"Manchester" | |
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The West Wing episodes | |
![]() The staff look on in anticipation as Bartlet makes his announcement. | |
Episode nos. | Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2 |
Directed by | Thomas Schlamme |
Written by | Aaron Sorkin |
Production code | 227201 & 227202 |
Original air dates |
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Guest appearances | |
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"Manchester" is the two-part third-season premiere of the American political drama television series The West Wing . The episodes aired on October 10 and 17, 2001 on NBC. The episodes deal with President Bartlet's decision to run for re-election, and the activities of the weeks leading up to his official announcement. Both parts were written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Thomas Schlamme, and the episodes contain the first appearances by Ron Silver, Evan Handler and Connie Britton. [1] These episodes also mark the first episode where Stockard Channing is added to opening credits, marking that she became a regular character this season. [2] The second episode was an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series. It also earned a Golden Reel Award nomination for Best Sound Editing in a Television Series. [2]
The episode picks up at the press conference immediately where last season's cliff-hanger ("Two Cathedrals") left off, and what was then only implicit is here made clear: President Bartlet is running for a second term. [3] When asked if he plans to seek re-election, he answers "Yeah, and I'm gonna win." From that point on the story develops in dual storylines, one following immediately upon the press conference, the other taking place four weeks later, as the staff is preparing for the official campaign announcement in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Leo decides to bring in Bruno Gianelli (Silver), a highly accomplished political consultant, to help with the re-election campaign, but conflict soon arises between Gianelli's and Bartlet's respective staffs. The conflict is particularly intense between the idealistic Communications Director Toby and the more pragmatic Doug Wegland (Handler). A problem appears when it becomes clear that RU-486 – an emergency contraception – will receive government approval on the same day as the announcement ceremony. This will not only take attention away from the event, but also give political ammunition to the Right, and raise questions about the professionalism of the campaign. Josh strongly wants to "wave off the FDA" on the release, and it later appears that his underlying motive for this is to rectify a previous mistake. In the early part of the story, he applied pressure to pass a bill on anti-tobacco measures, but Gianelli points out the error in passing a bill that could have given them political leverage against the Republicans in the upcoming election.
In the ongoing conflict in Haiti, a rescue mission is staged to save American citizens. Bartlet decides to send in peacekeeping troops, in spite of political consequences. C.J., increasingly frustrated by the press's insistent focus on the President's multiple sclerosis announcement, blunders during a press briefing on the mission by stating "the President's relieved to be focusing on something that matters". Leo responds by sitting her out for the next press briefing, and she reacts by offering her resignation. She is eventually persuaded to stay by the President, who assures her that she is a vital member of his administration.
Bartlet's wife Abbey is not pleased with the President making his bid for re-election without consulting her, but later decides to join him in Manchester. She tells him that he needs to reach out to his staff, some of whom believe that he should make a public apology for concealing his MS. In the end he makes the apology, not publicly, but privately to his nearest advisors. He assures them that, even though Gianelli's help is much needed, they will still run a campaign that does not shrink from handling controversial issues. In a final speech he tells them that "We're gonna write a new book. Right here. Right now." [2] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
The scenes purporting to be in Manchester were not shot in New Hampshire, in spite of lobbying from local residents. [9] John Spencer, who played Leo McGarry on the show, said: "I certainly understand where the people from New Hampshire are coming from. But I think it's logistics. New Hampshire is not close enough". [10] For financial reasons the producers decided to film the outside parts of the episodes in Bluemont, Virginia instead. The town was said to have the "quiet streets, a mix of mostly older architectural styles, fieldstone fences, and breathtaking views of rolling countryside" that the show was looking for. [11] The hotel that the staff stayed in and is in the background of some of the scenes in the episode is The Red Fox Inn in Middleburg, VA.[ citation needed ] The house chosen – out of 55 contenders – to pass as the president's farmhouse, was the home of Purcellville mayor John Marsh. Marsh's friends and neighbours also appear as extras in the crowd scenes. [6]
For the sub-plot about the morning-after pill, former Clinton economic advisor Gene Sperling was brought in for consultation. [12] Such a drug, called Mifepristone, was in fact approved in the United States in September 2000; one of the last months of the Clinton presidency. [13] Also the political issues related to Haiti have close parallels to an episode in the Clinton presidency: the return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power by the United States in 1994. [14]
The second episode was an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series. It also earned a Golden Reel Award nomination for Best Sound Editing in Television Series. [2] The two episodes were also nominated for Series Storyline at the 2002 SHINE Awards, a prize awarded for "accurate and honest portrayals of sexuality". [15] [16]
Jenny Halper, writing for UGO , was less than impressed with the pre-season special episode, and wrote that "the season really kicks off" with the "flashback intensive" "Manchester"-episodes. [17] Britt Gillette, of The DVD Report, counted "Manchester Part I" among the more dramatic episodes on the show, with special reference to C.J.'s blunder, and the debate over the president's apology. [18] Deborah of Television Without Pity gave both episodes the grade "A". [7] [8] The A.V. Club 's Steve Heisler gave the two episodes a B+. He believed these two episodes were "meant to center the characters and the audience" after the previous season, ending in the season finale "Two Cathedrals". "And like most things on The West Wing," he continued, "it’s a long, messy, spectacular road to a perfect (likely quippy) end." [19]
The West Wing is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior personnel are located, during the fictitious Democratic administration of President Josiah Bartlet.
Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet is a fictional character from the American television serial drama The West Wing created by Aaron Sorkin and portrayed by actor Martin Sheen. The role earned Sheen a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 2001, as well as two SAG Awards.
Samuel Norman Seaborn is a fictional character played by Rob Lowe on the television serial drama The West Wing. From the beginning of the series in 1999 until the middle of the fourth season in 2003, he is deputy White House Communications Director in the administration of President Josiah Bartlet played by Martin Sheen. The character departed from subsequent seasons after Lowe decided to leave the series, although he returned for several episodes in the final season when he became Deputy Chief of Staff to the new president portrayed by Jimmy Smits.
Joshua Lyman is a fictional character played by Bradley Whitford on the television drama series The West Wing. The role earned Whitford the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2001. For most of the series, he is White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Political Advisor in the Josiah Bartlet administration.
Tobias "Toby" ZacharyZiegler was a fictional character in the television serial drama The West Wing, played by Richard Schiff. The role of Toby Ziegler earned actor Richard Schiff the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2000. For most of the series' duration, he was White House Communications Director. In the final season, Ziegler was involved in a storyline around a leak of classified information, which The New York Times compared to the leak investigation of the Valerie Plame affair.
Charles Young is a fictional character played by Dulé Hill on the television serial drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he is the Personal Aide to President Josiah Bartlet.
Arnold Vinick is a fictional character from the television series The West Wing played by Alan Alda. The role earned Alda a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2006.
Mrs. Dolores Landingham, played by Kathryn Joosten and Kirsten Nelson, is the fictional personal secretary for the President of the United States in the first two seasons of American serial political drama The West Wing. She was killed off in the second-season episode "18th and Potomac", but reappeared for multiple flashbacks afterwards. Mrs. Landingham is considered a beloved character whose influence on politicians has continued through to 2021.
"What Kind of Day Has It Been" is the 22nd episode of The West Wing, the season finale of the show's first season. It originally aired on NBC on May 17, 2000. Events circle around the attempted rescue of a US fighter pilot in Iraq, and the president taking part in a town hall meeting in Rosslyn, Virginia. The episode was written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Thomas Schlamme. "What Kind of Day Has It Been" is also the name of the first-season finales of both the series Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, as well as the series finale of The Newsroom, all of which were created by Aaron Sorkin. It was also a quote by Leo in the fourth-season episode "Commencement" in the situation room. Sorkin claimed that he took the phrase from Robert Whitehead, lead producer of Sorkin's A Few Good Men, who used to start meetings at the end of rehearsal days by asking this question.
"In Excelsis Deo" is the tenth episode of the first season of The West Wing. It originally aired on NBC on December 15, 1999, as the show's Christmas special. Events circle around Toby Ziegler getting involved in the fate of a dead Korean War veteran, reactions to a severe hate crime, and the ongoing controversy surrounding Leo's past alcohol and prescription drug abuse. Written by Aaron Sorkin and Rick Cleveland and directed by Alex Graves, the episode contains guest appearances by Paul Austin and Raynor Scheine. It earned Sorkin and Cleveland the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, as well as one for Richard Schiff.
"Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" is the 19th episode of The West Wing and first aired on NBC on April 26, 2000. In the episode, a White House insider writes a memo that attacks President Bartlet for his ineffectiveness in making bold decisions due to his timid nature.
"Two Cathedrals" is the 44th episode and second season finale of The West Wing. It was first broadcast on May 16, 2001, on NBC.
"Ways and Means" is the 47th The West Wing episode and 3rd of the third season. It originally aired on NBC on October 24, 2001. The episode sees the beginnings of President Bartlet's Congressional hearings, as well as negotiations over the estate tax. Written by Aaron Sorkin, Eli Attie and Gene Sperling, and directed by Alex Graves, the episode contains the first appearances by Mark Feuerstein as Clifford "Cliff" Calley. There are also guest appearances by Thom Barry, Nicholas Pryor and Miguel Sandoval.
"On the Day Before" is the forty-eighth The West Wing episode and fourth of the third season. It originally aired on NBC on October 31, 2001. The episode deals with a suicide bomber in Jerusalem, as well as continued negotiations over the estate tax. Written by Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford, and Nanda Chitre, and directed by Christopher Misiano, the episode contains the first appearances by H. Richard Greene as Congressman Robert Royce and Thomas Kopache as Assistant Secretary of State Bob "Bobby" Slatterly. There are also guest appearances by Kevin Tighe, Cliff DeYoung and Mary Mara. Janel Moloney was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in this episode.
"Bartlet for America" is the tenth episode of the third season of American serial political drama The West Wing. The episode aired on December 12, 2001 on NBC. The episode features Leo McGarry, the White House Chief of Staff, testifying before a congressional committee after it is revealed that the administration has been covering up the President's multiple sclerosis. Reception of the episode was mostly positive, and the slogan of "Bartlet for America" has been reprised in popular culture and real-life American politics.
The seventh and final season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from September 25, 2005, to May 14, 2006, and consisted of 22 episodes. The series changed time slots from Wednesdays at 9:00 pm to Sundays at 8:00 pm, and the series struggled in its new time slot against ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and CBS's Cold Case.
The first season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 17, 2000, and consisted of 22 episodes.
The second season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from October 4, 2000 to May 16, 2001 and consisted of 22 episodes.
The fourth season of the American political drama television series The West Wing aired in the United States on NBC from September 25, 2002 to May 14, 2003 and consisted of 23 episodes.