Aaron Sorkin would bring back "The West Wing" with Sterling K. Brown as president

I'm okay with that, however comparing Sorkin, a master writer even when stoned out of his mind to Roddenberry, who was just completely out of his mind, is insulting.

 

I only mean in the sense they both write utopian fantasy worlds.

 

I thought he quit TWW due to money or rather not getting a raise whilst his co-starts did

http://ew.com/article/2002/08/09/what-really-made-rob-lowe-quit-west-wing/

 

Money was provably a big factor, but he also had his role reduced from star to one of many in an ensemble (in which his co-stars were getting more awards recognition). I believe (as noted in the linked article) he was stuck at 70k an episode while his co-stars caught up to that number and Martin Sheen got four times as much. He was also told at one salary discussion to wait a year for raise talks and then was ignored in salary discussions the following year.

 

though if nothing else The West Wing did allow Rob Lowe to restart his career.

And having a read of Lowe's wiki entry, it mentions there was also studio interference with his character that didn't go do well and that while he started out the lead when you're on a show with a number of high quality actors it can be harder to be the lead.

 

I never really felt like he was the lead, besides the fact he's in the show's opening shot and the Edelstein arc that ended up being mostly anticlimactic and fizzling out.

In fact, if I had to pick a de facto "lead" (Other than the obvious choice of Marty), it would be BW. So much of the show's undertone and plot revolved around Josh.

*In fact if you include the later three seasons - which is, you know, totally up to you - then the story as a whole really becomes Josh's journey.

 

Rob Lowe left because he signed on to be the male lead of the show, ironicly I think Moira Kelly was supposed to be the female lead. When the show quickly became a group after the pilot and the president became a main character plans change. So by the third season everyone was getting paid the same amount for the same work. Rob Lowe wanted more money because he was paid more in the beginning, had a fit when he was told no and left.

I like him as an actor, but if I were creating a show I would only hire him for temp work.

 

I would tend to agree with this.