To really follow the show, you need to view it from the beginning. This review might contain spoilers for the previous season.

The television series The West Wing revolutionized the medium in many ways. From its seamless use of the camera to follow characters throughout the sets to the fast-paced dialogue not dumbed down for the audience, it raised the bar for quality television drama series.

The show centers around a Democratic President. Jed Bartlet (portrayed by Martin Sheen). Bartlet is a decent guy who is pretty liberal and goes into politics intending to change the world. However, politics is what it is, and there are many trials to navigate as he attempts to do what he believes is best for the country.

The second season of The West Wing picks up right where the first season ended, with the cliff-hanger of the shooting at one of the President’s public appearances. As everyone scrambles to see what the damage is, first impressions aren’t always accurate as to who was hurt. This storyline helps show how the White House staff came together both in the campaign and subsequently in the White House.

The shooting is really the backdrop for the entire season as it sets in motion many different series of events. There are mid-term elections coming into play, and everything is building toward the cliff-hanger for the second season, which really doesn’t feel like a cliff-hanger, as the question seems to be whether or not President Bartlet will run for re-election now that a medical condition he has kept secret has become public.

The plot surrounding President Bartlet’s medical condition is an obvious homage to the scandal surrounding the affair President Clinton had while in office. It works quite well, although I did come away feeling like there were still some differences in the situations.

The stories throughout the season stand alone on many levels while also being in a serial format. Small quips of dialogue from one episode that would be easily missed can actually have an impact down the line. One of the best episodes of the entire series takes place this season and stands alone quite nicely: The Stackhouse Filibuster.

The episode Somebody’s Going To Emergency, Somebody’s Going To Jail takes its name from the song New York Minute.  The episode mostly focuses on the protests that surround the World Trade Organization, as well as other sometimes off-beat groups who clamor for the President’s ear.  In many ways, it’s ironic that the episode aired in February of 2001, as the song became one of those heard on the radio quite frequently just a few months later for an entirely different purpose.

I have some minor quibbles with the writing. In And It’s Surely to Their Credit, President Bartlet haggles with Donna over the concept of leaf-peeping. If he were truly from New Hampshire, he would have no problem with that concept, believe me.

If leaf peeping sounds like a trivial topic, it’s just an example of the dry satirical humor often present throughout the second season of The West Wing. Even when the President was shot and was in the hospital, this exchange took place: 

Nurse (to President Bartlet): I need to ask you, do you have any medical conditions? 
President Bartlet: Well, I’ve been shot… 

The cast is excellent. The one weak spot in the first season is jettisoned, and there’s a great addition of the character of Ainsley Hayes (portrayed by Emily Procter), as a White House attorney who also happens to be a Republican. She makes a good foil for Sam, as well as adding some sexual tension. It’s just a shame she didn’t stay around longer than two seasons.

Josh (portrayed by Bradley Whitford) has a good deal to cope with this season as he copes with the aftermath of the shooting and how it affected him. Whitford won an Emmy for his work this year, and it’s no wonder, watching this season, that the Emmys that year were dominated by names from the series. Toby (portrayed by Richard Schiff) acts as the conscience to the President and his staff when he becomes aware of the secrets that have been kept. Press Secretary C.J. Cregg has some great scenes with a turkey or two.

What made this series – and particularly this season – great was the dialogue. It is related to the time period it aired in and even has meaning now. The writers built on current events with fictitious twists that make the audience think. The series also drew in people who had worked in the White House as well as in various capacities with different administrations. The Secret Service agent who was with Reagan when he was shot was consulted for the scenes with President Bartlet being shot. 

From an episode about terrorists:

It’s worth mentioning that at this moment we don’t know the whereabouts of about a half-dozen cell leaders, including Bin Laden – and this was in 1999! 

The only problem with the DVD is the dearth of extras. There’s commentary on a few episodes with actors and crew. The bonus features disc doesn’t have anywhere near enough material to warrant its own disc. The gag reel could have probably been four times as long and still entertained, and I am sure that with the dialogue recited by the actors, there is plenty to choose from.  I did like the deleted scenes shown here, as it picked up on something that I thought was glossed over, which was Charlie feeling responsible for the shooting.

I can’t recommend this second season enough, although if you haven’t seen the series, you’d do well to become acquainted starting with the beginning. The acting is stellar. The scripts and stories are first-rate. I don’t think there’s been a series on television that I hold in as high regard as this series, and this was perhaps its finest season.


Regular Cast: 

President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) 
Leo McGarry (John Spencer) – Chief of Staff 
Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) – Deputy Chief of Staff 
Donna Moss (Janel Moloney) – Josh’s Secretary 
C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) – Press Secretary 
Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff) – Communications Director 
Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) – Deputy Communications Director 
Charlie Young (Dule Hill) – Personal Aide to the President 

Recurring Cast: 

Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss) – President’s daughter 
Abigail Bartlett (Stockard Channing) – President’s wife 
Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten) – President’s Secretary 
Vice President Hoynes (Tim Matheson) 
General Fitzwallace (John Amos) – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) – Reporter 
Margaret Hooper (NiCole Robinson) – Leo’s Secretary 
Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter) – Legal Counsel
Lionel Tribbi (John Larroquette) – Chief Legal Counsel


Set Details: 

Disc 1, Side A 

In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 1) 
In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 2) 
The Midterms 
In This White House 

Commentary on In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 1) with Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Sclamme, Bradley Whitford, Janel Moloney 

Commentary on In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 2) with Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Sclamme, Martin Sheen 

Disc 1, Side B

And It’s Surely to Their Credit
The Lame Duck Congress
The Portland Trip
Shibboleth

Disc 2, Side A

Galileo
Noel
The Leadership Breakfast
The Drop In

Commentary by Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, and Bradley Whitford on Noel

Disc 2, Side B

Bartlet’s Third State of the Union
The War at Home
Ellie
Somebody’s Going to Emergency, Somebody’s Going to Jail

Disc 3, Side A

The Stackhouse Filibuster
17 People
Bad Moon Rising

Disc 3, Side B

The Fall’s Gonna Kill You
18th and Potomac
Two Cathedrals

Commentary on 18th and Potomac with Aaron Sorkin, Robert Berlinger, and Kathryn Joosten

Disc 4

Special Features:

• Constructing Two Cathedrals
• Access Granted
• Gag Order
• Deleted Scenes