NBC pulls plug on 'The West Wing'

 

 

PASADENA, United States: The new president on "The West Wing" will be a real short-timer: NBC announced it was pulling the plug on the Emmy-winning political drama in May after seven seasons.

 

NBC, struggling to regain its footing after the worst season in its history, also outlined several midseason schedule changes including the moves of popular dramas "Law & Order" and "Las Vegas."

 

The "West Wing" announcement Sunday wasn't much of a surprise. Although this season's story line with a presidential campaign involving a Democrat played by Jimmy Smits and Republican portrayed by Alan Alda has been strong critically, ratings have sunk with its move to Sunday nights.

 

The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack December 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.

 

"There's a point when you look at the ratings and say, it feels like it's time," Reilly said.

 

The series will end on May 14 with the inauguration of the successor the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president.

 

"As the (ratings) numbers started declining, we started thinking this would be a natural way to end the series," said John Wells, executive producer. The election winner will be revealed in April.

 

Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, who created the show and guided it through its early years, will not be involved in the finale, Reilly said. Rob Lowe, an early series star who left when his role diminished, is in negotiations to return, Wells said.

 

Martin Sheen, who portrayed Bartlet, said that while "The West Wing" was a fantasy, he hoped it provided a service to the country.

 

"We can be very cynical about the people that lead us," he said. "If we managed in that sense to make people realize that being a public servant is an honor," then the series did some good, he said.

 

"The West Wing" won four Emmy Awards for best television drama in a row for its tales of political intrigue. At its prime, it also offered NBC two valuable benefits: critical acclaim and the most upscale audience on television, an important drawing point for advertisers.

Wow, I thought the whole Alan Alda/Jimmy Smits thing was going well?

Wow, I thought the whole Alan Alda/Jimmy Smits thing was going well?

 

Ratings have been terrible in 2006 and they've been declining little by little ever since Sorkin left the show.

Once they put this show on Sunday nights they killed it.

Thats a real shame, it was a great show.

yeah, putting it on sunday nights... they had wednesday locked, but sunday night is packed with NFL, Simpsons, and other stuff that people already watched, that definatly put a dent in it...

say what you want but the departure of Sorkin is what killed the show, IMO.