More and more people are casting their votes for... Jed Bartlet? With The West Wing experiencing a new wave of popularity thanks to streaming, the editors of Entertainment Weekly dive deep into the secrets of the White House as they unpack Aaron Sorkin's wonky political drama, which still resonates today. Including a cast reunion, a guide to the essential episodes, behind the scenes photos, an oral history of how the show was made, and much more, this is political programming we can all get behind.
*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* A behind-the-scenes look into the creation and legacy of The West Wing as told by cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, with compelling insights from cast and crew exploring what made the show what it was and how its impassioned commitment to service has made the series and relationships behind it endure. Step back inside the world of President Jed Bartlet’s Oval Office with Fitzgerald and McCormack as they reunite the West Wing cast and crew in a lively and colorful “backstage pass” to the timeless series. This intimate, in-depth reflection reveals how The West Wing was conceived, and spotlights the army of people it took to produce it, the lifelong friendships it forged, and the service it inspired. From cast member origin stories to the collective cathartic farewell on the show’s final night of filming, What’s Next will delight readers with on-set and off-camera anecdotes that even West Wing superfans have never heard. Meanwhile, a deeper analysis of the show’s legacy through American culture, service, government, and civic life underscores how the series envisaged an American politics of decency and honor, creating an aspirational White House beyond the bounds of fictional television. What’s Next revisits beloved episodes with fresh, untold commentary; compiles poignant and hilarious stories from the show’s production; highlights initiatives supported by the cast, crew, and creators; and makes a powerful case for competent, empathetic leadership, hope, and optimism for whatever lies ahead.
The West Wing has been named 'TV Show of the Year' by Entertainment Weekly, and stars Stockard Channing, Dule Hill, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Martin Sheen, John Spencer, and Bradly Whitford. The West Wing Script Book is a unique volume containing six scripts from the television phenomenon - winner of 22 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. The show has also won the Producers Fuild Award, Directors Guild Award, Writers Guild Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, Golden Globe, Humanitas Prize and the Peabody Award. Now, for the first time, you can relive your favourite moments from these superlative scripts. This volume includes some of the most emotive and best-loved episodes from the first two series, including the Emmy Award winning In the Shadow of Two Gunmen. Also featured is an exlusive interview with creator, writer and director Aaron Sorkin, who explains how this idea for a political drama show became one of the most successful of all time, despite being told that 'shows about politics don't work'. These scripts demonstrate TV at its best, and are a thing to treasure and savour, time and time again. 'President Barlet... is the best world leader that never was. Then there's the writing, the reason that The West Wing is so good. Sometimes... the dialogue reaches such levels of perfection, I could weep.' Evening Standard 'With this wonderful political drama, the writer Aaron Sorkin has created a cast of "savvy political operatives" who you would not only wqnt to run the country, but wouldn't mind letting into your life. The sense of brilliant people behaving honourably cannot fail to be moving: in the George Dubya age, we need this more than ever.' The Times 'When it's like this - fast, funny, moving and smart - The West Wing is about as good as TV gets.' Mirror 'The show remains one of TV's most satisfying hours, a savvy blend of great acting, whip-smart dialogue and grand gestures. If ever the time were ripe for a romantic saltue to the value of public service, now would seem to be it.' Robert Bianco, USA Today 'The TV show of the Year! Prime-time's snuggliest blanket in which to curl up, The West Wing is terrific and only getting better. Grade: A.' Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly
Spanning nearly 50 years of family history, the book chronicles the remarkable lives of two creative talents, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. It's a story of father and son set against the backdrop of Hollywood; this narrative is organized around their physical and spiritual journey along the Camino de Santiago, Spain, the thousand-year-old pilgrimage path which traverses Galicia. It is the area from which Sheen's father emigrated to the U.S. and to which Estevez's own son has returned. Along the Waywill focus not just on the lives these men have chosen as artists, but also (and most importantly) on the one they have lived together. It is a story of family bonds and artistic advances and setbacks; of good choices and hard choices; of opportunities lost and opportunities found. Sheen and Estevez will share what they have experienced and learned from each other in their forty eight years as father and son, as fathers of sons, as actors and director, as spiritual seekers, and as concerned citizens of the world. Readers will meet them as real people rather than icons, as two men who have accumulated decades of wisdom and insight they are now ready to share.
The West Wing premiered in 1999. That's a long time ago. Back then, we were worrying about the Millennium Bug, paying $700 for DVD players, and using pagers. 1999: a century ago. And yet, the show continues to have an impact that is arguably unique. If you live or work in DC, references to it are inescapable. People have walked down the aisle to the theme music. Or they’ve named children, pets, GPS systems, and even an iPhone app after the characters. Or they’ve started Twitter accounts as the characters to continue the storyline and comment on current political events. Or they credit it for closer relationships with their family members or a way out of depression. In this anthology of quotes and essays, contributors from six countries, ranging in age from twenty to seventy years old, tell their West Wing stories.
Eminent scholars Peter C. Rollins and John O'Connor make an important contribution to the field with an eclectic mix of essays, which translate visual language into on-screen politics. While the series may be criticized as "idealistic," its clever techniques of camera work, lighting, editing, and mise en scene reflect America's best image of itself, and entertains a loyal audience that desperately wants to believe in the nobility of the American dream. This collection introduces readers to the sensibilities to appreciate the show's nuances and the necessary knowledge to avoid any misreadings. It will be of interest to students of politics, popular culture, fans and critics alike.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • What if you lived out the drama of your twenties on Air Force One? “[This] breezy page turner is essentially Bridget Jones goes to the White House.”—The New York Times RECOMMENDED READING theSkimm • Today • Entertainment Weekly • Refinery29 • Bustle • PopSugar • Vanity Fair • The New York Times Editors’ Choice • Paste In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein is working five part-time jobs and just scraping by when a posting on Craigslist lands her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama’s stenographers. The ultimate D.C. outsider, she joins the elite team who accompany the president wherever he goes, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forges friendships with a dynamic group of fellow travelers—young men and women who, like her, leave their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president. As she learns to navigate White House protocols and more than once runs afoul of the hierarchy, Beck becomes romantically entangled with a consummate D.C. insider, and suddenly the political becomes all too personal. Against a backdrop of glamour, drama, and intrigue, this is the story of a young woman learning what truly matters, and, in the process, discovering her voice. Praise for From the Corner of the Oval “Who knew the West Wing could be so sexy? Beck Dorey-Stein’s unparalleled access is obvious on every page, along with her knife-sharp humor. I tore through the entire book on a four-hour flight and loved reading all about the brilliant yet hard-partying people who once surrounded the leader of the free world. Lots of books claim to give real insider glimpses, but this one actually delivers.”—Lauren Weisberger, author of The Devil Wears Prada “Dorey-Stein . . . writes with wit and self-deprecating humor.”—The Wall Street Journal “Addictively readable . . . Dorey-Stein’s spunk and her sparkling, crackling prose had me cheering for her through each adventure. . . . She never loses her starry-eyed optimism, her pinch-me wonderment, her Working Girl pluck.”—Paul Begala, The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
The unexpected and forbidden affair between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok unfolds in a triumph of historical fiction from the New York Times bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us.
See how the story of Jamie Frasier and Claire Beauchamp Randall comes to life on the screen with this official, photo-filled companion to the third and fourth seasons of the hit Starz television series based on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander novels. From its very first episode, the Outlander TV series transported its viewers back in time, taking us inside the world of Diana Gabaldon’s beloved series. From the Scottish Highlands, to the courts of Versailles, to the shores of America, Jamie and Claire’s epic adventure is captured in gorgeous detail. Now, travel even deeper into the world of Outlander with this must-have insider guide from New York Times bestselling author and television critic Tara Bennett. Picking up where The Making of Outlander: Seasons One & Two left off, this lavishly illustrated collectors’ item covers seasons three and four, bringing readers behind the scenes and straight onto the set of the show. You’ll find exclusive interviews with cast members, including detailed conversations with Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan (on-screen couple and real-life friends), as well as the writers, producers, musicians, costume designers, set decorators, technicians, and more whose hard work and cinematic magic brings the world of Outlander to life on the screen. Every page features gorgeous photographs of the cast, costumes, and set design, including both official cast photography and never-before-seen candids from on set. The Making of Outlander: Seasons Three & Four is the perfect gift for the Sassenach in your life—and the only way to survive a Droughtlander!
