[agentz]

John Spencer who played Leo McGarry in The West Wing has died of a heart attack aged 58.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...e145408S40.DTL

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Great actor, he really knew how to chew up a scene. Everyone talks about West Wing and LA Law, but lets not forget he's the man who wouldn't TURN HIS KEY!

[spauldingg]

bummer. he kept that show interesting.

[agentz]

Originally Posted by Silky Voice of The Gorn

Great actor, he really knew how to chew up a scene. Everyone talks about West Wing and LA Law, but lets not forget he's the man who wouldn't TURN HIS KEY!

Aaah yes, Wargames

[BRussell]

Wasn't he in an ongoing story line in West Wing?

[Sarc]

Ironically his West Wing character, Leo McGarry, had a heart attack.
He was a great actor, he will surely be missed.

And yes, he was running as Vice President in the Santos/McGarry ticket for the upcoming elections.

[James L]

Originally Posted by BRussell

Wasn't he in an ongoing story line in West Wing?

Well....

It is an election year, and they need to turf Martin Sheen out. Leo (John's character) was in the running to be the new vice president, and if you believe last weeks episode, apparently to also possibly take over the election campaign.

So, yup, definitely in an ongoing story line.

Be interesting to see how the show is impacted by it.

Great actor.

RIP.

[Dakar]

Originally Posted by Dakar

God really seems to be squeezing the last two months of the year for his dead celebrities quota.

^^^

[abe]

His character, Leo McGarry CENSORED.

[Ghoser777]

God really seems to be squeezing the last two months of the year for his dead celebrities quota.

Aren't there more deaths on average during the winter months anyway? (I could be wrong on that...)

[MindFad]

Originally Posted by abe

His character, Leo McGarry....

...would've been nice.

[abe]

Originally Posted by MindFad

[img]http://mindfad.com/boards/spoilers.png[

...would've been nice.

I'm sorry.

It never ONCE, for a single moment occurred to me that what I was doing was spoiling it for anyone.

My apologies.

[Monique]

What do you mean a spoiler, do you live in a cave; anyone who followed the series know about Spencer's death and what role he played.

Now saying that congressman Santos is President is a spoiler? Oops, at least on TV we have hope for a better America.

Before you tell me that I am a Canada, do not forget what is going in the U.S. affects the entire world.

[James L]

Originally Posted by Monique

What do you mean a spoiler, do you live in a cave; anyone who followed the series know about Spencer's death and what role he played.

Now saying that congressman Santos is President is a spoiler? Oops, at least on TV we have hope for a better America.

Before you tell me that I am a Canada, do not forget what is going in the U.S. affects the entire world.

Monique,

The spoiler comment wasn't in reaction to finding out the actor had died.

It was in reaction to Abe posting who won the election. At the time of his post, many people who had taped last night's episode may have not had time to watch it yet. Hence, the spoiler comment.

to Abe for both apologizing, and editing his post. Classy move.

[Monique]

I would not have minded one more year.

[James L]

Originally Posted by Monique

I would not have minded one more year.

... of The West Wing?

I completely agree. A very enjoyable show.

[jason98]

Stupid series. Never watched it.

[abe]

Originally Posted by jason98

Stupid series. Never watched it.

Thanks for your 2¢

[FeLiZeCaT]

I do not have television, but I am always looking forward to watch the DVD.

I thought he put the nerve of this show, some kind of fiber that made suspens in pretty much every scene he was in.

I am sorry he is gone already.

John, thank you for your generosity in sharing your craft with us.

[abe]

Originally Posted by FeLiZeCaT

I do not have television, but I am always looking forward to watch the DVD.

I thought he put the nerve of this show, some kind of fiber that made suspens in pretty much every scene he was in.

I am sorry he is gone already.

John, thank you for your generosity in sharing your craft with us.

[MindFad]

Originally Posted by abe

I'm sorry.

It never ONCE, for a single moment occurred to me that what I was doing was spoiling it for anyone.

My apologies.

Seemed like a pretty straight-forward statement to ruin a season's surprise twist, but I'll live.

I've already bought and watched the first five seasons. Waiting for the sixth to come out in May, and I've been avoiding all reviews/talk/musings of 6 or 7. Absolutely my favorite TV show ever, and I'm really not much of a TV person. Good stuff. Watching the DVDs is the only way to go. I couldn't deal with it week-to-week.

[Monique]

I actually record the West Wing and 24 and love to watch tv so much that I could not stand not knowing what is going on in my favorite shows for years.

[CMYKid]

drudge had an interesting interview with a couple of the writers a few days ago, basically the upshot was that they had never intended for Santos to win the election at all, but when John Spencer died for real they obviously had to kill him offon the show but they reversed their original intent because they were afraid that him kicking off AND losing the election would be "too much disappopintment for the viewers to handle" all at once.

Egh, I'm a grownup, I think I could manage, but it's interesting rationale, especially for a show thats already EOL'd.

I honestly thought there was no way they'd have him win (which I guess i was sort of right about, according to the writers originally) because the show is almost over and if he were to win so many of the characters from before are central to the new campaign/administration that it'd be a wierd hanging ending.

[MindFad]

Jesus H. Christ:

[Monique]

Why are you guys reading about a thread on 24 or the West Wing?

Of course we are going to talk about what is going on right now; not about generalities.

[MindFad]

I thought the thread was about John Spencer. Anyone coming to read about John Spencer and not wanting to spoil unseen episodes of West Wing will find quite the opposite.

[abe]

'West Wing' Writers' Novel Way of Picking the President

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/ar...53a&ei=5087%0A

[CMYKid]

that'd be what I mentioned above. martin sheen really very much does think he's the real president, so the fact that when approached about running for a real office he wasnt interested makes his opining even more amusingly interesting.

[abe]

In this, the last two episodes of the series I think it's only right that we, the majority who would like to talk about the series without censorship from ONE poster who could easily just NOT READ THE THREAD, feel free to discuss the show as we all would like.

No offense but for any one person to feel good about depriving everyone else of pleasure is just wrong.

End of rant.

I LOVED how the episode opened!

Just like when the series began!

Hahahaha!!!

[Ozmodiar]

I was waiting for this episode for three years.

[k squared]

Originally Posted by Ozmodiar

I was waiting for this episode for three years.

It was nice to see Sam back on the show, but the series has been--for me--bad for the past couple seasons. Ever since Sorkin stopped writing, really.

John Spencer's funeral could have been so much more powerful--just as Two Cathedrals so utterly captivated audiences.

[abe]

Originally Posted by Ozmodiar

I was waiting for this episode for three years.

How so?

[abe]

Originally Posted by k squared

It was nice to see Sam back on the show, but the series has been--for me--bad for the past couple seasons. Ever since Sorkin stopped writing, really.

John Spencer's funeral could have been so much more powerful--just as Two Cathedrals so utterly captivated audiences.

I COMPLETELY agree about Sam and Aaron Sorkin!

God, I'm so glad you said that! Sometimes I'm inclined to think people around here have no powers of discernment at all. Aaron Sorkin's writing was always fast, smart, funny, insightful, wry, and often biting. The patter between Josh and Donna was great, tonite. And the chat between Sam and Josh was almost like old times.

This was a deliciously wonderful episode.

If they could keep this up I'd be in favor of there being a series revival under a new name in order to reflect this new administration.

And did you catch the teaser for next week?

It looks like Santos is going to ask Vinnick to do something very unusual!

V.P., anyone?

[Monique]

Of course it is going to be the VP position. What else would put Santos right against half of the Democratic party.

It is such a shame they would not give this series one more year. It would have been facinating to see Santos and Vinick go at it during this new administration. It is not because a show goes down a little in the ratings that it should be banish. Those last few episodes reminded me of the good old days.

[abe]

Originally Posted by Monique

Of course it is going to be the VP position. What else would put Santos right against half of the Democratic party.

It is such a shame they would not give this series one more year. It would have been facinating to see Santos and Vinick go at it during this new administration. It is not because a show goes down a little in the ratings that it should be banish. Those last few episodes reminded me of the good old days.

Yes. I agree! I also enjoyed Josh and Donna really getting to the point of becoming a couple, even though Josh is resisting. But then again, their vacationing together is a good sign.

Ugh! I know the ratings went down because the writing became crappy but now that SOMEONE has found the ability to write well once again I think there should be SOME method of getting the decision changed.

Maybe a write-in campaign or whatever it is called, where if so many viewers write the network (NOT the studio. The studio would likely JUMP at the chance to continue the show!) and tell them that cancellation was a bit hasty, that perhaps they'd change their minds.

This, by the way, reminds me of what happened at the end of the Vietnam war.

The military finally found the secret to winning and things were going really well and was improving when Congress pulled the plug and we defaulted on our promises to the S. Vietnamese.

But that's off topic.

Anyway, someone here should start a write in campaign or something, to save West Wing from cancellation.

[abe]

"I'm the President-Elect of the United States and I'm not going to take no for an answer..."

What Matt Santos said to C.J. was simple, direct and a breathtaking expression of the ultimate confidence any man could possibly have. And Santos delivered the line very well.

It was a fun moment. I giggled for several moments afterwards.

[abe]

Guys, I think this was a really good episode and I won't say why. But I will suggest three things:

1) If you didn't catch it tonite, try to watch it tomorrow on the Bravo Network re-showing.

2) Don't be surprised if this episode is nominated for an Emmy.

3) Don't miss the series finale next week.

[beb]

So...

What's next?

[abe]

Originally Posted by beb

So...

What's next?

ABC-TV's Commander in Chief?


Here's a NYT article about West Wing and NBC.

May 15, 2006
NBC's New Season Lineup Leans Heavily on Drama

By BILL CARTER and JACQUES STEINBERG
Looking to find the shows that will lead the network out of its unaccustomed position in the ratings basement, NBC is expected to announce a fall schedule today that will include a new drama from Aaron Sorkin, the creator of "The West Wing"; a new comedy from the head writer and star of "Saturday Night Live," Tina Fey; and a series adaptation of the book and movie "Friday Night Lights."

New NBC shows are expected to star familiar names like Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum and Alec Baldwin.

NBC is presenting its new schedule to advertisers this afternoon at Radio City Music Hall, the first of the annual "upfront presentations" made by the networks each spring.

In an unusual commitment to adding new drama to its schedule, NBC ordered six series out of the seven drama pilots it made during this development season. The network had already announced it would bring back several that had been considered on the fence for renewal, including "Las Vegas," "Crossing Jordan" and "Medium," and the six new hours will tip the network heavily in drama's direction.

With the addition of Sunday night N.F.L. football games, which will fill all four prime-time hours on Sundays through January, NBC will have fewer time slots than ever next fall for comedy series, which have been the backbone of NBC schedules for years.

Beyond Ms. Fey's new comedy, NBC has ordered just two other new comedy series and has given a limited order to a third. But NBC, which regularly had 10 comedies or more on its schedule in the past, may start the season with just four, the same number it had last September.

NBC executives have said in recent weeks that they were pleased with the quality of the series they had developed for the coming season, a critical one for the network because it is under extreme pressure to rejuvenate a schedule that has the fewest shows in television's top 20-rated series of any network. So NBC needs to find hits among the shows it will introduce in September.

The network is pinning much of its hopes on two familiar, highly regarded creative talents, Mr. Sorkin and Ms. Fey. Both their new series impressed NBC's executives, even though they seem to be different versions of the same premise.

Mr. Sorkin, who won multiple Emmy Awards for "The West Wing," has created a new series tentatively titled "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." It examines the backstage drama at a late-night sketch comedy show much like "Saturday Night Live." With the show struggling, two hot writers, played by Mr. Perry, who starred in "Friends," and Bradley Whitford of "The West Wing" are asked to save it by a high-intensity program executive, played by Ms. Peet (currently finishing up a run in "Barefoot in the Park" on Broadway.)

Ms. Fey, who knows plenty about shows like "Saturday Night Live," has built her sitcom around the backstage conflicts at a network prime-time comedy series called "The Girly Show." She plays the head writer (true typecasting) who has to deal with one star with a bad stomach (Rachel Dratch), another with paranoia (Tracy Morgan) and, yes, a high-intensity network boss, played by Mr. Baldwin. All those performers have been associated with "Saturday Night Live."

Like the other networks, in the new lineups they will announce this week, NBC is joining the trend toward serialized thrillers (like "24" on Fox) with at least two new entries.

"Kidnapped" will follow the complicated plot behind the kidnapping of the teenage son of a wealthy New York couple, played by Timothy Hutton and Dana Delany. "Heroes" will emulate the ABC hit "Lost," adding a few science-fiction touches. A group of young people discover they have sudden, unusual powers — an office worker can teleport at will to any location; a cop can hear other people's thoughts — just as a menacing force seems to be threatening the world.

NBC also has a detective series, "Raines," with Mr. Goldblum playing a highly eccentric policeman who communicates — psychologically, not supernaturally — with murder victims, enlisting them as partners of a sort as he pursues their killers.

The creative pedigree behind another drama NBC has ordered, "The Black Donnellys," could hardly be better. Paul Haggis, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film "Crash," came up with the series, which examines the turbulent lives of four Irish-American brothers involved, reluctantly but brutally, with violent crime in today's Hell's Kitchen in New York.

In "Friday Night Lights," a tale of big-time Texas high school football, NBC has a youth-based drama somewhat reminiscent of the glory days of the now-defunct WB network and its shows like "Dawson's Creek." It is based on the celebrated book by H. G. Bissinger. Kyle Chandler stars as the new coach of a team whose town lives and dies with football.

In comedy NBC has also picked up a series called "20 Good Years," about old friends of around 60 who decide to do everything they can to enjoy the last healthy decades of their lives. Mr. Lithgow, who starred in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" on Broadway and "Third Rock From the Sun" for NBC, stars with Jeffrey Tambor of "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Arrested Development" as a kind of "Odd Couple" facing mortality.

On the other end of the age spectrum, NBC will try a series called "The Singles Table" about five 20-somethings who meet as strangers at a wedding when they are stuck at the same table at the reception. Then they become a group of intertwined friends, a formula NBC knows well.

NBC has also given a more tentative green light to a comedy called "Andy Barker, P. I.," which stars Andy Richter as an accountant who is mistaken for a private detective and winds up with a new career. Conan O'Brien, who has had plenty of experience in comedy with his former sidekick, Mr. Richter, is one of the writers on the pilot. NBC ordered six episodes of the show and is likely to withhold it until January or later.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/15/ar...=1&oref=slogin

[Monique]

I am so sad the West Wing is over; it would have been so interesting to follow Santos presidency. It was such a good role model for latino; telling them you are as Americans as the white folks and can be president.

[abe]

Originally Posted by Monique

I am so sad the West Wing is over; it would have been so interesting to follow Santos presidency. It was such a good role model for latino; telling them you are as Americans as the white folks and can be president.

As long as they were born here they can be President. If they were born outside the US they are prohibited from holding that office.