The West Wing: Season 1

1999 · 22 episodes · ★ 7.6

What Season 1 of The West Wing

Season one kicks off midway through the first year in office of Democratic president Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, a leader reminiscent of Bill Clinton's style of governing. Over 22 episodes, his team in the West Wing of the White House faces relentless day-to-day problems. Josh Lyman could lose his job after a television controversy, and Sam Seaborn gets caught up in a personal matter. Chief of Staff Leo McGarry struggles with his addiction to alcohol and Valium. Meanwhile, Bartlet needs the votes of Vice President Hoynes to pass a gun control bill, and he must choose his nominee for the Supreme Court.

22episodes

Sep 22, 1999premiered

May 17, 2000latest episode

15 hrtotal runtime

Season 1 Episodes

1x01 Pilot
Sep 22, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.2
The senior members of the White House staff are summoned to the office early in the morning to handle difficult situations: Hundreds of Cubans are on their way across the Atlantic Ocean in search of freedom; and klutzy President of the United States Josiah Bartlet accidentally sprained his ankle riding a bicycle into a tree.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, NiCole Robinson, Allison Smith, Wendell Wright
1x02 Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
Sep 29, 1999 · 38 min · ★ 6.8
The Vice President refuses to fall in line with Bartlet. Sam discusses the problem of Laurie with Josh and Toby. Bartlet hires Mandy as his consultant.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez, J. August Richards
1x03 A Proportional Response
Oct 6, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.8
Still enraged at Morris's death, Bartlet makes a show of deadly force. C.J. is upset about being kept out of the loop about Laurie. Josh hires Bartlet's new personal assistant.
Directing: Marc Buckland · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez, Hunter von Leer
1x04 Five Votes Down
Oct 13, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.7
Five votes keep a very important gun-control bill from being passed and the staff has 72 hours to track down the errant congressmen. Toby is accused of manipulating the stock market by having a friend testify to Commerce on internet stocks. Leo's wife gets fed up with his long hours.
Directing: Michael Lehmann · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, NiCole Robinson, Jillian Armenante, Jay Underwood
1x05 The Crackpots and These Women
Oct 20, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.8
The staffers spend the day ("Big Block of Cheese day") dealing with private organizations, aka the crackpots. Throughout the day, Sam deals with a UFO nut, CJ gets a proposal to build a wolves-only road, Toby and Bartlet clash over everything, and Josh is overwhelmed by guilt regarding his sister's death.
Directing: Anthony Drazan · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez, Elisabeth Moss
1x06 Mr. Willis of Ohio
Nov 3, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.8
Toby and Mandy push for a commerce bill with a census-counting provision, with three votes as the deciding factor. Sam tutors CJ on the finer points of the census. Josh & Sam take Charlie out for a beer and are joined by Zoey and Mallory.
Directing: Christopher Misiano · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Allison Smith, Michael O'Neill, Renée Estevez
1x07 The State Dinner
Nov 10, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 6.4
The president of Indonesia is honored at a state dinner. The staff deals with Hurricane Sarah, a potential teamster strike, and a raid involving children in Idaho while a reporter flirts with CJ.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writing: Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford · Starring: Janel Moloney, Stockard Channing, Timothy Busfield, David Rasche
1x08 Enemies
Nov 17, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.6
Bartlet and Hoynes argue in front of the Cabinet. CJ fends off Danny's advances when she suspects he's after a big story. Mallory asks Sam out. The staff leaps hurdles to pass a banking bill.
Directing: Alan Taylor · Writing: Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Allison Smith
1x09 The Short List
Nov 24, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 8.3
Bartlet struggles to name a nominee to the Supreme Court when the perfect nominee turns out to be not so perfect. A congressman attacks the staff, claiming that 1 in 3 use drugs.
Directing: Bill D'Elia · Writing: Aaron Sorkin, Patrick Caddell · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, Edward James Olmos, NiCole Robinson
1x10 In Excelsis Deo
Dec 15, 1999 · 41 min · ★ 7.2
Toby tries to arrange a proper funeral for a homeless veteran. Josh and Sam try to set up a preemptive strike against Lillienfield, who is attacking Leo because of his prior drug and alcohol problem. CJ tries to get the staff to revisit the hate crimes issue. Bartlet sneaks out to do some last minute shopping.
Directing: Alex Graves · Writing: Rick Cleveland, Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez
1x11 Lord John Marbury
Jan 5, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.0
War breaks out between India and Pakistan and Bartlet consults with Lord John Marbury. Toby accuses CJ of being too friendly with the press when she objects to being kept in the dark. The staff realizes that Lillienfield's efforts to bring down Leo are going to get ugly when Josh gets a subpoena.
Directing: Kevin Rodney Sullivan · Writing: Aaron Sorkin, Patrick Caddell · Starring: Janel Moloney, Roger Rees, James Hong, NiCole Robinson
1x12 He Shall, from Time to Time
Jan 12, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.0
Bartlet collapses before his first State of the Union address. Leo publicly admits to his former alcoholism and drug abuse. Things get interesting romantically for both Sam and CJ. Lord John Marbury helps the staff negotiate an agreement between India and Pakistan.
Directing: Arlene Sanford · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Stockard Channing, Roger Rees, Timothy Busfield
1x13 Take out the Trash Day
Jan 26, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 7.8
Josh and Sam are able to make a bargain to keep Leo from going through a hearing, at the expense of a new sex education report. Mandy doesn't think a couple should be present at the signing of a new hate crimes bill instigated by the death of their son. Toby contends with some of PBS's detractors.
Directing: Ken Olin · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez
1x14 Take This Sabbath Day
Feb 9, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.0
After the Supreme Court refuses to stay the execution of a convicted murderer, Bartlet has forty-eight hours to decide whether or not to commute the sentence. Josh faces off with Joey Lucas about his staff's not backing her candidate as vigorously as she'd like.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Karl Malden, Marlee Matlin, Renée Estevez
1x15 Celestial Navigation
Feb 16, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.1
Toby and Sam travel to Connecticut to get Roberto Mendoza released from jail; Josh must run a press briefing when CJ has an emergency root canal.
Directing: Christopher Misiano · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Vaughn Armstrong, Timothy Busfield, Edward James Olmos
1x16 20 Hours in L. A.
Feb 23, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 7.5
Bartlet and the senior staff fly to California to attend an important fundraiser. Hoynes must decide whether he will support Bartlet's stance or go with his convictions when the Senate is deadlocked on an ethanol tax bill.
Directing: Alan Taylor · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, NiCole Robinson, Marlee Matlin, Jorja Fox
1x17 The White House Pro-Am
Mar 22, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 6.4
Abbey keeps the staff busy with the fallout when she leaks her personal preference for a Federal Reserve Board appointment and discusses child labor on a talk show, prompting a Congresswoman to offer an amendment which could shoot down the entire international tariff bill. Charlie's date with Zoey is cancelled because of threats by a white supremacist group.
Directing: Ken Olin · Writing: Aaron Sorkin, Lawrence O'Donnell, Paul Redford · Starring: Janel Moloney, Stockard Channing, Timothy Busfield, Jorja Fox
1x18 Six Meetings Before Lunch
Apr 5, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 7.1
Mendoza is confirmed by the Senate; Mandy needs Toby's help to replace a dead panda bear; Sam angers Mallory when she reads a position paper that he wrote supporting school vouchers; Josh meets with Jeff Breckenridge, who is irritating certain Congressmen with his stance on slavery reparations.
Directing: Clark Johnson · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Jorja Fox
1x19 Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
Apr 26, 2000 · 40 min · ★ 8.2
Mandy's old memo about Bartlet administration weaknesses surfaces; Josh tries to get administration nominees appointed to the Federal Elections Committee; Sam works to get a better policy on gays in the military.
Directing: Laura Innes · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez
1x20 Mandatory Minimums
May 3, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.1
Andrea Wyatt insists that mandatory minimums be added to a new drug policy the staff is developing; C.J. makes a mistake and sets them back.
Directing: Robert Berlinger · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, Kathleen York, NiCole Robinson
1x21 Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics
May 10, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 6.4
Bartlet gets closer to making the FEC campaign finance reform-friendly, but his opponents strike back by making Sam's former dalliance with the call girl public knowledge; CJ waits anxiously for the administration's approval rating.
Directing: Don Scardino · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Marlee Matlin
1x22 What Kind of Day Has It Been Season Finale
May 17, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.4
The staff deals with the crisis of an American pilot who was shot down in Iraq; Toby's brother is in danger on a space shuttle whose doors won't close; Bartlet and the senior staff walk into trouble as they leave a town meeting.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Janel Moloney, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Jorja Fox