Essential West Wing Episodes
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- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweMoira KellyAllison JanneyThe West Wing staffers are introduced as each learns via phone or pager that the President was in a cycling accident. Josh faces the possible loss of his job after an on-air insult of a political opponent, which Toby tries to prevent by having Josh make a personal apology. Sam's fling the previous night with Laurie, who unbeknownst to Sam is a call girl, puts him in hot water, which he compounds when ineptly lecturing a class of 4th-graders about the White House and then asking their teacher which child is Leo's daughter. Leo must deal with the fallout from Josh's blunder, as well as 137 Cuban refugees who escaped on rafts and are seeking asylum. The president walks in during Josh's apology, recites the First Commandment, and lambastes three Christian pols for not denouncing a fringe group.
- DirectorMarc BucklandStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillAfter being offered "a proportional response" to the Syrian military's downing of a U.S. military plane on a medical mission (and carrying his newly named personal physician), the president demands an option that will have greater impact. Leo gradually must talk him down, while Bartlet snipes at everyone, including Abby. The president ultimately agrees to the initial option, but is not happy about it. Charlie Young is introduced as an applicant for a messenger job whom Josh decides to hire as President Bartlet's personal aide.
- DirectorMichael LehmannStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillAfter a speech touting the success of a gun control bill, the team learns they are actually five votes short. The fight to get them back puts a strain on Leo's marriage and Josh's relationship with numerous Senators. Toby finds out he may have accidentally participated in insider trading.
- DirectorBill D'EliaStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillWhen a Supreme Court justice retires, President Bartlet has a golden opportunity to impact the court's composition by nominating a favorite judge but when further study reveals the candidate's conflicting ideology, the President might change his mind and opt for another judge. In addition, a headline seeking congressman on the House Government Oversight Committee accuses the White House staff of substance abuse -- a dicey issue for one important member.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillWhen a homeless veteran dies on the National Mall and his body remains uncollected for hours, Toby becomes fixated on getting him a proper burial.
- DirectorArlene SanfordStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillWhen the President collapses on the eve of his State of the Union, it's diagnosed as the flu. But when the First Lady cancels a trip and rushes home to look after him, Leo suspects the first family is hiding something about Bartlett's medical condition.
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillA drug dealer's appeal of the federal death penalty is rejected by the Supreme Court, which upholds the death sentence with execution scheduled for the following Monday. One of the defense lawyers on the case is Sam's old high school bully, and he appeals directly to Sam to involve the president. During a weekend in which he was supposed to be in a yacht race, Sam opts to stay at the W.H. and try to convince his fellow staffers and ultimately Bartlet that the president should commute the sentence. Meanwhile Josh, after a night of heavy drinking at a bachelor party, meets congressional campaign manager Joey Lucas while is hung over. She assails him for having the DNC cut off funding for her candidate, but the decision was deliberate, as the W.H. likes the conservative nutjob currently holding the Calif. seat. Opinions on the death penalty are exchanged throughout the weekend, including those of Quaker Joey Lucas and Toby's rabbi, and Bartlet winds up calling both the Pope and his old parish priest from N.H. for counsel.
- DirectorClark JohnsonStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillThe morning after Mendoza's confirmation, various staff members are brought back to earth by difficult meetings.
- DirectorLaura InnesStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillThe West Wing staff are feeling malaise as it seems they never get anything accomplished. Meanwhile, a leaked memo is a land mine that could embarrass the administration.
- DirectorDon ScardinoStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillThe staff waits for a poll to tell them if their new, activist policies are moving them in the right direction. C.J. feels like her opinions are being discounted.
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillA stealth fighter is shot down over Iraq, leading to Bartlet ordering a military rescue as Toby worries about his brother trapped on a space shuttle orbiting the Earth. CJ deals with the ramifications of misleading the press about the rescue as the staff prepares for a town hall meeting that night. The town hall meeting goes well until the President leaves...and shots ring out.
- 1999–200643mTV-149.4 (1.8K)TV EpisodeDirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyThe President is rushed to hospital following a shooting; staffers field questions on protection measures and executive authority. Flashbacks show how key staff members joined the Bartlet campaign.
- 1999–200641mTV-149.3 (1.6K)TV EpisodeDirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyA suspect in the presidential shooting is caught; staffers anxiously await news on Bartlet and Josh's injuries; flashbacks show how C.J. and Donna joined Bartlet's campaign.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyWith the midterm elections coming up, Toby looks for a way to stop hate groups; Charlie and Zoey decide whether to continue their relationship; President Bartlet discovers the egg cream and is concerned about an ultra-right-wing candidate running for school board in his old district in New Hampshire; and Sam is asked to put White House help behind an old friend running for Congress. This episode includes the President's confrontation with a right-wing radio talk show host using a famous list of modern applications of Biblical laws. Oh, yes, and psychics at Cal Tech and the Fermi National Accelerator Lab ...
- DirectorKen OlinStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyAfter a Republican commentator trounces Sam on television, President Bartlett decides to hire her over the objections of the staff. Josh and Toby mediate a conference between U.S. drug companies and an African President whose country is dying of AIDS.
- DirectorLaura InnesStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyDozens of Chinese stowaways are discovered in a container ship in California; Toby looks to pick a fight over school prayer with a recess appointment; Thanksgiving at the White House sees C.J. in charge of turkeys and Charlie looking for the ultimate carving knife.
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyJosh speaks to a psychiatrist about the events of the last three weeks: Toby hired musicians for the foyer, an Air Force pilot disobeyed orders, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the White House, and Josh managed to cut his hand quite badly.
- DirectorScott WinantStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyToby wants to use a bipartisan breakfast to discuss real issues instead of making it a staged event; Sam floats the idea of moving the press room across the street; Leo wants Josh to apologize to a columnist on his behalf; Leo and Toby realize they need to start thinking about reelection.
- 1999–200642mTV-148.2 (980)TV EpisodeDirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyWhile a live TV show is broadcast from the West Wing following the State of the Union, the staff must covertly deal with a hostage situation in Colombia. CJ learns that a special guest at the state of the union has a black mark on his record that could taint the administration. Ainsley Hayes is afraid to meet the President in person.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyPresident Bartlet is fighting a war on two fronts as he tries to rescue hostages in Colombia and deal with explaining to his wife why he's breaking his word to her by running for a 2nd term.
- DirectorBryan GordonStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyJosh finalizes a $6B health care plan that has strong support from both parties in both houses and appears to be a slam dunk for passage, but 78-year-old Senator Howard Stackhouse pulls a last-minute surprise--he wants money added for autism research or he'll filibuster. Thinking it's just a bluff, Josh blows off the senator, who then filibusters for more than eight hours while the WW staff waits desperately to begin their weekend with the episode unfolding as staffers write e-mails to their family members describing the evening's action. Elsewhere, Sam tries to eliminate various costly government documents, for which he's taken to task by a very young intern.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyFollowing the Vice-President's remarks to him, Toby realizes the truth behind the President's illness: multiple sclerosis. Toby, Leo, and Bartlet discuss the possible political implications of this if it goes public including possible jail time for the 17 people who now know about the illness. Meanwhile Sam, Josh, Donna and the rest of the staff, unaware of the illness, struggle with a speech the President is to give at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
- DirectorBill JohnsonStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyPresident Bartlett talks to the White House Counsel about the concealment of his MS. An enraged Toby has CJ grill the West Wing staff to find a leaker. Josh and Donna spar over a financial bailout of Mexico.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyWhite House Counsel Oliver Babbish interviews CJ once she learns of the President's condition. The First Lady learns she may be legally vulnerable. Donna frets over news of a falling satellite.
- DirectorRobert BerlingerStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyWith hypothetical polling numbers showing them it will be political suicide, staffers prepare to announce the President's condition. As they do, a military crisis flares up in Haiti and Josh faces off against two senators who are against the Government's tobacco industry suit. But as badly as the day seems to be going, a tragedy will come from a car wreck at 18th and Potomac that will affect everything.