Variety reported Thursday afternoon that Emmy Award-winning writer Aaron Sorkin would be leaving The West Wing at the end of this season, its fourth. The driving creative force behind the White House staff drama and writer of most of its episodes, Sorkin had his hands full this past season, most notably with a decline in ratings for the hit show, which has won the Best Drama Series Emmy for the past three years. Wing also suffered the loss this year of one of its biggest stars, Rob Lowe, who reportedly decided to leave after a salary dispute that did not offer him as high a raise as his co-stars (Lowe was considered the show's lead when it launched, and thus was paid more). Longtime Sorkin collaborator Thomas Schlamme, a fellow executive producer and Emmy-winning director, was expected to announce his departure as well. Sorkin still has one year left on his contract with Warner Bros. TV.
Let me be the first to say that this is bullshit. Other reports have said that Sorkin is not just leaving, he's being FORCED out by NBC over the falling ratings. Keep in mind that WW is up against reality shows, and thus is drawing a totally different audience, but there we are.
Anyway, thanks for four years of a great show, Aaron Sorkin.
Over 1150 posts and still never a Wiener of the Day!
Really, if they told you that SARS was being pumped through the ventilation system into every theatre in which this was being shown, would you be any less likely to go see it?-- review of 'Daddy Day Care' at fametracker.com
As the days go by, we face the increasing inevitability that we are alone in a godless, uninhabited, hostile and meaningless universe. Still, you've got to laugh, haven't you?
Originally posted by Big BadOther reports have said that Sorkin is not just leaving, he's being FORCED out by NBC over the falling ratings. Keep in mind that WW is up against reality shows, and thus is drawing a totally different audience, but there we are.
Sorkin clashed with Warner Bros, not NBC, since he didn't understand the concept of "staying within budget," and when you go over it's the studio not the network that suffers. It didn't help that his show fell in quality, and thus the ratings, right before WB was set to re-up with the Peacock, meaning the license fee increase wasn't as much as it would have been two years ago. The studio is lucky they inked a deal with Bravo several years ago, or they'd be looking at less money for the repeats that I believe start in September.
Admittedly, NBC wasn't happy with him either, and the show is still gold among high-income viewers and thus the money the network can charge is higher than a similar-rated show with an audience averaging less bread. But Sorkin got himself into this mess; the show is just less interesting than before. The Bachelor can't be totally blamed; it's sort of like the Monday Night Wars where WCW didn't steal from the WWF as much as they attracted different viewers when they launched Nitro. ABC did the same.
There's no room for anything on television that's not crap anymore, is there?
Personally, I hope Sorkin spends a year working on the campaign of, say, John Kerry or Howard Dean and pumps some life into the Democratic party. It's so disheartening to realize that the best presidennial speeches in the last ten years have all come out of the mouth of Jebediah Bartlett.
CHRISTIAN,n. 1. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. 2. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.
Its sad that we have to look for television for anything that close to real political leadership. I would vote for Martin Sheen even if he is a bit more liberal than me.
With that said, I was actually enjoying West Wing of late. They seemed to cut out most of the non-usuable characters and just focused back in on the staff. The expection being Matthew Perry who was good as a guest star this week. I hate Friends. I just don't think the kidnapping thing is going to get fans in. They already had the big assassination plot and the President coming out on his MS. Unless they start a war, I don't see much in the way of anyting awe inspiring. I will say this Democratic Party has the balls were the real one doesn't. Faking the Berumada Triangle crash just to kill the bad guy was a stroke of brillance.
The Democratic Party just needs to wait out Bush. This attack a Middle East country a year thing will eventually wear out, I hope. Then the Dems can go after his huge ass spending on the war while the country's economy and education is in the toliet. Man, if Bartlett was around he would have KOed Bush right out of the gate. Of course, he has charisma while the real Democrates don't or don't know how to fake it.
I rarely watch the West Wing because I don't like watching 60-minute DNC campaign commercials. I did, however, watch the resignation show the other day and it was completely flat. Boring. Not terribly interesting at all. Yikes...
"America may have some problems, but it's our home. Our team. And if you don't wanna root for your team...then you should get the hell out of the stadium. Go America."--Stan Marsh, South Park
What the hell are all of you doing in the west wing? The Beast specifically said when he took Belle prisoner in the castle that the west wing was forbidden.
*looks around*
Aw, sh*t...gotta stop watching so damn many Disney DVDs.
Star wipe, and...we're out. Thrillin' ain't easy. . . THE THRILL NWA-ACW Home Video Technical Director...& A2NWO 4 Life!
From Cynthia Turner's Cynopsis TV industry newsletter:
"All of this shouldn't be too much of a surprise to anyone since Sorkin himself said in an interview about a year ago on Today that this would be his last season of West Wing."
So apparently the departure has little to do with West Wing's troubles this year, unless Cynthia blew a gasket and is remembering incorrectly.
After watching tonight's episode, this hits harder than ever. The first part of the season finale was one of the finest masterstrokes I've seen on television in quite some time. It's only half finished, and it already delivered more than the "Sopranos" season finale.
Not just the kidnapping, but they pulled together all the storylines they'd dropped or moved into the background throughout the season - the covert assassination of the Qumari president, Toby's ex-wife's pregnancy, Charlie's relationship with Zoey, Donna's infatuation with Josh...
It's the best dramatic ensamble on television, but I don't know if they can keep it together without Sorkin.
CHRISTIAN,n. 1. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. 2. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.
If Avenue Q wins Best Musical I would freak out and soil myself out of delight. Here's hoping! I'd rather see that win that Boy From Oz (the only other show nominated I saw), since that show's saving grace was Hugh Jackman.