Aaron Sorkin: Today’s Audiences Wouldn’t Recognize ‘Reasonable Republicans’

Aaron Sorkin often gets asked if his iconic TV series, The West Wing, would still resonate with today’s audience. His answer is mostly affirmative. He believes that his modern portrayal of the White House, much like the one he fashioned 25 years ago, would remain idealistic and aspirational.

However, Sorkin pointed out one major element that might not sit well with contemporary viewers: the concept of reasonable Republicans working on Capitol Hill. He shared this insight during a mini-cast reunion of The West Wing on Saturday.

The reunion, held at the Skirball Center, was organized to celebrate the August 13 release of the book What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing by show stars Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack.

“I don’t intend to start any trouble,” Sorkin told the audience. “But the reality is, it would seem implausible now that the opposition party, the Republican Party, is portrayed as reasonable. People would find that unrecognizable in today’s context. On the show, while Republicans were the opposition, they were still sensible.”

Sorkin also commented on the general depiction of political leaders in pop culture. He noted that these characters are often shown as either Machiavellian masterminds or bumbling fools. “It’s either House of Cards or Veep,” he said. The idea behind The West Wing was different; the politicians were as dedicated and competent as professionals in medical, cop, or legal dramas, making the show both idealistic and aspirational.”

The event featured several cast members, including Fitzgerald, McCormack, Richard Schiff, Janel Moloney, Dulé Hill, and Joshua Malina. They spent over an hour reminiscing about the old days, sharing amusing anecdotes like Martin Sheen’s habit of shaking hands with background actors, Yo-Yo Ma’s admiration for Moloney during his guest appearance, and Malina’s ongoing antics on social media, where he loves to tease fans about a potential West Wing reboot.

There was even a moment when they discussed the importance of sticking to Sorkin’s script.

“I maintained a pretty tight grip on the storytelling for four years,” Sorkin admitted, referencing his time on the NBC drama which lasted 88 episodes. “It’s not that my words are so precious that they can’t be improvised. There are brilliant writers, directors, and actors who excel at making space for improvisation. They aim for a certain sound and the messiness that comes with it, and when they achieve it, it’s fantastic. I was aiming for a different sound. If you started ad-libbing, it would feel like a completely different piece of music.”

Source: Multiple Sources