NBC’s The West Wing made its debut back in 1999. Today, if the series had lived on, we would be celebrating its 23rd anniversary. But sadly, the network officially canceled the political drama series following its seven runs. However, recent speculations surfacing on the internet hint that the series can return for the eighth season. So, is it true that showrunners finally have plans for season eight? If so, when could we see its future episodes? We’ve got all your answers relating to The West Wing Season 8 below:
| The West Wing | |
| Genre |
|
| Created by | Aaron Sorkin |
| Starring |
|
| Composer | W. G. Snuffy Walden |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 154 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Cinematography | Thomas Del Ruth |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Picture format |
|
| Audio format | Dolby Digital 5.1 |
| Original release | September 22, 1999 –
May 14, 2006 |
The West Wing Season 8 Cast?
- Josiah “Jed” Bartlet (Martin Sheen)
- Leo McGarry (John Spencer)
- Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford)
- Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff)
- Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe)
- C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney)
- Charlie Young (Dulé Hill)
- Donna Moss (Janel Moloney)
- Abbey Bartlet (Stockard Channing)
- Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly)
- Will Bailey (Joshua Malina)
- Kate Harper (Mary McCormack) is the Deputy
The West Wing Season 8 Release date: When will it air?
Ahead of its season seven 2006 premiere, the creators ended the series in January of the same year. This gave ample time to the team to wrap up the series neatly in its last episodes. Reports suggest that the cancellation was due to a major decline in its viewership numbers. However, rumors hinted towards the show going to another network in 2006, but nothing was ever made official. Despite that, we know Aaron Sorkin showed interest in bringing back the series cast members for another round. Sorkin left The West Wing after penning down all episodes of season one through four. Although the further seasons lacked the fast-paced writing style that was the series USP, they still survived with new cast additions. Additionally, the shift in schedule from its Wednesday slots to Sunday resulted in viewership dropping to nearly 30%, which was the lowest in the history of the show.
Why Was The West Wing Canceled?
The West Wing made the political game enthralling for many. It followed the personal and professional stories of senior officers at the presidential offices who usually remain in the background. The fictional administration of Bartlet ended in the seventh season with a newly elected Republican president, so did the series. Also, the demise of John Spencer due to a cardiac arrest left fans and fellow crew members in shock. It was very hard emotionally to carry on the show without Leo McGarry. John Wells, the series executive producer, said in an interview that McGarry was an integral part of The West Wing. His loss was like losing the soul of the series. (Spencer played chief of staff in Bartlet’s office. )
Thus, we can say that many things went into consideration before zeroing in on the show’s fate.
The West Wing Episode lists
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 22 | September 22, 1999 | May 17, 2000 | |
| 2 | 22 | October 4, 2000 | May 16, 2001 | |
| 3 | 21 | October 10, 2001 | May 22, 2002 | |
| 4 | 23 | September 25, 2002 | May 14, 2003 | |
| 5 | 22 | September 24, 2003 | May 19, 2004 | |
| 6 | 22 | October 20, 2004 | April 6, 2005 | |
| 7 | 22 | September 25, 2005 | May 14, 2006 | |
What could The West Wing season eight be like?
It is not easy to answer this question as the story can go in several directions. It can explore the journey of the new President while going into other stories. With that said, season seven gave closure to the original narrative with Bartlet bidding a heartfelt goodbye. But we see that many stories remain unheard. Now that we have little hope for season 8, the simple truth is The West Wing is not returning ever. That said, the series will be the greatest show of all time for its gripping storyline and brilliant performances.
The West Wing has received numerous awards and accolades to its credit including Golden Globe Awards and Emmy Awards . Besides, the individual cast members have received countless awards for their respective on-screen appearances.
Check this space for more from the entertainment world. Also, feel free to tell us your opinion about a possible The West Wing Season 8 in the comment section below. Or there could be an alternate ending to seven seven? Share your answers with us.