The West Wing
The best instalment ofThe West Wingshowcase why Aaron Sorkin ’s political drama is still deal one of the highest calibre TV picture to ever be broadcast . scarper across 7 seasons from 1999 to 2006 on NBC , The West Wingfocused on the presidencyof Jed Bartlet ( Martin Sheen ) and the stave supporting him . It stay a hugely influential show , with many still citing it as one of the well written play of the last few decades . In fact , it was so well written that some substantial globe government such as Myanmar used it to study democracy ( viaNY Magazine ) .
Given the logical quality of the show , contention for the good instalment ofThe West Wingis fierce . When it comes to accolades , The West Wingwas nominate for a staggering 289 awards across its run , winning 100 . This includes 20 Golden Globe nominations and 2 winnings , as well as 27 Emmy from an astounding 98 nominations . The salutary episodes ofThe West Wingperfectly present why the show was so acclaimed , with each being a abide out example of the character development , political intrigue , and aroused depth that made the series so popular .
10Twenty Five
The West Wing Season 4, Episode 23
If there ’s one matter the creative squad ofThe West Wingknew how to do implausibly well , it was the start and end of a new season . When it comes to the best episodes ofThe West Wing , there are a few time of year finales that particularly bear out - such as the terminal instalment of season 4 , “ Twenty Five ” . “ Twenty Five ” was an sequence ofThe West Wingthat was as emotional as it was full of drama . There was a key ground for the somber tone too - President Bartlet appeal the 25th Amendment and steps down .
Jed Bartlet inThe West Wingis one of themost popular fabricated presidentsof all prison term . ascertain his considered yet decisive glide slope to leadership was one of the best things about the show , so spectator get it incredibly impactful when he stepped away to check the safe of his kidnapped daughter . “Twenty Five ” is by no means slow - paced either , especially when John Goodman ’s Glen Allen Walken - in many way Bartlet ’s opposite - assumes the presidency .
9In Excelcis Deo
The West Wing Season 1, Episode 10
Alongside Martin Sheen ’s Jed Bartlet , one of themost popularThe West Wingcharactersis Toby Ziegler ( Richard Schiff ) , the prexy ’s language - writer and communication theory theatre director . He ’s an incredibly complex bearing on the show , even being fire at one point for leak state secrets , so it ’s unsurprising thatThe West Wing Episodesthat focal point on Toby make for some of the estimable . Among them is season 1 ’s “ In Excelcis Duo ” , which give fan one of their first coup d’oeil at just how virtuously conflicted Toby could be .
“ In Excelcis Deo ” , the 10th instalment of the first time of year ofThe West Wing , focuses on Toby as he works through his wrath at the treatment of veterans under the Bartlet governing . It also showed just how lovely Toby was as a graphic symbol , as it ’s out of the question not to rout for him as he uses his stance to get a funeral for a struggling vet . sight of other character reference have touch moments too , particularly when Kathryn Joosten ’s Mrs. Landringham joins Toby for the funeral of the old stager he was fighting on behalf of .
8Dead Irish Writers
The West Wing Season 3, Episode 15
Among the dozens of awards advance byThe West Wingis a Primetime Emmy win for Best support Actress in a Drama serial for Stockard Channing in 2002 - and it was the sequence “ numb Irish Writers ” and Abbey Bartlet ’s story that she received it for . The episode focuses almost solely of The First Lady , and “ utter Irish Writers ” showcases just how strenuous life in The White House isfor Jed Bartlet ’s married woman .
This is n’t just shown through her domestic duties such as preparation parties and events , either . Abbey finds herself lose her aesculapian license when she ’s up in front of the N.H. aesculapian board . Treating her married man ’s MS is the grounds why , andknowing that she destroy her career for the sake of Jed ’s presidency cement Abbey as one of the characters inThe West Wingviewers respected most .
7Bartlet For America
The West Wing Season 3, Episode 9
time of year 3 ’s “ Bartlet For America ” was one of the tense in the story ofThe West Wing , as it see Leo up in front of Congress ( specifically the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform ) to bear witness over his noesis of the President ’s MS cover up . It was one of the full performances inThe West Wingfrom John Spencer as Leo , as “ Bartlet For America ” showed just how truehearted Bartlet ’s Chief of Staff really was .
Like many installment concentrate around Bartlet ’s MS , “ Bartlet For America ” also showed just how conflictingbelief in Bartlet ’s visioncould be for those around him . Like Abbey in “ Dead Irish Writers ” , Leo in “ Bartlet For America ” is shown to have put his own convictions aside when it comes to hiding the President ’s illness . ThisThe West Wingepisode is also notable for its incredible use of flashback , which show various high and David Low of Leo ’s sentence with Bartlet from the instant they first met .
617 People
The West Wing Season 2, Episode 18
The West Wingseason 2’s“17 People ” is another swell Toby installment , and one of several of the best episode of the show that stand out thanks to the storyline surrounding Bartlet ’s MS . Specifically , “ 17 citizenry ” is the episode in which Toby figures out the causa of the President ’s symptom . While season 3 ’s “ Dead Irish Writers ” and “ Bartlet For America ” quite a little with the career side effect for those who keep Bartlet ’s MS secret , it ’s “ 17 mass ” where the sincerity of the office is first outlined .
Much of the focus of “ 17 People ” is the discussion between Bartlet , Leo , and Toby as they endeavor to figure out a course of action . This includes how to protect the titular 17 people who live about Bartlet ’s illness - all of whom could be face likely jail time . It ’s a spectacular episode ofThe West Wingto say the least , and it ’s also a key import that raise just how crucial Toby ’s counsel is to President Bartlet .
520 Hours In America Pt 1 & Pt 2
The West Wing Season 4, Episodes 1 & 2
Several of the best episodes ofThe West Wingare divide into two part , and a key reason is that the show was incredibly strong when it come to double - length chronicle to spread unexampled seasons . This is the case with “ 20 Hours In America ” , the first two episodes ofThe West Wingseason 4 . However , “ 20 Hours In America ” stands out among the greatestThe West Wingepisodes not because of its drama or emotional moments ( though it has both ) , but because it was so funny .
As a political drama , The West Wingisn’t widely experience for its light-hearted moment , even though it ’s far from lacking in them . However , “ 20 Hours In America ” is the exception to the rule . In the time of year 4 two - part premiere , Toby , Josh ( Bradley Whitford ) , and Donna ( Janel Moloney ) are stranded in Indiana - and their attempts to find their way back to DC make for a jest - out - loud drollery of errors . There ’s also some emotional plot threads , such as CJ mourning Simon espouse his demise , but “ 20 Hours In America ” outrank among the best in the show entirely because of the unexpected road stumble clowning storyline .
4Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
The West Wing Season 1, Episode 19
President Jed Bartlet and his vision for America were truly inspiring , even if they were fictional . However , he was n’t the head of such an effective government at the get-go of the show . In early seasons ofThe West Wing , the Bartlet presidential term was , if anything , wan . This is what makes time of year 1 ’s “ Let Bartlet Be Bartlet ” one of the best sequence , as it tick off the moment both the President and his staff find the sparkle that leads them to become the riotous force for modification they were by the time the show end .
Specifically , it is a leak memo that trademark Bartlet himself as a soft touching that creates a wave of introspection within the White House . This culminates with Leo deciding the new authorization for the government would be “ let Bartlet be Bartlet ” . The President and his administration plant the courage to reach for the alteration they wanted to see no matter how maverick it was , or how much it rile up the foe . It ’s the leadership style that made Jed Bartlet such a popular fancied president , and it begin in “ Let Bartlet Be Bartlet ” .
3Noel
The West Wing Season 2, Episode 10
Bradley Whitford ’s Josh Lyman , Leo ’s deputy sheriff Chief of Staff , is ranked with Toby and Bartlet as one of the most democratic characters inThe West Wing . He ’s a central presence in several of the full episodes of the political dramatic play , though season 2 ’s “ Noel ” is one of the strong that focuses heavily on his character reference . “ Noel ” is a Christmas episode ofThe West Wing , though it ’s far from an exuberant holiday special as seen in many other shows .
“ Noel ” is , instead , an incredibly sombre and grounded installment ofThe West Wing . The focal point is almost exclusively on Josh ’s struggle with his mental health . Through conversations with trauma psychologist Dr. Keyworth ( Adam Arkin ) , Josh is forced to confront the fact that an character assassination attempt has left him with dangerous PTSD.Watching the usually potent Josh allowing themselves to open up and show vulnerability is made all the more engaging by the carrying out of Bradley Whitford , and it ’s one of the good examples of character development in the entirety ofThe West Wing .
2In The Shadow Of Two Gunmen Pt 1 & Pt 2
The West Wing Season 2, Episodes 1 & 2
Much like “ 20 Hours In America ” , “ In The Shadow Of Two gunslinger ” is one of the right episodes ofThe West Wingthat ’s a two - parter to open up a season . In this pillowcase , it was time of year 2 - and since it followed the cliffhanger season 1 ending where an unrevealed character had been shot in an assassination attempt , it was always cleared “ In The Shadow Of Two triggerman ” was going to be a absorbing story . However , while the aftermath of the shooting of both Bartlet and Josh makes for pulse - pounding showing , this electric discharge alone is n’t why “ The Shadow Of Two torpedo ” is bet among the bestThe West Wingepisodes .
“ In The Shadow Of Two Gunmen ” also stand out among the 154 episode ofThe West Wingbecause it provided something of an origin story for almost all the characters . Flashbacks were use to great effect throughout both parts . The dramatic event of the assassination attempt was juxtaposed with memories from the core members of Bartlet ’s team , showing how each of them found their room to the President ’s privileged circle and came to believe in his vision for America .
1Two Cathedrals
The West Wing Season 2, Episode 22
Across all 7 seasons of the show , few installment are as wide look at the dependable sequence ofThe West Wingas “ Two Cathedrals ” , the coda of season 2 . “ Two Cathedrals ” was the show at both its most dramatic and its most emotional , and few episodes before or since came close to matching it . On the worked up character reference - driven front , the entirety of Bartlet ’s staff are still reeling from the sudden death of Mrs. Landringham ( Kathryn Joosten ) , who was down by a intoxicated driver . There ’s also an incredible amount of tension for Bartlet as he grapples with the decision to go public with his MS diagnosing .
However , while both narrative thread would make for big episodes ofThe West Wingin their own right , “ Two duomo ” also features the culmination of one of the great global crisis of the Bartlet presidential term . The U.S. embassy in Haiti is being clutch by the Haitian US Army , which adds plenty of political intrigue to the already standout installment . Few episode of any idiot box show have been as highly acclaim as “ Two Cathedrals ” , and it remains considered by many critics as not only the best episode ofThe West Wing , but one of the undecomposed of any series .
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Cast
In Aaron Sorkin ’s classic political procedural , the senior staff of President Josiah Bartlet ( Martin Sheen ) confront the daily challenge of helping to launch the country from the West Wing of the White House . The series feature an ensemble cast that also include Rob Lowe , Dulé Hill , Bradley Whitford , Allison Janney , Richard Schiff , and John Spencer .
