NBC Cancels 'West Wing' After 7 Seasons

ABC News ^ | 1/22/06 | DAVID BAUDER

[LdSentinal]

NBC Cancels Emmy-Winning 'West Wing' After Seven Seasons, Makes Several Midseason Moves

PASADENA, Calif. Jan 22, 2006 — The new president on "The West Wing" will be a real short-timer: NBC announced Sunday it was pulling the plug on the Emmy-winning political drama after seven seasons in May.

NBC, struggling to regain its footing after the worst season in its history, also outlined several midseason schedule changes including the moves of popular dramas "Law & Order" and "Las Vegas."

"The West Wing" announcement wasn't much of a surprise. Although this season's story line with a presidential campaign involving a Democrat played by Jimmy Smits and Republican portrayed by Alan Alda has been strong critically, ratings have sunk with its move to Sunday nights.

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The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack Dec. 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.

"There's a point when you look at the ratings and say, it feels like it's time," Reilly said.

The series finale will be May 14, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. The campaign to replace the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president will be settled, NBC said.

Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, who created the show and guided it through its early years, will not be involved in the finale, Reilly said.

"The West Wing" won four Emmy Awards for best television drama in a row for its tales of political intrigue. At its prime, it also offered NBC two valuable benefits: critical acclaim and the most upscale audience on television, an important drawing point for advertisers.

[jwh_Denver]

Sure, the overall point of view was liberal, but it was surprisingly even handed in many ways and did not pull punches in criticizing Dems.

It was a patriotic show in every way. The characters deeply respected the institutions government they were participating in and had a deep sense of American history.

but it was surprisingly even handed??? Every time a Republican was in the show they were shown stubborn old hateful stalwarts.

Knowing the history part was just another total lie. They presented the Democrats as thinkers, caring, wanting to do the best for Americans. In real life we all know that is total BS. They presented the Democrats as people you'd vote for which is a travesty. The whole show was one big crock.

[lowbridge]

Never watched it.

And good riddance.

[Dick Vomer]

[lowbridge]

For those of you who didn't see it......who are you to comment?

Who are you to try and stop us?

I didnt see it.

It stunk.

So there :-)

[NathanR]

Probably destroy their oilfields. That is the only economic asset they have.

[Muleteam1]

Truthfully I haven't watched anything on ABC, CBS, or NBC since 1984. I almost spent an entire working career not being able to discuss the previous night's Seinfeld at the water cooler. I've been told I've been culturally deprived but I think they mean culturally enhanced.

Muleteam1

[pepperhead]

About time. Never once watched it.

I am happy to say I never watched it either.

[mkjessup]

Never watched even one episode. Programmed it out of my sight. Thank you Philips Generic Remote Control. I didn't miss a thing.

[in hoc signo vinces]

True...better to write, if CENTCOM enacted the Sherman Doctrine of "Total War" in its AOR, think about what would happen to Iran.

[zarf]

Disagree. The show was basically about the process of governing. Fascinating in and of itself.

I can't imagine anyone short of news junkies and political web site lurkers would have been interested in the West Wing.

[defenderSD]

I watched it frequently and it had a modest left-wing slant but it wasn't too annoying. The most irritating episodes were some of the early ones when Bartlett the brilliant Democrat economist is running for POTUS against a Pubbie who they portrayed as this uneducated, ignorant, uncultured semi-redneck guy with a slight southern accent from somewhere in the South. I found the portrayal of the GOP candidate to be a fairly offensive stereotype of Republicans as we exist in the minds of liberals. That stereotype is BS of course, because while there may be more Dems with PHDs, the vast majority of GOP positions on issues are more supported by good economic and social research than are Dem positions.

Rational, honest, factually oriented, logically-driven people usually join the GOP at a fairly young age and if not they eventually gravitate into the GOP by middle age.

[don-o]

Never watched a single episode.

[Richard-SIA]

That garbage was still on?

I never watched a single episode for more than five minutes.
I have seen even less of the new Hitlery promoting liberal love fest.
With any luck it can be cancelled at the same time, if not before.

[eleni121]

You sure have a high threshold for pain.

The show was a POS...I watched a few times and it was biased, silly, and infantile.

[stocksthatgoup]

The Democrats now have a women in the Oval office

[Bommer]

For those of you who didn't see it......who are you to comment?

Easy, I'm someone with good taste not to waste time watching bad trash! Life is too short! Read book people

[LdSentinal]

The only episode I saw was Aaron Sorkin's 'Isaac and Ishmael' episode after 9/11 where basically he said America deserved 9/11.

Sorkin was also a heavy promoter of Michael Moore's 'Farenheit 911'. So good riddance.

[Sir_Ed]

What Las Vegas has turned into is a soft-core porn show!

Episode after episode there are amateur sex tapes, swinger's conventions, porn stars, adult-film parties and conventions, it's ridiculous.

I used to live in Vegas, and believe me, there is a lot more drama there than an unending series of porn stars and hookers...

Ed

[Casloy]

"There's a point when you look at the ratings and say, it feels like it's time," Reilly said.

Yeah, there is also a time when you look at the show and say "this is really the worst kind of left wing propaganda." Apparently, they never did that.