Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack on the Enduring Legacy of The West Wing, 25 Years On

Twenty-five years ago, on September 22, 1999, one of the most beloved television shows of all time premiered on NBC: The West Wing, starring Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, John Spencer, and a whole host of other talented actors, including our two guests today—but more on them in a moment. The political drama was created and largely written by Aaron Sorkin, one of my personal favorite writers, and aired from that day in 1999 until May 14, 2006, totaling seven seasons. Across its 154 episodes, we become immersed, as the title suggests, in the West Wing of the White House, where the Oval Office and the offices of those that work closely with the president are located, during the fictional Democratic administration of President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen. The West Wing is regularly and often ranked among the best television shows of all time, and during its run won three Golden Globe Awards and a whopping 26 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the award for Outstanding Drama Series, which it won four consecutive times from 2000 to 2003. Beloved cast member John Spencer, who played chief of staff Leo McGarry, died unexpectedly of a heart attack on December 16, 2005, about a year after his character experienced a nearly fatal heart attack on the show. This, naturally, rocked the cast, and the show ended five months after his death. Today on the show we have two cast members, Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, here to discuss their new book What’s Next?: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service, which is out August 13. This book is so great, and it’s long—825 pages’ worth of interviews and oral history about a show that changed culture. Today, Melissa, Mary, and I talk about what made The West Wing such a cultural touchstone, the show’s enduring commitment to public service, the group chat that continues still today, what the book’s title means, the show’s legacy, and so much more. Melissa played Carol Fitzpatrick on the show, an assistant to press secretary C.J. Cregg (played by Allison Janney). In addition to her career as an actress—she has also appeared on Grey’s Anatomy and in The Truman Show—she is also the founder of Voices in Harmony, a nonprofit community theater in L.A., and back in November 2013 joined Justice for Vets as its Senior Director. Mary played Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper on The West Wing and has appeared in films like Private Parts, Deep Impact, True Crime, and Mystery, Alaska, and on shows like Murder One, ER, In Plain Sight, Scandal, The Newsroom, Will & Grace, and The Kids Are Alright. I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation!

What’s Next?: A Backstage Pass to the West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack