Santos as President? Bah! According to this mornings NY Times I called this "election" a year ago and Vinick was supposed to be President Elect.
But the reversal of fortune for Matt Santos — the Democratic nominee, played by Jimmy Smits, who was the victor — had nothing to do with any shift in opinion among voters.
Instead, Lawrence O'Donnell, an executive producer of the show, said he and his fellow writers had declared Santos the winner only after the death, in mid-December, of John Spencer, who portrayed Santos's running mate, Leo McGarry. At the time of Mr. Spencer's death, the plot for last night's episode had been set: the election was to be won by Alan Alda's Arnold Vinick, a maverick Republican (modeled a bit on Senator John McCain), whom many Democrats (including the Democrats who write the show) could learn to love.
Not that I don't miss John Spencer but dammit they should have stuck with the original ending. Last night's outcome felt too formulaic for a show that has set it's own course one more than one occasion. I do appreciate how the writing has improved since Sorkin's departure and this dramatized look at the management of a presidential campaign has been good solid entertainment.
On a side note, from the same article; Martin Sheen was asked by the DNC of Ohio to run for a seat in the Senate. Sheen turned them down saying, "I'm just not qualified, you're mistaking celebrity for credibility." Say what you will about Martin's politics and protest tactics but it's nice that someone in Hollywood knows when to say no.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
Agreed. Boooooo! I guess they wanted to live up to their 'we're cancelled' status.
I'm glad Alan Alda didn't win. Why? Because the show is cancelled. Alan Alda is the greatest television actor of all time. If Alan Alda had "won" the election, then I would have been left with a cancelled show that could have featured the greatest television actor of all time. That pain would have been far worse than knowing that, even if the show wasn't cancelled, Alan Alda wouldn't have won anyways.
Am I the only one that feels that Alan Alda needs his own television show?
I stopped watching last year after having WW as one of my few shows to make sure I watch. I'm pretty happy that Sheen isn't going to run. I was worried his son would be his running mate.
'Election Night Part II' kept me guessing up till the last moment. Something inside told me Santos would eventually prevail, but I secretly hoped Vinick would pull through.
I'm sad that the series had to end. It had to be my favorite television drama of all time. Now we political junkies will have to get our fix from 'Commander In Chief' (please say it isn't so).
I can't help but imagine how much real emotion had shown through the actors' performances last night as they mourned the passing of Leo McGarry (John Spencer) on the show as well as in real life. It is the passing of a great actor as well as a great TV drama.
I thought it would've been an awesome stunt to let WW fans actually vote online, and continue the storyline based on those results. Probably would've gotten a bigger turn out than real elections. I was rooting for Vinick too. Alan Alda could have carried that show for another 3 years easily. Oh, and 'Commander In Chief' is rubbish. ;)
Now we political junkies will have to get our fix from 'Commander In Chief'
Just say no!
Sheen may have shown some good decision making in not running for the seat, but honestly, why would he want to take the pay cut?
This is possibly one of my favorite shows of all time. It's up there with Keen Eddie and That 70's Show. Don't laugh.
Sorkin's run on the first four seasons are the best of the whole series, yet I loved the scene with Vinick and Bartlett "slumming" it last season while raiding the ice cream stash in the kitchen.
I yearn for the day when our real-life politicians will be as smart the ones written for the West Wing.
That was nice of them to have the Democrats win to honor John Spencer (Leo). If Vinick had won the elction is wouldve also been suprising because they had focused so much on the democratic campaign. Overall though I thought it was a good show.
I yearn for the day when our real-life politicians will be as smart the ones written for the West Wing.
Until we demanding that the people who have the potential to run the country better (Howard Schultz, Barack Obama, Craig Newmark, John McCain, etc.) that day will never come.
If only AH'nold "GET DAWN!!" Scharzenegger could have had the same vocal wisdom as Martin Sheen...but hey, he's building a hydrogen super highway, so it can't all be bad.......
I have five cents that say that Vinick will be the Vice-Presidential choice - harkening back to the early days of American presidential races. I don't know how they would write that in, since it's all but impossible in today's political climate - but hey, seems like the best ending.
I'll take that bet. My money is on Josh.
Like you, I was disappointed. Time to break out the shirt of disapproval.
I think Rob Lowe will be tapped as VP.
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Since the episode where the race came down to Santos vs. Vinick, I've been expecting whomever to win the election to have the loser as their VP. The passing of John Spencer (therefore enabling the Santos win according to the NY Times) left open the VP slot, and it would make sense for Santos to pick Vinick as VP.
Still, I could very easily see Josh or Sam being tapped as VP.
For just a second on Sunday, when Santos was talking to Amy after the memorial, I thought Santos was going to ask her to be his VP. Whew. Thank goodness that didn't happen. ;)