glasser | February 21, 2001 | 226215 |
| 38 | 16 | "Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail" | Jessica Yu | Paul Redford & Aaron Sorkin | February 28, 2001 | 226216 |
| 39 | 17 | "The Stackhouse Filibuster" | Bryan Gordon | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Pete McCabe | March 14, 2001 | 226217 |
| 40 | 18 | "17 People" | Alex Graves | Aaron Sorkin | April 4, 2001 | 226218 |
| 41 | 19 | "Bad Moon Rising" | Bill Johnson | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Felicia Wilson | April 25, 2001 | 226219 |
| 42 | 20 | "The Fall's Gonna Kill You" | Christopher Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Patrick Caddell | May 2, 2001 | 226220 |
| 43 | 21 | "18th and Potomac" | Robert Berlinger | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr. | May 9, 2001 | 226221 |
| 44 | 22 | "Two Cathedrals" | Thomas Schlamme | Aaron Sorkin | May 16, 2001 | 226222 |
Reception
The second season received 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards, winning a total of 8 awards. Consecutive wins included Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Allison Janney), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Thomas Schlamme for "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen"), and Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series (Thomas Del Ruth). Bradley Whitford won for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and the series also won for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series, and Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Series. Notable nominations included Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, John Spencer and Richard Schiff for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Stockard Channing for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Oliver Platt for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Aaron Sorkin for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen", and Laura Innes for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for "Shibboleth".[1]
Thomas Del Ruth won an award from the American Society of Cinematographers for the episode "Noël".[2]
References
- ^ "The West Wing". Emmys.com. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "The ASC Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography". American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- General references
- "The West Wing Episodes on NBC". TV Guide. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- "Shows A-Z - west wing, the on nbc". the Futon Critic. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- "The West Wing - Episode Guide". MSN TV. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- "The West Wing: Episode Guide". Zap2it. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- "The West Wing Episode Guides". NBC. Archived from the original on August 3, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2012.