The actor does allow that his series focuses on a White House staff struggling to meet noble goals, a contrast with Hollywood's usual jaundiced view of politics. These are real, heroic people, and for the first time the public gets a glimpse of that. Viewers have rewarded The West Wing with strong ratings and status as NBC's most successful sophomore show. A smart show for a smart audience Co-executive producer Kevin Falls says the show works because of West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin's scripts, which marry smart dialogue with stories that don't pander to audiences. Viewers don't learn until halfway through the show what Bartlet is up to, though they're kept engaged by repartee over how the president will get one official to take a job as the ambassador to a tiny island nation.
Audiences love that.
The Roosevelt Room, dominated by a long, sturdy table and two huge portraits, boasts a fake Nobel Prize. Star Rob Lowe, an L.A. Lakers fan, has draped team memorabilia in the office of his character, deputy director of communications Sam Seaborn. And with his ABC comedy Sports Night now canceled, Sorkin is expected to write almost every episode next season, increasing expectations for quality. There are a few shortcomings, including a lack of diversity among the core cast and dialogue so stylized that different characters sometimes seem to speak in the same voice. Still, there's little doubt the show resonates with fans of smart, serious TV drama.