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The West Wing

1999 – 2006Show7 seasons154 episodesTV-14

Drama
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb8.9Metacritic788.2Rotten Tomatoes81%95%

A nostalgic, hopeful drama series about politics and everyday modern life, with standout performances and dialogue.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

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Not for scares or brutality.

Shows with

Episodes

7 seasons · 154 episodes · best: S2E22 "Two Cathedrals" 9.7

Episodes

8.5
8.8
8.2
8.2
7.9
8.0
8.3

Story

Right place. Right time. Right man.

The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the nation's capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humor and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life.

Feels like

  • Idealistic Political Drama
  • Sorkin-esque Rapid-Fire Dialogue
  • Behind-the-Scenes Governance
  • Intellectual Stimulation
  • Ensemble Character Dynamics
  • Optimistic Civic Engagement
  • Procedural Policy Making
  • Emotional Resonance of Public Service
  • Timeless American Politics

Cast

24 of 1,055 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Alex Graves, Christopher Misiano, Thomas Schlamme
Written by
Aaron Sorkin, Eli Attie, Debora Cahn
Produced by
Kristin Harms, Llewellyn Wells, Alex Graves
Music by
W.G. Snuffy Walden

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

September 22, 1999 · May 14, 2006 · Ended

First aired
September 22, 1999
Last aired
May 14, 2006
Status
Ended
Length
7 seasons · 154 episodes
Age rating
TV-14
Content
Strong Language, Sexual Content
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
29 countries

Tropes

The War Room, Epiphany Therapy, My Country, Right or Wrong +9

  • The War Room
  • Epiphany Therapy
  • My Country, Right or Wrong
  • Fiction 500
  • Soundtrack Dissonance
  • Poor Communication Kills
  • Iconic Item
  • Gentleman Snarker
  • Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys
  • Comes Great Responsibility
  • The Watson
  • Western Terrorists

12 of 379 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The West Wing?"

Questions about The West Wing

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The West Wing?

NetflixHBO Max

In the United States, The West Wing streams on Netflix and HBO Max. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 12 other countries.

Is The West Wing worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 8.9, Rotten Tomatoes 81%, and Metacritic 78).

Which season of The West Wing is best?

Season 2, with an IMDb average of 8.8. Season 5 is the weakest at 7.9. The highest-rated episode is Two Cathedrals (season 2, episode 22) at 9.7, and the lowest is Access (season 5, episode 18) at 7.1.

Is The West Wing okay for kids?

TV-14Strong languageSexual content

Yes: it's rated TV-14 in the United States for strong language and sexual content, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

Will I feel good after watching The West Wing?

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting series: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for hopefulness and 6 for wholesome.

Is The West Wing plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on dialogue centrality (10 of 10) and character depth (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does The West Wing use?

The War RoomEpiphany TherapyMy Country, Right or WrongFiction 500Soundtrack DissonancePoor Communication KillsIconic ItemGentleman SnarkerCheese-Eating Surrender MonkeysComes Great ResponsibilityThe WatsonWestern Terroristsand 367 more

TV Tropes lists 379 tropes for it, including The War Room, Epiphany Therapy, and My Country, Right or Wrong.