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

[137th Gebirg]

Obama signed more pro-gun legislation in his first year than W. did in both of his terms:

• Allowed DC residents to purchase and keep pistols for home defense in the Federal District of Columbia
• Allowed citizens to carry firearms on the federally-regulated Amtrak train system
• Allowed citizens to carry firearms on federal parklands for self-defense against bears and other large predatory animals

I think there may have been one or two other things, but these are the ones that come to mind most readily.

The only thing W. did in his whole 8 years (in 2004) was allow the 10-year sunset clause to happen on Clinton's 1994 assault weapons ban - so, basically he did nothing, really, by not re-signing it back into permanent federal law.

Kind of lends credence to the fact that the ancient titles of "Republican" and "Democrat" don't mean shit in the 21st century anymore.

 

[bigdaddy]

Kind of lends credence to the fact that the ancient titles of "Republican" and "Democrat" don't mean shit in the 21st century anymore.

There is only one party, the donor party and everyone else can just go and die. Obama(doesn't)Care is a republican health care bill. People are still '#Imwithher' when she was never with you, she was with her self, and it shows by the fact she hasn't spoken out on any issues that don't benefit herself.

*Stops before I end up going on a rant*

But I think a 10-13 episode miniseries dealing with modern day issues like the two parties are one and the Bartlett officials being pissed at the current democratic president being so far to the right on domestic issues while President Bartlett helps the current president on foreign issues.

 

[suarezguy]

It would be interesting because Democrats have changed as well. You could get 2 seasons out of exploring the conflict between Bernie Sanders liberals and Hillary Clinton Supporters.

In TWW all the "good guys" already pretty much thought like Sanders.

 

[Jayson1]

In TWW all the "good guys" already pretty much thought like Sanders.

That's true but I don't recall them talking much about corporate Democrats. I think back then people were still naive enough to think that even if a Democrat takes big money he/she will still care about pushing hard on liberal idea's and values. The notion that they might just be in it for money or power is something I don't think they really thought about.

Jason

 

[suarezguy]

It could be interesting to reveal that Santos had had to deal with and had been pretty derailed by a recession (financial sector-caused or otherwise) even if he wasn't responsible for it, a lot of the optimism of early TWW was from apparently having strong prosperity.

 

[Gaith]

That's true but I don't recall them talking much about corporate Democrats. I think back then people were still naive enough to think that even if a Democrat takes big money he/she will still care about pushing hard on liberal idea's and values.

I think that's a definite factor, particularly since the show's liberalism was largely defined by the "Third Way" Clinton Administration, but we also shouldn't forget The West Wing was a hugely expensive show produced by megacorporation General Electric-owned NBC. I doubt Sorkin ever tried to pitch storylines taking direct aim at the corporatization of national politics and the economy at the time, and I have no idea if he'd want to do so in a hypothetical franchise relaunch, but even if he did, I have significant doubts as to whether that'd be allowed to make it to air.

 

[Jayson1]

I think that's a definite factor, particularly since the show's liberalism was largely defined by the "Third Way" Clinton Administration, but we also shouldn't forget The West Wing was a hugely expensive show produced by megacorporation General Electric-owned NBC. I doubt Sorkin ever tried to pitch storylines taking direct aim at the corporatization of national politics and the economy at the time, and I have no idea if he'd want to do so in a hypothetical franchise relaunch, but even if he did, I have significant doubts as to whether that'd be allowed to make it to air.

I think he could do it on HBO. Granted I am not sure who owns the rights to "West Wing" so I don't even know if he would have to do the show on NBC or not. I know reruns are on "Netflix" so maybe the own the rights right now.

Jason

 

[137th Gebirg]

Seeing as how he did Newsroom for HBO, it's plausible, and he may still have some connections there to make it work.

 

[Jayson1]

Even if HBO didn't work out I think he could possibly do it on Showtime. After "Twin Peaks" I think they would love to sort of bring back another old show and another one that had critical success and a creator with lots of fan respect.

Jason

 

[bigdaddy]

NBC probably still owns the rights, they just sell the viewing rights to Netflix. He didn't do 3/7th of the show. If it came back it would be on NBC which is owned by a corporation that makes tens of billions a year and gets tax refunds because the USA corruption is so deep.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Considering NBC has a standing offer for Sorkin to bring back The West Wing whenever he wants to (as quoted at the beginning of this thread), I think it's safe to say NBC still has the rights to the show.

 

[Gaith]

NBC probably still owns the rights, they just sell the viewing rights to Netflix. He didn't do 3/7th of the show. If it came back it would be on NBC which is owned by a corporation that makes tens of billions a year and gets tax refunds because the USA corruption is so deep.

Yep - and has HBO itself ever produced a major show attacking the pervasiveness of mega-corporations? For that matter, has Sorkin himself ever championed a radical cause? Not that I know of, either. So this tangent is wishful thinking on top of wild speculation.

 

[bigdaddy]

Yep - and has HBO itself ever produced a major show attacking the pervasiveness of mega-corporations? For that matter, has Sorkin himself ever championed a radical cause? Not that I know of, either. So this tangent is wishful thinking on top of wild speculation.

He's rich. Sorkin seems to be a neo-libtard that loves the Clintons and who thinks the world was fine before Trump took over why completely ignoring how he came to power. (And it has nothing to do with Russia.)

As long as I can see Josh and President Bartlett I don't care what the story is. As long as they aren't fighting.

 

[Gaith]

^ Now that you mention it (though I could sure have done without the obnoxious and juvenile modified slur), Sorkin got the rights to a book about (John Kerry's running mate) Jon Edwards back in 2010, and said it'd be his directorial debut. Instead, we just got his actual directorial debut, a real-life story about... a Hollywood poker games leader. Two hours and twenty minutes of Hollywood poker game drama. Uh... great, Aaron. Thanks so much. It's just what I wanted for Christmas. You've gone from the Afghan anti-Soviet insurgency and Facebook to the Oakland A's to Hollywood poker games. (And don't get me wrong, Moneyball is a great, but one of those was enough.)

What with Edwards' outspoken populism, folksy charm, and sexual... uh, recklessness, however, now is perhaps the perfect time for Sorkin to do that story, as a leftist mirror/harbinger of Trump, much like Charlie Wilson's War was a harbinger of the Taliban/al-Qaeda and 9/11. Especially now that Obama, Edwards' rival for the 2008 nomination, has left office, so that chapter of history is now well and truly closed. Get back on it, Mr. Sorkin!

 

[wayne66]

I would love to see Sam Seaborn run for President with Josh, Toby and CJ running his campaign. First scene involves Josh yelling at the TV as he is watching the current President who is very similar to our current President. His children run to their mother, Donna, and say daddy is yelling at the television again. Donna (sick of his bad mood) tells Josh to go see Sam and get him to run for president. Sam and Josh then go see President Bartlett looking for his advice. CJ and Toby are brought back as well. The first season would be about the campaign. Bartlett could act as an unofficial senior advisor to Sam. Making occasional appearances as well as Donna, Charlie, Will and others. The defeated President "Trump" character could even remain as a character. He could start his own media empire and continually criticize President Seaborn. Wasn't that the story that candidate Trump did not expect to win and was using his run for the presidency to start up his own television and media empire?

 

[bigdaddy]

Wasn't that the story that candidate Trump did not expect to win and was using his run for the presidency to start up his own television and media empire?

Nah, that was never a thing because... Russia. Only Russia. :eyeroll:

But that was a story, but remember this is a story from the same media that said Trump had a 2% chance of winning. Anyone who used 270towin.com could have told you he had a much great chance. It's how Trump tricks stupid people with 'The media is fake and biased!!!' which is kind of true, but he didn't mind when they were biased FOR him in 2016.

While I see Sam becoming president in the West Wing Universe, I think Sorkin is smart enough never to cast him in the lead because of his issues with leaving shows randomly.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It would be nice to have an election choice besides 'Vote for the corporate drone who is better on civil rights and thinks government programs should assist the poor.'

Would also be nice to watch a news station whose idea of being objective isn't to present both parties' talking points equally with no fact checking. Or at least for those talking points to be evidence based and not just fearmongering against the other side or sowing paranoia and mistrust of empirical evidence.

If Sorkin did a show about that I'd be on board.

I guess in 2016 it was one corporate drone and one narcissistic white supremacist with impulse control problems.

 

[wayne66]

Nah, that was never a thing because... Russia. Only Russia. :eyeroll:

But that was a story, but remember this is a story from the same media that said Trump had a 2% chance of winning. Anyone who used 270towin.com could have told you he had a much great chance. It's how Trump tricks stupid people with 'The media is fake and biased!!!' which is kind of true, but he didn't mind when they were biased FOR him in 2016.

While I see Sam becoming president in the West Wing Universe, I think Sorkin is smart enough never to cast him in the lead because of his issues with leaving shows randomly.

Yes I agree that Rob Lowe reputation for leaving shows early would probably hurt his chances for being brought back to a potential revival. Still, i have heard that Lowe loved Sorkin's writing and would consider playing the character again. I think we would be lucky to get 5 seasons out of him, which would cover the campaign and the first term. After that, who knows.

 

[bigdaddy]

I guess in 2016 it was one corporate drone and one narcissistic white supremacist with impulse control problems.

Corporate drone narcissistic and narcissistic NAZI douchebag would be more accurate.

But we are speaking badly of the queen, we must be sexists. Remember Trumps weird following Clinton around the stage made her skin crawl. Yet Trump having his arm around her at his wedding picture. Politics are a joke, which is how we got a joke. So if West Wing comes back I'd hope they just ignore everything about the real world.

We will not get 5 more seasons of West Wing, and Rob Lowe wouldn't even stay for that long.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I guess it could take place in an alternate universe where people are sane and the political system works as designed. It'd be like Gene Roddenberry's vision for the present.