The West Wing season 4
| The West Wing | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
 | |
| No. of episodes | 23 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | September 25, 2002 – May 14, 2003 |
| Season chronology | |
The fourth season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from September 25, 2002 to May 14, 2003 and consisted of 23 episodes.
Production
After the difficulties Aaron Sorkin encountered in writing Season 3, he saw Season 4 as a return to the form he and the show had previously enjoyed, saying "[we] came back to work, after the hiatus, and didn't feel any of that, just felt the week-to-week pressure of trying to write well."[1] In 2003, at the end of the fourth season, Sorkin and fellow executive producer Thomas Schlamme left the show due to internal conflicts at Warner Bros. TV not involving the NBC network, thrusting producer John Wells into an expanded role as showrunner.[2] Rob Lowe departed the series after episode 17, citing he was not happy with his character Sam Seaborn and believed he did not fit in the show anymore.[3]
Cast
The fourth season had star billing for ten major roles. Nine of these were filled by returning main cast members from the third season. Rob Lowe receives star billing for the episodes in which he appears, while Martin Sheen receives the "and" credit for his role as President Josiah Bartlet. The rest of the ensemble, including (from episode eleven) Joshua Malina, are credited alphabetically. Rob Lowe departs in episode seventeen. Channing is only credited for the episodes in which she appears.
Main cast
- Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn
- 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
- John Spencer as Leo McGarry
- Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
- Martin Sheen as Josiah Bartlet
Plot
The fourth season covers the end of Bartlet's fourth year of his first term in office through the beginning of the first year of his second term. The season begins with the continuation of the election storyline with the president touring the nation and his staff trying to firm up presidential debates. The storyline ends in a clear victory for Bartlet less than halfway through the season in "Election Night". Other plots include Sam leaving the White House to run in a special election in California, the news of the Abdul Shareef assassination resonating both inside and outside the U.S., Will Bailey taking Sam's position after coming over from the California campaign's staff, the President and his staff facing the reality of an overseas genocide, and Vice President Hoynes being forced to resign after a sex scandal is uncovered. The fourth season ends with Bartlet's youngest daughter being taken hostage. Bartlet ends up invoking the 25th Amendment in the final episode, "Twenty Five." Since no one had been nominated to replace Hoynes, the presidency passes to the Republican Speaker of the House, Glen Allen Walken.
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 67 | 1 2 | "20 Hours in America" | Christopher Misiano | Aaron Sorkin | September 25, 2002 | 175301 175302 |
| 68 | 3 | "College Kids" | Alex Graves | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Debora Cahn and Mark Goffman | October 2, 2002 | 175303 |
| 69 | 4 | "The Red Mass" | Vincent Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Eli Attie | October 9, 2002 | 175304 |
| 70 | 5 | "Debate Camp" | Paris Barclay | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: William Sind & Michael Oates Palmer | October 16, 2002 | 175305 |
| 71 | 6 | "Game On" | Alex Graves | Aaron Sorkin & Paul Redford | October 30, 2002 | 175306 |
| 72 | 7 | "Election Night" | Lesli Linka Glatter | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: David Gerken and David Handelman | November 6, 2002 | 175308 |
| 73 | 8 | "Process Stories" | Christopher Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Paula Yoo & Lauren Schmidt | November 13, 2002 | 175309 |
| 74 | 9 | "Swiss Diplomacy" | Christopher Misiano | Kevin Falls & Eli Attie | November 20, 2002 | 175307 |
| 75 | 10 | "Arctic Radar" | John David Coles | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Gene Sperling | November 27, 2002 | 175310 |
| 76 | 11 | "Holy Night" | Thomas Schlamme | Aaron Sorkin | December 11, 2002 | 175311 |
| 77 | 12 | "Guns Not Butter" | Bill D'Elia | Eli Attie & Kevin Falls and Aaron Sorkin | January 8, 2003 | 175312 |
| 78 | 13 | "The Long Goodbye" | Alex Graves | Jon Robin Baitz | January 15, 2003 | 175313 |
| 79 | 14 | "Inauguration: Part I" | Christopher Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Michael Oates Palmer & William Sind | February 5, 2003 | 175314 |
| 80 | 15 | "Inauguration: Over There" | Lesli Linka Glatter | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: David Gerken & Gene Sperling | February 12, 2003 | 175315 |
| 81 | 16 | "The California 47th" | Vincent Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Lauren Schmidt & Paula Yoo | February 19, 2003 | 175316 |
| 82 | 17 | "Red Haven's on Fire" | Alex Graves | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Mark Goffman & Debora Cahn | February 26, 2003 | 175317 |
| 83 | 18 | "Privateers" | Alex Graves | Teleplay: Paul Redford & Debora Cahn and Aaron Sorkin Story: Paul Redford & Debora Cahn | March 26, 2003 | 175318 |
| 84 | 19 | "Angel Maintenance" | Jessica Yu | Teleplay: Eli Attie and Aaron Sorkin Story: Eli Attie & Kevin Falls | April 2, 2003 | 175320 |
| 85 | 20 | "Evidence of Things Not Seen" | Christopher Misiano | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Eli Attie & David Handelman | April 23, 2003 | 175319 |
| 86 | 21 | "Life on Mars" | John David Coles | Teleplay: Aaron Sorkin Story: Paul Redford & Dee Dee Myers | April 30, 2003 | 175321 |
| 87 | 22 | "Commencement" | Alex Graves | Aaron Sorkin | May 7, 2003 | 175322 |
| 88 | 23 | "Twenty Five" | Christopher Misiano | Aaron Sorkin | May 14, 2003 | 175323 |
Reception
The fourth season received 15 Emmy Award nominations for the 55th Primetime Emmy Awards, winning a total of 2 awards. The series won its fourth consecutive and final win for Outstanding Drama Series. Christopher Misiano won the season's other award, for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for "Twenty Five". Notable nominations included Martin Sheen for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Allison Janney for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, John Spencer and Bradley Whitford for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Stockard Channing for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and Tim Matheson and Matthew Perry for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Aaron Sorkin was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "Twenty Five".[4]
Thomas Del Ruth received a nomination from the American Society of Cinematographers for the episode "Holy Night".[5]
References
- ^ "Charlie Rose October 2002, Ep. 2". Amazon.com. October 2, 2002. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ Adalian, Josef (May 1, 2003). "Sorkin sulking away from 'Wing': Regime change for NBC White House series". Variety. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "Rob Lowe leaving 'West Wing'". CNN. July 24, 2002. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ^ "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.