Did you know that Aaron Sorkin was planning to do ‘The West Wing’ Season 8? Then what was the reason it didn’t happen?
Created by Aaron Sorkin, ‘The West Wing’ is an American political drama TV series that is set in the West Wing of the White House during the fictitious democratic administration of Josiah Bartlet. The West Wing is seven seasons long and has been ranked as one of the best TV shows of all time. It has been more than ten years since ‘The West Wing’ went off the air, however, the Netflix generation has made it popular again. The series has received various awards including three Golden Globe Awards, two Peabody Awards, 26 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the Outstanding Drama Series Award.
Highlights:
- Aaron Sorkin on ‘The West Wing’ Season 8
- What could season 8 have been like?
- ‘The West Wing’ cast reunited for HBO Max special
Following the departure of Sorkin after the fourth season, the rankings of the show decreased, yet it managed to remain popular among the audience. In the past few years, there had been talks that Sorkin might bring the gang together for the eighth season. Then, what is it that stopped him? Was he really rooting for a new season? What could it have been like?
‘The West Wing’ Season 8 was almost happening, but what happened that led to Sorkin holding back?
Aaron Sorkin on not creating ‘The West Wing’ Season 8
In a very candid interview with “The Hollywood Reporter“, Aaron Sorkin revealed that he wants ‘The West Wing’ to return with a new season, including new cast additions, but he hasn’t yet found a brilliant idea.
Though he is brainstorming ideas such as –
“Sterling K. Brown as the President, and there’s some kind of jam, an emergency, a very delicate situation involving the threat of war or something, and President Bartlet played by Martin Sheen, long since retired, is consulted in the way that Bill Clinton used to consult with Nixon”,
how to bring Allison Janney’s C.J. Cregg or Bradley Whitford’s Josh Lyman into the new scenario is where Sorkin gets stuck.
For a show that has been hit among the audience for a long time, there is constant pressure to meet the viewers’ expectations. And unless there is a foolproof idea for a new season, fans will have to settle for reruns.
Is ‘The West Wing’ Season 8 happening anytime soon? What has Sorkin planned?
What could season 8 have been like?
From the obvious reign of Matt Santos to a plot twist with Seaborn’s return, it could have been anything. Seaborn was the Deputy White House Communications Director in the Bartlet administration, throughout the show, for the first four seasons. His character suddenly went missing in the fifth and sixth seasons, only to turn up in the final episode of season 7 as the Deputy White House Chief of Staff.
Another twist that the fans could have witnessed in season 8 was a Vinick administration – a moderate, liberal Republican with populist sensibilities. It would be a very influential and powerful image, wouldn’t it? All we can do is wait and hope for Sorkin to get an idea for ‘The West Wing’ Season 8.
‘The West Wing’ cast reunited for HBO Max special
‘The West Wing’ cast including Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, Bradley Whitford, Dule Hill, Richard Schiff, Janel Maloney, Joshua Malina, and Melissa Fitzgerald, all got together for the first time in 17 years for an HBO Max special.
Reunion of ‘The West Wing’ cast was epic for superfans, casual viewers, and new converts alike. Watch the full video of ‘The West Wing’ reunion here:
But what would be more fun is their reunion on the sets of ‘The West Wing’ Season 8, won’t it? The thoughts of what could have been are unavoidable. However, there is nothing specific that indicates a new season is approaching. Are you keen on a revival? What do you think season 8 could have been like? Tell us in the comments.
