Aaron Sorkin: Today’s ‘West Wing’ GOP Wouldn’t Be Recognizable as “Reasonable”

Aaron Sorkin believes he could still produce “The West Wing” today, though he acknowledges that one significant political aspect would differ: the current state of the Republican Party.

During an event in Los Angeles supporting the upcoming book “What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service,” Sorkin shared his thoughts on the show’s potential relevance today. Speaking to an audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, he expressed confidence in the timelessness of the series.

“Honestly, I think it would for roughly the same reason it worked when it did,” Sorkin said. “It was a good show, just good stories well told by a great group of people. In popular culture, our leaders are often portrayed as Machiavellian or as dolts. It’s either a ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Veep.’ The idea behind ‘The West Wing’ was to depict leaders who were as competent and dedicated as doctors on medical shows or cops on police dramas. The result was something idealistic and aspirational.”

Sorkin continued that audiences would likely respond similarly today. However, he noted a significant difference: the portrayal of the Republican Party.

“I don’t want to get a rumble started over anything,” he prefaced. “But right now, it would be implausible to portray the opposition party, the Republican Party, as reasonable. People would watch that and find it unrecognizable compared to the country they live in. On the show, while the Republicans were the opposition, they were reasonable and cooperative.”

The series featured Martin Sheen as Democratic President Jed Bartlet and ran from 1999 to 2006. Sorkin created the show and contributed the foreword to the book “What’s Next,” penned by cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack. The event included appearances by Sorkin and actors Richard Schiff, Dulé Hill, and Janel Moloney, with Hrishikesh Hirway and Josh Malina serving as moderators. Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford also made brief video appearances.

Reflecting on the book, Sorkin remarked, “It’s very interesting to read the oral history and other people’s takes on what was happening. It really brought back memories and just makes you want to keep going. A big part of the motivation in writing a new script every nine days was to offer something these actors would enjoy; they were the first audience for the show.”

He added, “I continue to be motivated by that. I want to write something else that they want to do.” Malina hinted at the possibility of a “West Wing” reboot on his social media channels, to which Sorkin replied, “Still need to have an idea.”

Source: Variety