Favorite West Wing Episodes
In no particular order.
*** = extreme favorite
>>> = only kind of a favorite
*** = extreme favorite
>>> = only kind of a favorite
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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.
- DirectorAnthony DrazanStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillOn the series' first "Big Block of Cheese" Day (nicknamed "Total Crackpot Day" by Josh), staffers meet with reps of various organizations causes, e.g., C.J. hosts a group that wants $900 million for a "wolves only" highway. The president has everyone to the residence for a homemade chili party, we learn about Mrs. Landingham's past, and Zoey is introduced to the group.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillIn the first of several episodes throughout the series' run that portrays ordinary Americans and how they interact with and ultimately affect the W.H., an Ohio middle school social studies teacher, a widower who has recently filled the brief remaining term of his late wife in the House, joins two other reps to meet with Toby and Mandy about changes to unfair rules in the U.S. Census written into the latest federal budget. The other two, career politicians, are completely resistant to the changes, but Mr. Willis is swayed by a potent argument Toby makes regarding "strict constructionism" (generally conservative and libertarian belief that the U.S. Constitution is not a living document, and must be followed as written, unless officially amended through standard 38-state ratification) and the 14th Amendment. Toby is impressed with the man and his open-mindedness. Elsewhere, Sam tutors C.J. on the finer points of the census. Late in the episode, the staff meets for a late-night poker party.
- DirectorAlan TaylorStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillA crucial banking bill is at risk when political rivals of environmentally sensitive President Bartlet attach a land-use rider to it that would allow strip-mining some of the Montana wilderness. C.J. tries to stamp out rumors that the Chief Executive chastised the Vice President during a cabinet meeting. An overworked Leo isn't too keen on his independent daughter Mallory dating the handsome Sam. C.J. continues to fend-off the romantic charms of a perceptive reporter with a knack for sniffing out juicy stories. Former lovers Mandy and Josh clash over the administration's attempt to jettison the land-use rider that might also ruin passage of the more important banking bill.
- 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.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweMoira KellyDulé HillIn a lecture at Georgetown, Josh recalls the previous week at the White House, during which he replaced a dentally impaired C.J. in the press room and gave a memorably disastrous briefing, responding to a reporter's question (sarcastically, although taken quite seriously) that the White House had a secret plan to fight inflation. Meanwhile, he's intermittently on the phone with Toby and Sam, who have flown to Connecticut and are now lost in a rental car on the Connecticut Turnpike. They've gone on critical business: the president's nominee for the Supreme Court, Roberto Mendoza, was pulled over by the local police for "driving while Hispanic" and refused to take a drunk test, so he was incarcerated. Toby has to talk the judge down from making a big public issue of his arrest by fighting the charges in court.
- 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.>>>
- 1999–200642mTV-148.4 (1.1K)TV EpisodeDirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneySam helps Josh battle his health insurance company; Ainsley Hayes encounters her firebrand boss and hostile colleagues; Abby gives the President some good news about his health; C.J. discovers a retiring General intends to publicly criticize the president.>>>
- DirectorParis BarclayStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyC.J. joins the President on a flight to Portland after a wisecrack about Notre Dame; Josh seeks to defeat an anti-gay marriage bill; Sam wants to rewrite an education speech; an oil tanker appears to be violating UN sanctions; Josh teases Donna over her dating record.ND vs. UMich bae
- 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.White House on fire
- 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.>>> Josh likes Doooooonna. Donna likes Jooooosh.
- DirectorMichael EnglerStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyComments made by Surgeon General Dr. Millicent Griffith concerning the medical effects of marijuana appear to reverse the President's stance on legalizing the drug.
- 1999–20061hTV-148.6 (1.1K)TV EpisodeDirectorJessica YuStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyOn this year's "Big Block of Cheese Day", a college friend of Donna's asks Sam to help her get her late grandfather, accused of being a Communist spy inside the U.S. government, a presidential pardon; dealing with the recent revelation that his father had been having an affair for the past 27 years, Sam faces off with an F.B.I. agent, and later with Nancy McNally, over the pardon. Elsewhere, a group of cartographers completely re-educates C.J. on her perception of the globe, and one-time protester Toby, with the help of a straight-talking female security guard, speaks for the w.h. at a rally to protest against U.S. participation in the WTO and various free trade agreements.>>> CJ and the map lol
- 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.>>> Josh’s mom sent him shoes
- 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.>>> Charlie and Bartlet
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyAs the Haitian army continues their seizure of the American embassy there, Bartlet and the staff prepare for the announcement that Bartlet has M.S. and the President must decide whether or he will seek re-election. As the funeral for Mrs. Landingham takes place and the announcement draws nearer, Bartlet thinks back to his past in search of the answer to the question everyone is asking: Will he seek re-election?
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillThe West Wing goes under lock down as a suspected terrorist is found to be working at the White House. Stuck with a group of high school students who were visiting the White House, the staffers, President Bartlet, and the First Lady all debate the issues regarding terrorism. Meanwhile, Leo sits in on the questioning of the terrorist suspect and learns a lesson about our perceptions of terrorists.
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillWith the staff all bickering with one another in Manchester, especially adversarial speech writers Toby and Doug, who angrily disagree about whether Bartlet should make a public apology for lying about his MS, and with the president sniping at everyone, the second-term announcement speech is locked. Abby ultimately forgives the president for deciding to run again without discussing it with her, and he ultimately apologizes to the staff in private for keeping his condition from them, which they expect will soon lead to a whole slew of grand jury subpoenas.Lol CJ and Josh and the snake
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneySpecial prosecutor Clem Rollins announces the grand jury subpoenas in the case of president's failure to disclose his MS to the public, and the list includes pretty much every West Wing staffer and Bartlet family member; Sam and Connie meet with an important Latino activist from Calif. who is considering supporting a primary challenger to Bartlet; C.J. convinces everyone that the special prosecutor is too reasonable, and that the W.H. needs a "better enemy" in the investigation, prompting the staff to provoke a Congressional inquiry.>>>
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillWhile the W.H. is hosting a gala dinner for Nobel Prize winners, Leo and the president learn of a suicide bomb in an Israeli cafe that took the lives of two American students in Tel Aviv for a soccer match, and the staff attempts to manage the president's first veto, of a House bill eliminating the estate tax, and the threat of an override the same night. Sam and Toby first try to sway a contentious Dem. From Tennessee who wants a whole list of farming and ranching concessions in exchange for his vote and three proxies; after a pep talk from Leo, they devise a substitute plan that may prove even more effective, if it works. Josh takes the governor of Indiana into a private meeting to determine if the man plans to challenge Bartlet in Democratic primary. C.J. takes heat from a smarmy Dallas entertainment reporter who is in town for the Nobel dinner but winds up having to cover the veto and override vote, but after the reporter embarrasses her during a live stand-up, C.J. one ups the woman in front of the press corps. Later, Sam, Toby and Josh try to help the president decide what to say to the parents of the two murdered students.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillAfter a fatal shooting in Texas, the president asks Hoynes to go down there and speak out for gun control, in spite of his history opposing it. Donna makes a gaffe in front of the Congressional committee. Leo argues with an old friend about the creation of an international war crimes tribunal.
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillIn an episode dotted with flashbacks, Leo and his attorney Jordon Kendall (Joanna Gleason) face a Congressional inquiry into whether the president lied to the American people regarding his MS, but this particular day of hearings concerns itself more with Abby and her secretly medicating Jed, and later with Leo's having fallen off the wagon during the campaign (a politically motivated Republican rep on the committee witnessed Leo drunk in his room three days before the nomination); we see the meeting in which Leo talked N.H. Governor Bartlet into running for president, introducing his idea, "Bartlet for America", on a cocktail napkin, which the president later frames and returns to Leo as a gift in thanks for all he's done for the president over the years; Cliff Calley, Donna's boyfriend and special counsel to the judicial oversight committee, asks the committee chair to halt the inquiry before the rep can compel Leo to admit his personal transgression; Leo asks Jordon to Xmas Eve dinner.
- DirectorVincent MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyIn a private, late-night meeting, Cliff Calley informs Leo and Jordon he has negotiated a settlement in the Congressional witch hunt over Bartlet's MS: Bartlet can accept a joint congressional censure (House Concurrent Resolution 172, or H.Con. 172); Leo initially refuses to bring it to the president, insisting it will devastate the president and affect him for the rest of his life, but he does mull it over, and consults with Josh and repeatedly with Jordon about it; Josh begins his romantic pursuit of women's issues advocate Amy Gardner, but flubs it a couple of times while she continues dating other men.Joooooosh got kissed plus good ending
- DirectorDavid NutterStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyOn the night of the State of the Union, Sam has to explain the process of writing the speech and grading reaction to it to a magazine reporter (Traylor Howard) throughout the evening; C.J. arranged the coverage aware that the reporter, Lisa Sherbourn, is Sam's ex-fiancée; flashing back to the speechwriting process, we see the president dining with several of Abbey's medical colleagues, and they ponder the future of cancer research, motivating Bartlet to ask that a section be added to the SOTU in which he calls for U.S. scientists to find a cancer cure by 2012; the staff, convinced that the Congressional censure is weighing heavily on the president, tries to talk him out of this bold but risky proposal.>>> Josh lifted CJ lol
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyToby is concerned when President Bartlett forgoes an opportunity to speak out in favor of affirmative action during the Iowa caucuses and confronts the President on the real reasons underlying his Dr. Jekyl & Uncle Fluffy personality shifts. Meanwhile Josh makes plans for a vacation with Amy and then must cancel them.Josh's home life/Josh calling Leo lol/smoooooooth Josh; DAT LAST SCENE DOE
- DirectorVincent MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyA small town in N.H. is the site of the first presidential primary vote, and the results from Hartsfield's Landing, announced at 12:07 a.m., will dominate the news all day until the final tally. Josh wants favorable press for the president, prompting him to ask Donna to persuade a local couple she knows to reconsider their vote. Elsewhere, Bartlet has just returned from India with a collection of antique chess sets he gives as gifts to the staff. He plays Toby while they discuss their recent blow-up, Bartlet's insomnia and Toby's fervent belief that the president's enormous intellectual gravitas is an asset, not a liability, to the campaign. He also plays Sam as they discuss a critical detente standoff between China and Taiwan. And Charlie and C.J. stand off in a series of pranks over a missing copy of the president's private schedule.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillA lavish W.H. party for Abbey's birthday the night before a N.H. medical board begins hearings on whether to suspend her license over her secret treatment of her husband's MS. Abbey returns to the residence with C.J. and Amy Gardener to get blitzed on wine and discuss her concerns about her medical career. Donna is restricted from joining the party because a decades-old cartography error puts her birthplace in Canada. Toby and U.K. Ambassador Lord John Marbury (Roger Rees) go to a nearby bar to share a bottle of very rare Scotch and to discuss a planned W.H. visit by an IRA political activist, which culminates in Marbury surprising Toby with his progressive vision. Later, Donna joins the women in the residence and makes an off-the-cuff remark that causes Abbey to rethink her stance on the issue of her license.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyPoet laureate Tabitha Fortis visits D.C. to attend a White House dinner in her honor, and Toby develops a bit of a crush on her, but he also must admonish the somewhat flighty beauty against publicly criticizing the president for his refusal to sign an international anti-land mine treaty; Donna discovers a website devoted to Josh, and he soon becomes sucked into the online chat about his activities and ego; speaking via remote to a local morning show in Philadelphia and unaware that the mike is on, Bartlet makes a stray comment impugning opponent Robert Richie's intelligence, for which the staff, particularly C.J., takes a lot of heat from Richie campaign and the press.>>> lemonlyman and great One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest metaphor
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyBartlet and Leo debate on how to deal with the impending visit of the Qumari Defense Minister, whom U.S. intelligence officers have conclusively linked to terrorists. Sam dismisses an ingenious idea to trap Republican presidential opponent Robert Ritchie in an unsavory position over the Everglades, but comes around after talking to Toby. C.J. begins to develop a relationship with Secret Service agent assigned to her, Simon Donovan. Josh and Amy are locked into a battle over a welfare reform bill, which could end their relationship.>>> Fricking sexy Josh + Josh getting chewed out by the President
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyAfter Bartlet gives a campaign speech at an Indiana farm, Josh, Toby and Donna are left behind by the presidential motorcade and must work their way across the state with the help of the farmer's daughter and, later, a teenage campaign volunteer, enduring many setbacks along the way. Josh and Toby obsess and bicker over how best to play the president's intellectualism, viewed by many as snobbery, against Republican opponent Robert Ritchie's "regular guy" persona, while Donna must keep them on track and communicate with the real Americans they encounter along the way. Back at the W.H., the president deals with a terrorist attack at an Iowa college swim meet, meets with Leo, Nancy and Fitzwallace to discuss how to handle the prospect of the U.S. and/or Israel being accused of a conspiracy in the assassination of Qumari defense minister Abdul Shareef, and interviews secretarial candidates, including a second round with Debbie Fiderer; the wandering party finally arrive at a city with an airport (presumably South Bend) and stop briefly at a nearby hotel, where they learn about the Iowa attack and Donna chastises the two men for caring only about the campaign and not the people it affects; later in the hotel bar, Josh and Toby meet a man trying to figure out how to pay his daughter's tuition to Notre Dame, and he inspires them to initiate new tax policy.amazing
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillDonna teaches Toby and Josh an important lesson as their trek homeward continues; Sam staffs the President in Josh's absence and welcomes an old friend home; Bartlet hires a secretary and C.J. finds a Big Brother for Anthony; the situation in Qumar continues to escalate; Bartlet gets spooked by a photo op as the Dow continues its dive; and a pipe bomb kills 44 students at a Midwest university swim meet.***Amazing Toby and Josh Judaism fight/"The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight."
- DirectorParis BarclayStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneySequestered in North Carolina to prepare for the one and only debate between Bartlet and opponent Robert Richie, the staff and several consultants (incl. Andrea Wyatt and Joey Lucas) flash back to the days just before and after the president's first inauguration, which were marked by an ill-advised choice for attorney general and ongoing concerns about fertility for then-married Toby and Andrea. In the present, Sam plays Richie in mock debates and raises Bartlet's ire, while Leo and the joint chiefs try to convince the president not to treat increasingly aggressive Qu'mar, whose defense minister Bartlet ordered assassinated (late last season), with kid gloves, and the staff keeps pestering Toby about his on-again, off-again relationship with Andrea, until he makes a startling revelation.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillToby falls prey to a practical joke by the rest of the staff, after which everyone but Leo takes off for the debate in San Diego. Sam makes a side trip to Newport Beach to explain to the congressional campaign manager of the late Horton Wilde why the campaign has to fold even though Wilde is still on the ballot; what Sam doesn't expect is a stalwart named Will Bailey who, determined to keep the ideas of the campaign alive, continues to hold campaign events and do door-to-door canvassing. In San Diego, a nervous w.w. staff readies itself to spin for the president, but when Bartlet and Richie go head to head in a unique debate format, Bartlet tears Richie apart on states' rights, education, taxes, etc., by being precisely the intellectual snob everyone had accused him of being and using it to his own advantage. Back in DC, Leo and Jordon Kendall meet with the Qu'mari ambassador to the U.N., and Leo warns Qu'mar to back off its campaign to charge Israel with the assassination of Defense Minister Abdul Shareef. After the debate, Sam returns to Newport to meet once more with Will at a bar, during which Sam makes a surprising offer.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillSam finds himself in a tricky position after the election in Orange County takes an unexpected turn. Toby and his ex-wife also find themselves in a delicate position, but decidedly one of their own making. And CJ tracks down the self aggrandizing source of some Process Stories.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsRob LoweStockard ChanningDulé HillA 15 year old boy needs a heart and lung transplant. He also happens to be the son of the Iranian Ayatollah who is not a supporter of the Bartlet Administration.Josh and Hoynes
- DirectorJohn David ColesStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyWomen's groups, by default including the majority of the First Family, react passionately as a renowned female fighter pilot is sanctioned for an affair with a senior officer. Meanwhile Sam prepares for his campaign.>>> Josh as Donna's wingman
- DirectorThomas SchlammeStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyToby's estranged father appears in his office a couple of nights before Christmas. Leo and Jed find themselves trying to fix problems as well as their consciences.
- DirectorBill D'EliaStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyA fight for Foreign Aid brings the staff together. Meanwhile Danny is uncovering evidence that is making certain members of the administration increasingly uncomfortable.>>>
- DirectorVincent MisianoStarsRob LoweDulé HillAllison JanneyThe president, first lady and w.w. staff travel to Orange County, Calif., to campaign for Sam's bid to win the 47th District congressional seat -- the Nov. winner in the heavily Republican district was, amazingly, a liberal Democrat who, more amazingly, had died a few weeks prior. The president orders Toby to fire Sam's campaign manager, a staunch realist, and take over the campaign with a more idealistic approach. Some conservative voters approach Andrea Wyatt in a bar and give her grief about her out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and Toby and Charlie step in forcefully, landing them in jail. Donna talks, on behalf of Sam's campaign, with a state labor leader who turns out to be a Communist.>>> Lol Toby and Charlie
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaTrying to participate in a late-night staff poker game proves difficult as news arrives that an unmanned U.S. spy plane has crashed in a remote part of Russia, and Bartlet and Leo have to deal with an incensed Russian President Chagorin and convince him via phone to let the military go in and recover the plane; C.J. obsesses over the fact that on the exact moment of the spring equinox (today), you can stand an egg on end; Toby and Will have a card-flipping contest in the press room, during which someone from the street fires several bullets into the room; Debbie must "crash" the West Wing for the first time when the bullets fly; at the same time, Josh is interviewing associate counsel applicant Joe Quincy, and there's something about the well-qualified lawyer that bothers Josh, which he deduces during the lock down.
- DirectorJohn David ColesStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaOn his first day on the job, the new deputy counsel uncovers a trail of clues to a scandal that will end one person's career.>>>
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyThe assassination of Shareef threatens to become public, the president speaks at Zoe's graduation, and the unthinkable happens.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyIn the wake of his daughter's kidnapping, Bartlet must make a decision between being a father and being President.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyWith Bartlet back in the Oval Office, and back in his wife's bad books, the hunt for a Vice President begins.>>>
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaA North Korean pianist announces his intention to defect in the Oval Office. While the staff passionately debate his request they also fight to get the President's choice of Vice President nominated by a new and hostile Speaker of the House.>>> Lol Josh and Wisconsin
- DirectorLaura InnesStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaMultiple members of the team start questioning the direction of the White House, including one member entertaining job offers. Those who aren't are starting to stumble, including Josh and Amy.
- DirectorLesli Linka GlatterStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaLeo is left manning the fort when the President goes AWOL whilst visiting tornado victims. Josh is not in the position to lend a hand as he deals with the fallout from a gross miscalculation and lack of judgment.Sexy Josh in first scene
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyPresident Bartlet refuses to let Speaker of the House Haffley hold him hostage on the budget and allows the government to be shut down.Lol Congress taking tips from The West Wing
- DirectorLesli Linka GlatterStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaPress leaks lead to the revelation that former VP John Hoynes is about to release a tell-all book about the administration.>>>
- DirectorLlewellyn WellsStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyA Republican Congresswoman targets Ellie in an attempt to discredit the President; C.J. urges Abby to appear on Sesame Street; Josh works to keep a judicial nominee from withdrawing.>>>
- DirectorJessica YuStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaA Supreme Court Justice dies, forcing the administration's hand on picking a desirable replacement who can be confirmed by a hostile Congress.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsDulé HillAllison JanneyJoshua MalinaA fact finding codel to the Middle East is torn apart by an explosion. Key members of the administration and their loved ones are caught in the mess. The President is forced to consider retaliatory military action in the unstable area, with possible repercussions that could last decades.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyThe President finds himself at odds with Leo, and the entire country, on his position regarding retaliation for the bombing in Gaza.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyLeo is found in the woods and rushed to the hospital; the staff struggle to hold the peace deal together without a Chief of Staff; the President neglects his duties out of loyalty and guilt towards Leo; Donna arrives back in the USA.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyC.J.'s first day as Chief of Staff gives her a new appreciation for Leo's skill in the role. While struggling to keep up with her hectic schedule, she must handle the sudden appearance of abandoned Soviet nuclear material, counter political maneuvering within the Cabinet, and assert her authority with the staff and the President. Toby conducts a press briefing after which C.J. orders him to quickly find someone to fill the role permanently. The Democratic Party enlists Josh's help to talk Congressman Matt Santos out of taking an early retirement.>>>
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyMagicians Penn and Teller give a controversial performance at Zoey's birthday party in the White House that threatens to drown out the news of the impending China trip. President Bartlet goes to New Orleans on his way to China after unexpectedly requesting briefings be postponed until they are in the air. Josh tries to decide which Democratic presidential candidate he wants to support, and is alarmed that Bartlet wants to appoint California Republican Senator Arnold Vinick to be Ambassador to the United Nations.>>>
- DirectorLesli Linka GlatterStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyPresident Bartet's attack of multiple sclerosis requires hasty reorganization of the summit in China. Unable to endure the long meetings, he becomes frustrated when the Chinese take advantage of his absence to drag their feet over North Korea. Back at the White House, Josh is told by NASA that a large asteroid is on a collision course with earth; staffers are unsure whether to prepare for the end of the world or not. Donna becomes frustrated when Josh continually postpones what she says is an important conversation. With the New Hampshire primary looming and Vinick looking like a formidable opponent, Josh and Leo try to find a Democratic presidential candidate they can believe in.>>>
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningDulé HillA day in the lives of presidential candidates Bob Russell, Matt Santos, and Arnold Vinick, who are in Iowa trying to gain support for their campaigns. Iowa is the first state in the nation to hold their presidential caucuses, and issues affecting farmers and rural areas are the focus. The most important issue on the table is the large federal subsidies for ethanol fuel given to corn growers, which is supported by Iowa residents but seen as naked pandering by the rest of the country. Josh continues to clash with Santos over winning votes instead of proposing radical policy. Donna and Josh continue to avoid speaking about the state of their relationship.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyBack in Washington briefly, Josh visits the White House and is surprised to discover that as a campaign manager he is no longer part of the inner circle in an administration that wants to remain neutral in the Democratic primary. Toby is the focus of some concern after being more withdrawn than usual and also because he is nursing a cut on his face that he doesn't want to talk about. Charlie tells Kate that a guy at his gym has been asking about her, but she's unsure if she's ready to date again. A multi-state water rights fight pitches C.J. against lobbyist Cliff Calley, who proves to be both infuriating and intriguing. Josh and Donna are both suspicious when far-left Senator Rafferty joins the race, obviously as a spoiler candidate.Josh/Toby fight
- DirectorJason EnslerStarsStockard ChanningDulé HillAllison JanneyHoynes and Russell are campaigning in New York, confident of their prospects in the California primary. Santos needs to do unexpectedly well in California in order to stay financially afloat; another third place finish will see his donors shift their money elsewhere, finishing his campaign. Santos's message of education and health care is overshadowed when California passes a law prohibiting drivers licenses for illegal immigrants. Despite the bill being widely supported by most voters, Matt cannot publicly endorse it as he's counting on the support of Latino voters, who expect him to denounce it.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningDulé HillSenator Arnold Vinick easily wins the Republican nomination on the night of the New Jersey primary, but has difficulty picking a running mate. Choosing Reverend Don Butler would virtually guarantee him the presidency, but their differing views on abortion and religion would make it a political union rather than one based on shared ideology. The Democratic nomination is a toss-up between Santos and Russell; Hoynes is running a distant third. With no clear nominee going into the convention, the Democratic party risks appearing unsure about both Santos and Russell - a position that President Bartlet does not want the Republicans to be able to exploit.
- DirectorNelson McCormickStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningDulé HillWhile Vinick and the Republicans deliver a flawless albeit predictable convention, the Democratic convention looks to be more like a pie fight as there is no clear favorite. Russell tries to preempt the floor vote by hinting offers of the vice presidential nomination to both Santos and Governor Baker of Pennsylvania. Charlie and Zoey's relationship is becoming more serious, resulting in different reactions from the President and the First Lady. An air leak on the International Space Station will kill all three astronauts unless a rescue mission can be launched. NASA advises that their shuttles are unfit for flight, but then hints at another solution.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningDulé HillWHO WILL BE THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE? - It's the Democratic National Convention and the race to become the Democratic Presidential candidate has narrowed to three candidates: Russell, Baker and Santos. Also, Bartlet must wrestle with the decision to launch the super-secret defense shuttle to rescue the astronauts trapped at the space station and risk national security or let them die.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethDulé HillFour days after the Democratic convention, Josh begins to staff up the Santos campaign. With Santos and Leo effectively strangers - and Leo not an experienced campaigner - adjustments of roles and responsibilities are required in order to deliver a strong and consistent message. The White House prepares to launch the military Space Shuttle on its rescue mission to the Space Station amidst growing suspicion that proof of its existence was deliberately leaked by someone in the Administration. The Republicans offer Bartlet a concession on an education bill in an attempt to drive a wedge between him and the Santos campaign.Josh can't hire Donna :(
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethAllison JanneyDespite vigorous campaigning, the Santos campaign still struggles to articulate its message and keep the focus on domestic issues rather than gossip and trivia. Although Santos served decades in the military and remains in the reserves, Vinick still appears the stronger candidate on national security issues due to stereotypes about Republicans and Democrats. The White House's decision to halt their own investigation into the leak is a savvy legal move, however it could prove to be costly politically: while Vinick can slam the President for this decision, it's not so easy for Santos to do so. Josh reluctantly recruits help with running the campaign when it becomes obvious that he's trying to do too much himself.
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsJaneane GarofaloRon SilverTeri PoloA live debate between Santos and Vinick, performed once for the east coast and once for the west.
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethAllison JanneyThe Santos campaign's difficulties with the black community continue when a Latino police officer shoots a black child; C.J. offloads preparations for Ellie's wedding to Will when Kate needs her help with Kazakhstan; Josh visits Toby.>>>
- DirectorMax MayerStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningKristin ChenowethPresident Bartlet's plan to attend his daughter Ellie's White House wedding is jeopardized when Russia and China mobilize troops over growing chaos in Kazakhstan. The Santos campaign has gained ground on Vinick over the last few weeks, but with less than two months until the election it's not clear that the gap can be closed. As Josh obsesses over the electoral math, tracking polls, and decisions on where to spend advertising money, some Democrats are nervous that the election is slipping away, and urge Santos to fire Josh as campaign manager.>>>
- DirectorPaul McCraneStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethAllison JanneyLeo's preparation for the Vice Presidential debate is going badly; Santos makes his last trip home before the election; Will and Kate continue to flirt.John Spencer announcement
- DirectorAlex GravesStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethAllison JanneyThe Vinick campaign struggles with the impact of the nuclear accident in California; Josh and Donna have a "moment".JOSH AND DONNA KISS THIS IS NOT A DRILL
- DirectorMimi LederStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethDulé HillElection day finally arrives; C.J. ponders job offers; the election looks too close to call.Nobody touch me...the sexual tension
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethAllison JanneyPolls are closing across the country, and the race is too close to call; friends and colleagues react to the news about Leo.Leo baby no
- DirectorSteve ShillStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningKristin ChenowethPresident Bartlet and his current and former staffers come together for Leo's funeral.
- DirectorNelson McCormickStarsAlan AldaKristin ChenowethAllison JanneyEyebrows are raised when the President-elect places a call to the president of China and offers a different position than that of Bartlet. Meanwhile, Josh picks his deputy chief of staff.I never realized how incomplete my life was without joshdonna…MY BBYS ARE BOTH CHIEFS OF STAFF AHHHH
- DirectorChristopher MisianoStarsAlan AldaStockard ChanningKristin ChenowethSantos and his staff prepare for the inauguration as Bartlet and his team look back on their years in the White House.Everybody's okay