The West Wing

1999

Aaron Sorkin created this drama about the senior staff of a fictional Democratic White House, and it ran seven seasons from 1999 to 2006. The signature is the walk and talk, dense dialogue delivered at speed while people move through hallways, wrapped around an argument that public service is worth doing well. Martin Sheen plays President Josiah Bartlet, with Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Rob Lowe, and Janel Moloney. Sorkin left after the fourth season and John Wells carried it to the end.