West Wing: The Complete 3rd Season (DVD)

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It is definitely no coincidence that the release of the third season of television´s popular political drama, "The West Wing" is craftily scheduled for November 2nd, 2004, the day of the U.S. Presidential election. How appropriate and remarkable since Season Three is also the start of the show´s fictional Democratic President´s reelection campaign. Talk about art imitating life. This third season is also the one just after the tragedy on 9/11 and its premiere, initially scheduled for October 3rd, 2001, was postponed by one week and in its place was a special episode titled "Isaac and Ishmael", written by the show´s creator Aaron Sorkin, that specifically dealt with a changed, post-9/11 America. That special one-time episode, although not connected in any way to the continuity of the series, is also included on this DVD set.

As many of you already know, "The West Wing", at one time, was one of the highest rated and most honored television programs in America. At present, the show has fallen somewhat from that pedestal and its earlier accolades but its prestige as one of the smartest and most well-written political dramas on television is still mainly intact. However, back when the third season was still on the air, it seemed like a slight decline in quality was just starting to appear. Everyone you talk to will agree that the first two seasons of "The West Wing" was solid, straight-up storytelling. The third season, I must admit, wobbled a little bit under intense pressure to emulate the show´s previous success. However, the biggest setback for the show came after a disastrous fourth season ratings slump, culminating with the announced departure of creator Aaron Sorkin and one of the stars of the show, Rob Lowe.

However, before I digress and go off on a tangent, let´s get back to the subject of this review, Season Three of "The West Wing". Physically, the West Wing is an office building located within the White House compound that holds the President´s Oval Office and the offices of the President´s support staff. Historically, it was built in 1902 as a temporary office by President Theodore Roosevelt to separate the President´s living quarters at the White House from the working one. Symbolically, it represents the center of power for the office of the President as it works to set and communicate the President´s agenda for the nation. Admittedly the first program of its kind, NBC´s television series "The West Wing" is a fast moving and equally fast-talking fictionalized behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the White House Executive Office and the dedicated group of people who work there.

Assembling an amazing group of actors to play an equally remarkable cast of characters, "The West Wing" has as close to an ensemble cast on a television show, as there ever will be. At the head of this group is the always-reliable Martin Sheen who plays Democratic President Jed Bartlet, a former Governor of New Hampshire, Nobel Laureate in Economics and former 3-term Congressman. Supporting the President is a group of highly motivated and steadfast individuals working in the West Wing, whose sole goal in life is to protect the President´s political and personal welfare and to help promote and move his agenda for the nation forward. In charge of the Executive Office (West Wing) and the President´s de facto right-hand man and closest political advisor is White House Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry (John Spencer), who is also an old friend of Bartlet´s and a powerful figure within the Beltway circle. McGarry, together with his deputy Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), work closely with Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Toby´s deputy Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) and White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg (Allison Janney) to get the President´s message out to the media. Added into this mix are supporting characters like First Lady Abbey Bartlet (Stockard Channing), Presidential Aide Charlie Young (Dulé Hill), the President´s daughter Zoey (Elisabeth Moss) and the rarely seen but always enjoyable Vice-President of the United States, John Hoynes (Tim Matheson).

The second season ended on a sad note with the death of longtime Bartlet confidant and the President´s Secretary, Mrs. Delores Landingham (Kathryn Joosten) in an automobile accident. The season´s cliffhanger, although not as dramatic as the first season´s, centered on whether President Bartlet will announce that he is seeking re-election to a second term or bow out because he is suffering from MS or multiple sclerosis. Season Three opens with the continuation of last season´s press conference where President Bartlet was asked whether he would seek re-election. Not entirely a surprise and certainly a foregone conclusion, the President predictably answers with a simple and concise, "Yeah, and I´m going to win." His affirmative answer stunned even his own staff, as they were not prepared for it beforehand. With marital problems between the First Couple, a hounding press corp seeking more information, a re-election campaign to kick off and of course, other world-shaking events take care of as well, the West Wing is turning into a pressure cooker and an increasingly unpleasant place to be. Not only that, now they also have to deal with an investigation by a Special Prosecutor into whether the President and his staff conspired to hide his medical condition from the public into order to get him elected.

Although Bartlet´s re-election is a part of the theme for Season Three, it does not consume most of the season´s storylines. Instead, expect to see the President and his West Wing staff deal with world events and crises that sometimes mirror our own reality and also get into political fights with Congress over contentious domestic issues like gun control. In fact, every week, there is always something for everyone. With Sorkin still at the helm, "The West Wing"´s signature witty banter and fast-paced and smart dialogue exchanges are still very much alive and well. Fans of Sorkin´s previous TV effort, "Sports Night" can certainly identify with this style and also his intelligent writing.