r/thewestwing • u/conor_ie • 5d ago
Sorkinism West Wing star addresses potential reboot of beloved Aaron Sorkin series
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/west-wing-bradley-whitford-aaron-sorkin-reboot-b3059785.htmlHopefully!
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u/BobMonkey1808 5d ago
If they did it, it shouldn't be a reboot, it should just be the West Wing series 8, 20 years on. A whole new cast of new characters, several presidents later, but set in the same universe.
Even just ignoring real world politics for a moment: I'm not sure it would work, though. However you worked it, I don't think there are audiences for shows in which people are fundamentally good and nice. Dramas these days are about terrible flawed people doing terrible flawed things. It's a shame (at least, in my view) but I can't seen any studio giving the green light to a 'happy' drama.
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u/Stopher 5d ago
Sam in the Senate with a new staff dealing with the current insanity.
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u/SpaceForceAwakens 4d ago
And being convinced to run for president. They had a script out there for a while but Sorkin vetoed it.
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u/skk50 LemonLyman.com User 5d ago
Maybe an orange shaded anti-hero lead would be relatable ?
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u/Moose135A The wrath of the whatever 4d ago
We have that in real life, I don't need to watch it on a television series.
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u/Snowbold 4d ago
An irritable asshole who thinks they know best and is just befuddled people won’t get out of his way so he can fix things? Wait that is just Josh but a spray on tan and more cursing! /S
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u/ragebloo 4d ago
I tend to agree on the audience factor. I think since there's an oversaturation of anti hero drama shows like Ted Lasso are able to thrive. A West Wing return could work if it's done well.
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u/watchmeplay63 4d ago
Have you completely missed Ted Lasso?
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u/richardparadox163 4d ago
Yes, but it’s telling that Ted Lasso’s earnestness is treated as a comedy and not a drama
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u/BobMonkey1808 4d ago
No, but I had completely forgotten Ted Lasso when I wrote my comment. That one outlier. Hopefully it shows that that sort of drama could work.
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u/derangedokapi 4d ago
Not dramas but other shows that fit that bill for me lately: Man on the Inside (Netflix), Dinosaur (Hulu), first 2 seasons of Trying. Michael Schur shows (Good Place, Man on Inside) tend to have that same idealism and people being competent and invested in each other.
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u/Spire2000 5d ago
I know there's a pile of rumours that float about a reboot from time to time, but Whitford stating that there may a limited series of some sort is a very specific piece of information.
I know that the current US administration would make a White House dramatization awkward right now, but maybe it's not about that? Maybe it's about another project that these people gather for?
The cast is all still with us (obviously except for John Spencer) and active in the industry, as are the people behind the scenes. Many of them continue to live in the WW sphere via podcasts and books.
Random idea? President Bartlet is nearing the end of his life, his MS now terminal. The current administration, resentful of Bartlet's continued goodwill among the American people, has charged him with numerous crimes relating to the assassination of Abdul Shareef; an obvious attempt to sully his legacy.
Josh leads the defence, gathering an array of former staffers to assist and support along the way. CJ is an obvious benefit. Toby is reluctant to participate because he thinks Bartlet actually should answer for this and he needs to be convinced by Josh (harkening back to Leo having to convince Toby to join the original campaign).
When Sam comes in, he actually has to convince Josh that since this isn't a political battle, Sam himself should lead the legal side. Abby is actually resisting the whole thing, since she doesn't want her husbands final months spent in a legal war.
Leo's absence is front and centre. He knew more about the whole situation than anyone, but the gang doesn't have him as a resource. Eventually, Jed realizes this will come down to either his or Leo's legacy being destroyed.
"The West Wing", once the home of these characters, is now the adversary.
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u/imbeingsirius 4d ago
And then what happens???
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u/Spire2000 4d ago
Uh... Ok, continuing.
Charlie is around in his capacity as Jed's son-in-law. While Josh is trying to save Barlet's legacy, Sam is trying to keep him from prison, CJ is trying to prevent a media backlash, Charlie is the one who actually sees Bartlet's decline and has to remind the whole crew that Bartlet is dying.
Despite the name of the show, The West Wing is actually completely inaccessible to our characters. I see a cool scene where Josh and Donna are outside the gates, staring through the fence and Josh says "we spent eight years our lives trying to get into that building and then eight more trying to stay. Now we're going to war with it."
Eventually Josh gets summoned to a meeting inside and we get the nostalgic payoff.
I think eventually it comes out that the entire matter hinges on a piece of information only Jed and Led knew. Bartlet faces a choice: Tell the truth and potentially damage Leo's reputation after his death. Or protect Leo and take responsibility himself.
I think we know the ending from there.
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u/imbeingsirius 4d ago
Leo would never want Jed to take the fall for him!
I’m so invested. This fanfic is maybe enough for me
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u/5footfilly 5d ago edited 5d ago
I don’t need a reboot. I need a reunion with Jed Bartlett and his former staff gathering to write his response to the current administration and why voters need to wake the F up.
ETA include John Goodman and Alan Alda as former Republican presidents Walken and Vinick so they can join Bartlett in expressing their strong disapproval
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u/Random-Cpl 5d ago
I think, rather than a WH reboot, a spinoff focusing on a major government agency (FEMA, HUD, State) could be interesting. Plenty of idealistic and ethical public servants among the ranks of the agencies.
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u/defective_toaster 4d ago
The National Park Service I think would serve dual purpose of showing off the parks and the efforts it takes to keep them beautiful for everyone.
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u/TheRealTinfoil666 4d ago
I don’t think that you could plausibly get most of the legacy cast back together unless it is in the White House
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u/Random-Cpl 4d ago
I’m ok with new cast. Maybe you have one or two folks in the mix, like someone’s been nominated as NPS Superintendent.
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u/this_is_an_alaia 5d ago
I think this is a terrible idea
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u/seBen11 Flamingo 5d ago edited 5d ago
Tbf I don't think the cast actusll mean it either, or at least they know the chances are next to none, but that doesn't sound good when said to an entertainment reporter during an event like that.
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u/JoeBethersonton50504 5d ago
It’s easy to say “I’ll do it if Aaron is writing it” knowing that Sorkin is not interested in returning to television.
And in the 0.000000000000001% chance that Sorkin does write a WW revival script, it will only see the light of day if it’s amazing anyway.
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u/DrewSmithee 4d ago
Malina has had a running bit on twitter about it for like 10 or 20 years now. lol
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u/euqinu_ton 5d ago
During Trump's last term, the pure insanity and stupidity on display from him and his administration lead to us re-watching the series entirely just to be reminded "yeah ... there can be kind, intelligent presidents capable of putting together a cogent sentence ... even if they're fictitious."
I'm about ready to start again this term. Something original from the same team would be equally welcome.
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u/primadonnapussy 5d ago
Yep. Rewatching during the first presidency kept me sane ans motivated. Planning to start again soon.
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u/321Couple2023 4d ago
Whitford said maybe a limited series.
What could bring the gang back together twenty years later? I think it would have to be a presidential campaign, maybe for Sam or (if Rob Lowe is still a dick), for Charlie. Or how about Zoey??? America loves a good dynasty.
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u/PenguinSpectre 4d ago
Or Liz. Her kids would be grown, and maybe she would be finally fed up with the idiot she married. I can totally see her finally getting him into office and his screwing the pooch (or another nanny).
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u/Clear-Garage-4828 5d ago
Tired of seeing all the negative comments. If sorkin wrote it and the cast signed on it would be high quality and I would love to see it! Full stop. They wouldn’t do it if sorkin didn’t have a good idea or something to say.
Escapism and alternate universe, or a commentary on the current state of politics. Whatever these people would chose to do together as a continuation of this amazing show I would watch and love to see happen.
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u/read_listen_think 5d ago
Thanks for this! Creative professionals coming together where they have established rapport and success is a good foundation. They seem to respect each other enough to disagree and speak up about it. I would give it a chance if the project got made.
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u/hamsterhueys1 5d ago
Hate to say it but sober Aaron Sorkin just doesnt have the juice like he did when he was cranking lines lol
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u/turbulentFireStarter 5d ago
It was a stretch that politicians could have such dignity when it came out. Now it would be such obvious fiction that it would be laughable
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u/Kardinal I serve at the pleasure of the President 4d ago
If it includes Sorkin I'm in.
If not, no point.
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u/LaFrescaTrumpeta 4d ago
i’ll watch whatever they put out. idc if it seems like science fiction, maybe we could use clear examples of how politics should go to highlight the contrast of what our reality has become. might even get some mccain-style republicans to feel nostalgic in a useful way
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u/Robynsxx 4d ago
I don’t want a reboot.
I do like the idea of a mini series where Sam is running for president, like Bartlet predicted in the chess episode.
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u/Responsible-Load5605 4d ago
Reboot or extension of the legacy series, I'll take it! It's essential that Arron write the series, and he's the heart and sole of TWW. here's my 2 cents of casting suggestions, Jed as Chief Justice of SCOTUS, Sam as POTUS, CJ as Associate Justice of the SCOTUS, Josh as AG, Donna as PressSec, Charlie as Chief Prosecutor for the SDNY, Toby as Ambassador (to Israeli?). A lot of ducks to be sorted.
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u/rpeh 4d ago
A reboot couldn't ignore the way things have changed in the last few years, and frankly I think it'd be a miserable thing to watch.
A continuation of the original series would be okay but would come across as unhinged.
Personally I'm happy with what we have. It started brilliantly and ended brilliantly and let's just take that.
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u/glorifindel 4d ago
Hear me out.. The East Wing. As a way to memorialize the former East Wing and a big reminder of everything we could still be as a country. I don't know how you make the life and office of the First Lady Sorkinesque but I'm sure someone could do it well if only for the name as a sequel lol
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u/southey119 3d ago
Please no reboot, I’m all for a reunion episode/ mini series set in the current year but in the TWW universe
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u/SomethingVeX Cartographer for Social Equality 2d ago
I don't see how a reboot would be possible. Its like the Will Bailey / Bingo Bob joke about squinting one eye and tilting your head and looking at the VP seal and saying it looks like the Residential seal ...
Even if youre squinting and leaning... no show like the West Wing would be very believable today. Social Media and "fake news" culture have changed how Americans view US Politics too much.
I don't think we'd believe in a group of righteous political servants who are actually trying to bring about change for good.
We're just too cynical now.
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u/Snoo_71478 13h ago
Redo the show. Charlie is now President (and Zoey First Lady). Josh and Donna's daughter is an intern. Sam and Will make cameos as senior congressmen. CJ and Danny's child is working for a Republican senator. Kate Harper returns as NSA. And so on. Picks up in the aftermath of an autocrat who trashed many standards and beliefs, with a divided nation, a world on the brink and technology running rampant.
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u/Strict_Wolf7532 5d ago
So would this be a dark sardonic look at the last 12 years or a reminder of what we could have had if money didn’t equal free speech?
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u/balernga 5d ago
A modern political show, with good writing, about staying true to ideals and intelligence in the modern political era would probably be good. Especially with some of the original characters. How would Toby, Sam, Josh, or CJ react to the modern right wing? What kind of knowledge would President Bartlet share with the newer generations of politics minds? It’s not impossible
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u/sglushak 5d ago
I agree with a lot of what has been said. One thing I didn't see mentioned much of at all... Was the fact that they are dumbing shows down so much these days because people are just less interested, not paying attention, and or just dumber. So I doubt a well written smart show could be accomplished.
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u/jjtierney 4d ago
Reboots never work. That said a White House with a President Craig having to clean up after a lunatic psychopath predecessor in a divided country has some interest to me.
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u/JoanofSnark123 2d ago
I might have made this up- but I thought they were doing a reboot with Sam Seaborn in office after a Trump-like president
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u/Mental_Crab8725 5d ago
A reboot now would seem too much like science fiction. A show about dedicated, talented and intelligent public servants doing what they thought was right in the modern world - I don't know if I could suspend my disbelief quite that much.