Product Description
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West Wing: The Complete Fifth Season (DVD)
Experience the inner workings of the White House in this
innovative, multi-award-winning drama series created by Emmy®
winner Aaron Sorkin (Sports Night). Martin Sheen, as President
Bartlet, continues to leads an accled ensemble cast.Entering
its fifth season with a total of 24 Emmys®, The West Wing begins
as the President -- and the nation -- faces the traumatic
kipping of his youngest daughter, and that it may be the
result of his controversial political actions. As the President
steps down temporarily, handing executive powers to the Speaker
of the House (John Goodman), the White House is overrun with
rivals. This season features the 100th episode, written by
accled novelist John Sacret Young; a killer tornado in
Oklahoma; and a visit to the Gaza Strip. Notable recurring guest
stars this season include Timothy Busfield, Lily Tomlin,
Mary-Louise Parker, Matthew Perry, Marlee Matlin, Mary McCormack,
Jesse Bradford, William Devane, Annabeth Gish and Anna Deveare
Smith.
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Two administrative changes rocked The West Wing's fifth season.
Offscreen, the ship of state steered a tad off-course with the
departure of series creator Aaron Sorkin and director Thomas
Schalmme. Onscreen, President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen)
relinquished the power of his office to Speaker of the House
Glenallen Walken (John Goodman) in the wake of his daughter's
kipping. In the season opener, "7a WF 83429," Josh Lyman
(Bradley Whitford) wonders if this wasn't a mistake. What if the
citizenry prefer Walken to Bartlet, he ponders. What if Walken
comes off more presidential? Is he kidding? Sheen's Bartlet is
the president of Hollywood's dreams, and the stuff of Rush
Limbaugh's nightmares. (In a character profile included as one of
the bonus features on this six-disc set, Bartlet is described as
an amalgam of John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton!).
Not to worry, though, Bartlet is back in the Oval Office by the
end of the season's second episode, "The Dogs of War." The next
order of business: choosing a vice president to replace the
disgraced John Hoynes. Enter Gary Cole as "o Bob" Russell,
who, as the season unfolds, will confound misperceptions of him.
Hoynes himself (Tim Matheson) returns in "Full Disclosure," in
which the former vice president dishes dirt on Bartlet and chief
of staff Leo McGrarry (the late John Spencer) in advance of a
tell-all book. Formidable and usually unflappable press secretary
C. J. has an intensely personal reason to spearhead damage
control and thwart Hoynes' publishing plans.
Allison Janney, as C. J. earned The West Wing's sole Emmy this
season. One of her showcase hours is "Access," a format-breaking
episode presented as a Frontline-type "day-in-the-life"
documentary. Other memorable episodes that helped to right The
West Wing's course include "The Supremes," featuring Glenn Close
as a Supreme Court nominee; the battle-of-wills episode,
"Shutdown"; "Gaza," in which Donna (Janel Moloney) is severely
wounded during a fact-finding mission to the Middle East; and
"Memorial Day," a flashback episode that echoes "Bartlet for
America" from season 3, and which ends the season on a strong
note, and almost make viewers forget the Sesame Street Muppet
cameos in the episode, "Eppu Si Muove." Almost. --Donald
Liebenson