MrX

"2162 Votes"


Gee, I wonder who gets the nomination tonight

Red Dog

Yeah - I'm sure they'll reveal that in a season finale.

Legolas

Or to paraphrase the NBC commercials: "The Democratic nomination is down to Santos and Russell; Who will be the next President? Santos or Vinick?"

Bandoman

I wonder whether CJ will be fired for leaking info about the military shuttle. (They sure made it look last week like she was the one who leaked it.)

wendersfan

Everyone here at work seems to think Bartlett is actually the one who leaked it, and that final shot of CJ was just to throw us off. I'm not buying it.

Bandoman

Me neither, Wendersfan. I think the writers were looking for way to get rid of CJ with a bang (no, not that kind of bang!) as it wouldn't be realistic for her to work for the next administration, especially if Vinick wins. (Although I think we can reasonably assume that Santos will win, since that will give many of the other show regulars a chance to work for the new Democratic administration and they won't have to recast the entire show. But who knows? They could surprise us.)

Chew

A recent article says the budget has been slashed from $6mil to $3mil per episode for next season. Seems to me the easiest way to take that kind of hit is to get rid of the "high-priced talent". As much as we all think Santos will win to keep all the current cast around, that little fact makes me think otherwise.

Bandoman

Hmmm. Alan Alda can make limited guest appearances as the Pres (as Sheen was originally supposed to do), and they can get new, cheap talent. That could really suck, or it could work wonderfully.

WillieTheShakes

That was some fine, fine tv. Should have been two hours, but still - wow.

Question - I'm under no illusion that Season 6 has been anywhere near season 1 or 2, but it's been so strong nonetheless. Has there ever been a show that has been so initially strong, then stumbled so badly, only to pull itself back up the next season?

Alvis

A party convention where 3 or 4 guys are neck in neck and the party's annointed one hasn't already been decided? This really is fantasy land.

WillieTheShakes

Or a television drama.
Emphasis on the drama...

lisadoris

Though there was no real drama over Santos winning the nom I was excited over the VP selection. It boggles the mind that the writers can flounder all season and pull out that good of a finale.

mikehunt

well, it's obvious santos will win the presidential election, since that will allow the largest number of characters to stay on, including leo

kevin75

wow. i don't know where they were keeping that but it was great. this reminded me alot of what made the show great, especially at the end with the musical cues of the main theme over the president's speech. the VP choice, i am not sure of though.

as for the general, i don't think anything's decided yet. it's all gonna depend on who will work cheapest. they could realistically go either way. vinick wins..it was expected. santos wins...another great comeback.

one more thing. at the end, one thought that entered my mind was that the last few minutes or so would've made a pretty good series finale.

Count Dooku

Hey, after an entire season of amnesia, somebody (CJ) finally remembered why Russell was chosen to be the VP --because he was an inoffensive, MOR, empty suit who would not only never be a credible candidate for the Presidency, he would never even be a contender for the Democratic nomination.

An entire season and somebody finally remembered that everybody in the West Wing, and all the Democrats and Republicans in Congress, knew that Bingo Bob Russell was a human stump.

Daniel-A

I don't think it was realistic of Leo accepting the Vice Presidency ticket. His health is more of an issue than I think Jed's is. He has already talked about leaving on a few occasions. And he is (very?) old. From what I can tell he's around his 70's. While I do enjoy Leo a lot, it didn't feel realistic.

Any ideas on the next season at all or is it all up for grabs? I'm wondering if they start off with some of the leads and then break them off, a la Sam.

MrX

If you look at the real West Wing today that's the most realistic part of the show

Count Dooku

With someone so young at the top of the ticket (Santos), the health of the VP candidate isn't supposed to be so much of an issue.

People aren't going to be looking at Leo's fitness to take office is something happens to Santos; rather, Leo brings seasoned tested leadership to a ticket that features a (relatively speaking) political novice running for POTUS.

Also, this nicely bookends the idea that Josh had that Leo should have replaced Hoynes a couple years ago, and is another nice chapter in Josh and Leo's relationship.

Plus, Mr X noted, look who's VP for real.

MrX

Just watched the whole thing, I was flipping over to it when Alias went to commercial.

I was wondering why Ed O'Neal was in the picture on NBC.com with Smits and Cole I was hoping he'd give a "WOAH BAKER!" when he was on the floor with the delegates.

I guess we know how they'll keep John Spencer on the show if Santos wins. I don't think Leo's health will be much of an issue, isn't the VP job supposed to be a lot less stressful then Chief of Staff.

I liked the scene at the end with Josh and Donna

Chew

The "this state for our guy....no this state for that guy" got old. But, the ending picking Leo as VP and Vinnick's "let's get to work" were awesome.

djbrown

A really, really good season finale caps off what, for the most part, was a pretty good season for The West Wing. Looking forward to Season 7.

Red Dog

No surprises, but I thought they would somehow cliffhanger the ending. I guess they kind of did that with the WH leak.

Bandoman

Nice season finale. Picking Leo as the V.P. candidate was a surprise.

Who wants to bet Leo's alcoholism will be a major issue in the campaign?

Daniel-A

Remind me what happened. I watched it and can remember. Only thing I remember of the end is, "Ok. Let's win this thing."

JasonF

It shouldn't be -- that's been openly known for 4 or 5 years. At most, maybe they do an episode where someone tries to make it an issue and Vinnick squashes it in the interest of a clean campaign.

Have they said who Vinnick's running mate will be? I hope they cast Mike Farrell.