NBC Cancels 'West Wing' After 7 Seasons

[tuvor]

PASADENA, Calif. - The new president on "The West Wing" will be a real short-timer: NBC announced Sunday it was pulling the plug on the Emmy-winning political drama after seven seasons in May.

NBC, struggling to regain its footing after the worst season in its history, also outlined several midseason schedule changes — including the moves of popular dramas "Law & Order" and "Las Vegas."

"The West Wing" announcement wasn't much of a surprise. Although this season's story line with a presidential campaign involving a Democrat played by Jimmy Smits and Republican portrayed by Alan Alda has been strong critically, ratings have sunk with its move to Sunday nights.

The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack Dec. 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060122/ap_en_ce/tv_nbc_west_wing

[Chicago1]

1. This one needs to be INVESTIGATED

I smell CENSORING. This is wwwaaayyyy to fishy for me. Somthing is wrong.



START THE REVOLUTION
START THE IMPEACHMENT

[Initech]

5. Yeah, I bet the freepers wet their collective pants over this announcement

Too bad, I was just starting to get into the show, too!

[Warpy]

6. Yeah, all their presidents and candidates

made the whole Stupid administration look as bad as they are.

I guess it was all too embarrassing for GE and the GOP rah-rah squad.

How to kill a successful but politically embarrassing program: move it to an unpopular time slot. Then cite low ratings and pull the plug.

[rpgamerd00d]

20. That is how GE fires employees. I am NOT joking, that is how they do it.

They give the employee a bad review and then assign the employee extra tasks that fall COMPLETELY OUTSIDE the knowledge and experience of the employee, so that when they fail those extra tasks which they have never been trained on and know nothing about, they get a 2nd bad review and are fired.

I am talking from personal experience here. GE fires the bottom 10% of its workforce every single year to hire new young over-eager college grads to work 80 hr weeks.

[Hippo_Tron]

38. Sorry but the show has been on the decline since Sorkin left

In Seasons 1-4 and in some respects Season 5, Jed Bartlet did an incredible job of making George Bush look like the shitty leader that he is. Sorkin wanted to use his medium to show what government could be like versus what it really is like. Late season 3 and early season 4 dealt with this in particular as Bartlet's GOP challenger was based off of Bush. This all climaxes in the debate episode where Bartlet shows his intelligence and kicks Ritchie's ass in the debate and then in the election episode where Bartlet wins in an an absolute landslide carrying states that Democrats don't ever win like Nebraska, South dakota, etc. Sorkin showed us why it is better to have someone in the white house like Bartlet than to have someone in the white house like Bush.

The show doesn't do that anymore, especially with Arnold Vinick being the face of the Republican party. I don't know a single Republican that is like Vinick. John McCain would be if he would quit selling his soul to Bush. Matt Santos isn't exactly a depiction of reality either. Sure there are democrats like Matt Santos, but they don't win presidential elections or even nominations. Matt Santos is just not presidential, at least the way that Jimmy Smits plays him anyway.

I could go on and on, but my point is that The West Wing just does not serve the purpose that it once did. Its cancellation is kind of a shame because it's still better than most of the crap that's on television now, but the show is not nearly as enjoyable as it once was nor does it present the kind of intelligent debate that it once did.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. If Sorkin were still writing it I would agree with you

The show doesn't even promote liberal ideas anymore or any sort of intelligent debate whatsoever. Granted it's still better than the rest of the crap that's on television, but it simpl is not living up to the ideals that it once did. Watch Seasons 5, 6, and 7 and compare them to the first four. The Bartlet white house becomes more moderate and less idealistic in every episode.

[rinsd]

25. I doubt it.

Personally I like the show especially this year but it must cost a fortune to do the sets and everything(Smits and Alda don't come cheap) and it appears to be ranked near the bottom.

I am very sad to see it go but it would have been hard to watch with a completely revamped cast(assuming a new admin).

[Garbo 2004]

35. No, ratings were down and it's a very expensive show to produce. The

writing was on the wall for a long time. Even before this season started it was rumored that this likely would be the last year. And not because it was an ideological barnburner, because it simply wasn't.

I saw an interview with Sheen where he said they knew it was coming. The producers apparently tried to shop the show around to see if anyone else was interested, but it's a costly show to produce and that didn't make it an attractive prospect.

[Glidescube]

2. it had a good run

It ran as long as most shows run today. No complaints here.

[Vidar]

3. Not even allowed the fantasy of a good government.

[Zeke]

4. Hmmmmmmmm.......

Yeah, hopefully NBC will
make more time for more
shows of THE OFFICE.

THE OFFICE: life as we know it.

[safi0]

7. No censoring, no nothing

The explanation is pretty simple, they were getting destroyed in the ratings. They were routinely finishing 4th in their time slot and with the big-name and big-money actors they have on that show you cannot keep a show like that on when its getting killed in the ratings. It had a good run, but its over and there's no grand conspiracy behind it.

[MessiahRp]

8. They put it on Sundays...

Of course it was going to take a beating. Anytime you move a show to Friday-Sunday you are purposely setting it up to fail.

Rp

[safi0]

14. They moved it from

Wednesday to Sunday because it was taking a beating on Wednesday. They've moved it specifically because it had the same timeslot as Lost

[onenote]

26. yeah Sunday is killing Desperate Housewives...

Not. WW was a great show, but it has run its course. It was dying in its old time slot and moving it didn't revive it, nor did bringing in Smits and Alda.

The fact is what would they have done next year? Bartlett/Sheen's second term would be over and frankly he's the strongest character on the show. Neither Alda nor Smits was going to look good in comparison. And you'd have to get rid of CJ and Kate and Will to keep it "real" since folks at their level don't stay on at the WH administration after administration. (If Smits is the "winner" they could keep Josh and Donna around, but that would be about it). And I suspect that John Spencer's untimely death dampened the enthusiasm of those involved in terms of keeping the show going.

No conspiracy here. Just the normal trajectory of a TV show.

onenote

[MessiahRp]

39. Desperate Housewives is an anamoly...

And frankly not the same type of audience the West Wing would usually draw anyways.

Rp

[onenote]

40. WW was dying on Wednesday before the move

In 2000, it was drawing 17-18 million viewers a week on Wednesday (maxing out at over 25 million for its post 9/11 episode in Oct 2001). But by the end of last year, on Wednesday, it was down to around 11 million. That's a huge drop. The problems started when the Bachelor debuted in 2002 and continued with Lost, which is drawing an audience of more than 20 million.

This season its been drawing between 8 and 9 million. How much of this additional drop is attributable to its being on Sunday is hard to tell. At the rate it had been losing viewers on Wednesday, it probably wouldn't be doing much better even if it hadn't been moved.

And Desperate Housewives isn't really that much of an anomaly. CSI used to draw over 20 million on Sunday nights a few years ago.

onenote

[serryjw]

15. Martin Sheen was the show and I will miss him

Perfect cliff hanger.... We NEVER know who won the elction!

[safi0]

24. Their cancelling

It at the end of the season. Its not an immediate cancellation, we'll know how they replaced Leo on the ticket, they'll have the election and we'll know who wins.

This actually makes the end a little more suspenseful IMO. Previously I thought their was no way Vinick would win because then they'd have to scrape pretty much every charachter off the show, but now since the show is ending I genuinely don't know who will win.

[serryjw]

28. You're right

I just read this on the internet.Missing Leo on the ticket only a frew weeks before the election will certainly hurt. I wonder how they will 'kill' him?

[WCGreen]

9. West Wing was 71st in the ratings...

Almost the lowest major network show....

Not every decision is made with politics in mind....

Some are made from a pure financial point of view....

[rsmith6621]

10. Lets Cancel The Bush Admin during Season 6

What do you say????

[ddeclue]

19. LOL!! Amen...

Tuesday, 22nd of January, 2006, dateline Hollywood California:

Due to low poll ratings and questionable plots, the United States Congress has decided to end the 6 year run of "Bush Administration" on FAUX-TV at once and put a new midseason program in its place called "The Hastert Replacements" starring Dennis Hastert in a new breakout starring role.

Vice President Cheney who stars on "Bush Administration" as the gruff but seldom seen older neighbor to President Bush could not be reached for comment. His spokesman says he is in an undisclosed location and is not answering reporter's questions at this time.

President Bush said through his spokesman, Scott McClellan: "Regardless of what the Congress or the Courts may say, 'Bush Administration' has not been cancelled. The Congress does not have the power to cancel my show regardless of my ratings. I have written a secret executive order approved by my attorney that says that the show must go on indefinitely."

Viewers reached for comment seemed pleasantly surprised with the cancellation news - with many saying things like: "The acting on 'Bush Administration' was both atrocious and unbelievable - that Bush fellow couldn't get a single line out straight even WITH the teleprompters on-stage inside the camera shot."

Some believe that the show's tendency to avoid using live audiences cost it considerable chemistry with the viewing audience and may have played into its frequently low ratings. Shows were rarely shot before live audiences and the few that WERE shot before live audiences occurred mainly on military bases before soldiers apparently in an effort to provide entertainment to battle-weary troops around the world. To this reporter, these rare live shows, usually seemed, if anything, over produced and over rehearsed - lacking the spontenaiety and improvisation that made the "Bill and Hillary" variety show which "Bush Administration" replaced so popular.

Rumor has it that "Bush Administration" almost never aired in the first place but through special connections with top level executives with the FAUX-TV network it just barely managed to pre-empt "GoreTime" a spin-off program that was originally scheduled to replace the long running and still popular "Bill and Hillary" variety show which is now in syndication and the first season will be available on DVD soon.

Hillary Clinton of the "Bill and Hillary" variety show is talking of launching a new program in January of 2009 with her husband Bill acting this time behind the scenes as the executive producer. Reports are, however, that this program is only in the preliminary planning stages and she is still seeking financial backers to finance the pilot program.

There is also a rumor that "Bush Administration" narrowly avoided being replaced in January of last year but only by illegal tampering with selected Neilson ratings boxes of certain viewers in the Cuyahoga County Ohio area in November of 2004. This reporter is still investigating these claims.

Another voter reached by this reporter about the pending cancellation was quoted as saying "I, for one, am glad they cancelled it. The plots were becoming more ludicrous all the time, "First it was secret oil deals with that Cheney fellow, then it was weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, then an invasion, then outing a secret CIA agent, then an incompetent response to a natural disaster, and in the last few episodes of Bush Administration, Bush was spying on his neighbors with out a warrant and then boasting about it ...I mean really could something like this ever happen in real life?"

:rofl:

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. It looks like "Bush Administration" was a ripoff of "The Producers"

a scam where they put on an unbelievably awful show just to con money out of people. But somehow it managed to stay on ...

Excellent post, ddeclue! :rofl:

[renate]

27. very nice!

Did you write that? Very well done!
:applause:
:rofl:

[ddeclue]

31. Yes.. I wrote it...

Thanks...

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Oh no

:cry: Do they tell why?

[pstokely]

12. Shows jump the shark if they go on for too long.

It was about time.

[bluestateguy]

13. It was time

This is a good place for closure, and now the cast and the fans can have a dignified finale.

The West Wing should consider itself lucky. Some shows just get shit-canned in the summer, or even mid-season with no warning at all, and no closure for fans.

Now let's get Matt Santos elected!!

[AmericanErrorist]

22. Your banner

The campaign takes place in '06 in West Wing time.

[ddeclue]

16. Personally I don't think it would be that good after Martin is replaced as

President. I think he made that show leaps and bounds better than it would have originally been had the President been just ancillary to the show which is what the producers originally intended if you listen to the commentary tracks on the DVD's.

Martin Sheen just came in and stole the show though and made it so much better than it would have been otherwise. The whole cast was just stellar.

I think that "Commander-In-Chief" is a cheap knock off by comparison.

It's hard to imagine the show with Alan Alda or Jimmy Smitts as President as good as they are as actors. (M.A.S.H is still one of the most popular shows ever to run on television and it ran 12 seasons before they voluntarily shut it down.) I don't think it would be the same or as good.

So long may the West Wing live in reruns and on DVD! I already own the first 3 seasons. I will buy the others as time and money permit.

Seven seasons is not a horrible run anyways. Few non-late night or news shows on TV last that long - All in the Family, MASH, Barney Miller, Cheers, Seinfeld, and Friends are all exceptions to the rule to last 9 or 10 or 12 seasons.

So it is better that the West Wing ends this way I think...

Still it is sad that we have to turn to a television show to see gov't as it ought to be.

Perhaps we can persuade Martin Sheen to run for the REAL job now...

:-)

Doug De Clue

[cal04]

18. and Will and Grace

NBC will end two of its most successful series of recent years, "The West Wing" and "Will & Grace," at the conclusion of the current season and will shift the schedules of three other hit shows, "The Apprentice," "Las Vegas" and "Law & Order," Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC Entertainment announced here today.

(snip)
All the new shows, and the finales of "West Wing" and "Will & Grace," will be emphasized in promotions during the Olympics, Mr. Reilly said. NBC hopes for some success, though Mr. Reilly said the network was trying to remain realistic about its near-term prospects to stage a comeback. "We've got a long way to go," he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/23/business/media/22cnd-nbc.html?hp&ex=1137992400&en=aa9b9de2cd976dbf&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[ddeclue]

21. All these cancellations make room for the new Law and Order spin-off:

Law and Order: Congressional Offenders Unit..

Dun-Dun..


:)

Doug

[Craig3410]

30. I'd watch it!

:evilgrin:

[Hippo_Tron]

37. That would be INCREDIBLE

But it would never happen.

[Stephanie]

33. Seven years is the magic number for a show to go into syndication

That's why they end them at seven years.

[Rosco T.]

34. actually 100 episodes is the magic number...

that's the preferred number for 'strip' (daily) syndication, that gives you a 20 week/5 month cycle.

[onenote]

41. these days shows are syndicated before they hit 100

I just saw that the NBC show Las Vegas is in syndication. Its only in its third season, with fewer than 60 episodes.

onenote

[Rosco T.]

43. I said it was "preferred" not "mandatory"

If they think that it will support the strip, they'll go with it... and with less it may be a weekly syndication..

"Las Vegas" for instance, will have 71 eps at the end of this season (3rd), has been picked up for a 4th which should put it at 95, right now it's in 'second run' syndication, they're running 1 & 2 while 3 is on the air, when 4 starts, they'll fold 3 into the run.. if it goes to a 5th season, that should put them at around 120 and they'll have a good daily strip package (they would probably do it with 71)

[no_more_rhyming]

29. The show died

when Leo left. It has sucked ever since.

[Beaverhausen]

42. Last nights show was pretty exciting

and timely...a nuclear accident in CA with Santa Ana winds impacting on the story...and unbelieveable Santa Anas blowing in real life!

I do and will miss Leo. They haven't dealt with his death yet. :cry:

[WI_DEM]

32. This is not surprising, their ratings have been falling the past

three seasons.

[onenote]

36. yep...

Back in 2000, the show was pulling in as many as 18 million viewers a week. At the end of the 2004-2005 season the number was down to around 11 million and I think the slippage has continued this year. Some folks blame the move to Sunday, but the problems started when it was up against the original version of the Bachelor. Now, Lost gets as may as 23 milion viewers and Desparate Housewives has pulled in as many as 28 million. No way WW was going to survive.

onenote