46 The West Wing

NBC 1999-2006

The past few years of American life haven’t been kind to this White House drama’s innate belief that anyone can be swayed on any political issue if presented with a cogent argument. Yet that belief is in many ways more appealing in this time of great division than it was when West Wing debuted at the end of the Clinton administration — especially when accompanied by the crackling dialogue and soaring

rhetoric of creator Aaron Sorkin, and delivered by lovable characters like eloquent President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen), pragmatic White House chief of staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), idealistic speechwriter Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), and harried press secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney).