The West Wing: Season 2

2000 · 22 episodes · ★ 8.0

What Season 2 of The West Wing

Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, is shot and undergoes surgery at the hospital, as does Josh, who arrives in critical condition. The season starts at the end of the second year in office and runs until the middle of the third. The writers expand the political themes, from military spending cuts to sanctions on Iraqi oil and the debate over marijuana, and add flashbacks showing how Leo's team came together, with Josh, Toby, Sam, C.J. and Donna. Legislative elections and public trust set the pace of the storyline. The president's multiple sclerosis, his chronic illness, becomes a central issue that carries much of the story.

22episodes

Oct 4, 2000aired

May 16, 2001latest episode

14.9 hrtotal runtime

Season 2 Episodes

2x01 In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (1)
Oct 4, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.4
"In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" is the two-part second season premiere of the American political drama television series The West Wing. Both parts were written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Thomas Schlamme.
Directed by: Thomas Schlamme · Written by: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Jorja Fox
2x02 In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (2)
Oct 4, 2000 · 40 min · ★ 8.3
With the accomplice in custody, it's revealed that the intended target was Charlie, not Bartlet. The staff still awaits news about Josh, and recalls how C.J. and Donna came to join the Bartlet campaign.
Directed by: Thomas Schlamme · Written by: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Michael O'Neill
2x03 The Midterms
Oct 18, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 7.7
While Josh recovers from bullet wounds there's a noticeable tension among some of the White House Staff. Toby is gung-ho to go after extremist groups in light of the attack. Charlie withdraws from the first family after learning more about the shooting. Bartlet's mind is preoccupied with a small time school election because of an old rivalry. CJ mangles physicist by referring to them as psychics as Josh listens from his sick bed. A subplot involves a reception for radio talk show hosts. Dr. Jenna Jacobs, whose doctorate is in English Lit., is one of those attending. Sam encourages a friend to run for office, unfortunately it doesn't go as he intended.
Directed by: Alex Graves · Written by: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: NiCole Robinson, Elisabeth Moss, James Denton, Claire Yarlett
2x04 In this White House
Oct 25, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.1
To investigate the cost and availability of AIDS medication needed in Africa, the White House plays host to representatives of American pharmaceutical companies and the president of an African nation; C.J. accidentally leaks information to a freshman reporter; after Sam is shown up by an amateur Republican operative on a television program, Jed decides to hire her.
Directing: Ken Olin · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: NiCole Robinson, Emily Procter, Kris Murphy, Brigid Brannagh
2x05 And It's Surely to Their Credit
Nov 1, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 7.7
Leo tries to make Ainsley's arrival as painless as possible, despite resistance from her new boss and several other White House staffers; Donna helps with the President's weekly radio address; C.J. tries to derail a retiring General's attempt to speak out against Bartlet; Sam gives Josh ideas on how to deal with his insurance company.
Directing: Christopher Misiano · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, NiCole Robinson, Emily Procter, John Larroquette
2x06 The Lame Duck Congress
Nov 8, 2000 · 40 min · ★ 7.4
The president considers recalling the Senate to push ratification of a nuclear-test-ban treaty. Meanwhile, Donna lobbies new legislation introducing ergonomic standards in the White House; A Ukrainian politician shows up at the White House drunk demanding to see the president.
Directing: Jeremy Kagan · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Emily Procter, Kris Murphy
2x07 The Portland Trip
Nov 15, 2000 · 40 min · ★ 7.4
After ridiculing Notre Dame, C.J. is forced to accompany the President on a trip to Oregon; Toby and Sam struggle to write Jed's education speech for the following day; back at the White House, Josh tries to dissuade a gay Congressman who supports legislation banning same-sex marriages and Leo gets divorce papers, which causes Margaret to worry that he may fall off the wagon.
Directing: Paris Barclay · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Busfield, NiCole Robinson, Emily Procter, David Graf
2x08 Shibboleth
Nov 22, 2000 · 40 min · ★ 7.4
Toby encourages the President to appoint Leo's controversial sister to a national education post, against Leo's objections; Bartlet must decide what the do with 83 Chinese citizens who stowed away on a freighter ship and seek asylum on the grounds of religious persecution; CJ has to decide which one of two turkeys the President should "pardon" but then tries to save the other from the chopping block; Charlie is tasked with buying the President a new carving knife which is not as easy as it sounds.
Directing: Laura Innes · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Davis-Reed, NiCole Robinson, Deborah Hedwall, Sam Anderson
2x09 Galileo
Nov 29, 2000 · 40 min · ★ 7.8
On the eve of Jed's participation in a national television conference with thousands of school children as the Galileo probe arrives at Mars, NASA loses the communication link; Leo contends with a Russian ambassador who denies that a fire has broken out in a nuclear missile silo; C.J. and Sam accompany Jed to a concert where they're each faced with people they'd rather not see; Josh and Donna work on the nomination for the next person to appear on a postage stamp; C.J. wrangles a minor controversy ignited by a leak that Jed doesn't like green beans.
Directing: Alex Graves · Writing: Aaron Sorkin, Kevin Falls · Starring: NiCole Robinson, Allison Smith, John Carroll Lynch, Colm Feore
2x10 Noël
Dec 20, 2000 · 41 min · ★ 8.4
Josh investigates the suicide of a pilot with whom he has things in common; Donna tries to get an invitation to the Congressional Christmas party to hear Yo-Yo Ma perform; Jed insists on signing a mountain of Christmas cards himself; after a White House visitor has a strange reaction to a painting, C.J. sets out to discover its provenance; following weeks of volatile behavior and an outburst in the Oval Office, Josh meets with representatives from the America Trauma Victims Association and finally deals with the trauma from his shooting.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Davis-Reed, Kris Murphy, Daniel von Bargen, Yo-Yo Ma
2x11 The Leadership Breakfast
Jan 10, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 7.9
To get real issues to be discussed at a bi-partisan breakfast, Toby makes a deal with a former acquaintance who is the majority leader's new Chief of Staff to strike a bargain and put an issue on the agenda, thereby undermining CJ and setting up the administration to ridicule; The possibility of moving the press corps across the street is briefly explored; Leo and Toby start to face harsh realities about Bartlet's re-election; Josh and Sam build a fire with unfortunate consequences; Leo tells Josh to apologize for him after embarrassing himself in front of a columnist. Unfortunately the embarrassment continues with Sam and Donna.
Directing: Scott Winant · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: NiCole Robinson, Corbin Bernsen, Melissa Fitzgerald, Peter James Smith
2x12 The Drop-In
Jan 24, 2001 · 40 min · ★ 7.9
The test of a missile defense program meets 9 of 10 essential criteria. But the 10th is the sticking point: hitting the target. Sam is livid when a speech he wrote is changed without consulting him.
Directed by: Lou Antonio · Written by: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Davis-Reed, Roger Rees, NiCole Robinson, Renée Estevez
2x13 Bartlet's Third State of the Union
Feb 7, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 7.6
The President delivers his 3rd State of the Union address, what critics call "the speech of his political career" and ends up angering Abbey by what he does and doesn't say; Josh must work the polling center with Joey Lucas, but a power outage delays the results; Sam attempts to introduce Ainsley to the President with disastrous results; CJ must juggle a live recording of the show "Capitol Beat" being broadcast within the White House and run damage control when a cop has a (possibly undeserved) black mark on his record; Leo and Bartlet must handle the matter of five DEA officials who are taken hostage by Columbian terrorists.
Directing: Christopher Misiano · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, NiCole Robinson, Marlee Matlin, Emily Procter
2x14 The War at Home
Feb 14, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 7.9
Bartlet authorizes a special ops team to rescue the five DEA agents only to have them caught in an ambush; CJ arranges for the host of "Capitol Beat" to have an exclusive interview with the wronged police officer; Toby must deal with Senator Gilette who threatens to make a third party run for president due to the tone of the changes on social security reform; Sam gives Ainsley another chance to meet the President, but she still fails to create a good impression; Josh finally gets the poll results from Joey; Abbey and Bartlet discuss his running for a second term.
Directing: Christopher Misiano · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, Marlee Matlin, Emily Procter, Adam Alexi-Malle
2x15 Ellie
Feb 21, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 7.7
During an online chat, the Surgeon General comments favorably on the legalization of marijuana. The controversy heightens when Ellie Bartlet tells a reporter that her father would never fire the Surgeon General. Toby asks his ex-wife, a Congresswoman, for her help in strongly persuading Seth Gillette to participate in the Social Security panel.
Directing: Michael Engler · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Davis-Reed, Mary Kay Place, Kathleen York, NiCole Robinson
2x16 Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail
Feb 28, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 8.3
It's Big Block of Cheese Day again. Toby meets with World Trade Organization protesters, and CJ meets with a group of cartographers who want the standards for maps changed to be a more accurate reflection of geographical and political reality. Donna asks Sam to look into granting a pardon for a friend's deceased grandfather. Bartlet is having problems selecting a site for his Presidential library.
Directing: Jessica Yu · Writers: Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford · Starring: NiCole Robinson, Clark Gregg, Anna Deavere Smith, Roma Maffia
2x17 The Stackhouse Filibuster
Mar 14, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 8.1
The staff is blindsided when an elderly senator stages a Friday night filibuster to block their Family Wellness bill; Toby is confused when VP Hoynes, a strong supporter of the oil industry, volunteers to give a speech attacking the energy sector; CJ tries to locate a valuable Egyptian cat goddess statue given to the President.
Directing: Bryan Gordon · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Davis-Reed, Cara DeLizia, George Coe, Tim Matheson
2x18 17 People
Apr 4, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 8.5
Toby, suspicious that there's something going on with the President, finds out about Bartlet's MS and informs Leo of the legal ramifications; Josh and Donna disagree about the date of their "anniversary"; Sam and Ainsley argue about the necessity of the ERA; staffers struggle to punch-up the speech the President will give at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
Directing: Alex Graves · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Emily Procter, Peter James Smith, William Duffy
2x19 Bad Moon Rising
Apr 25, 2001 · 40 min · ★ 8.5
Bartlet confers with Babish on the legal ramifications of his MS cover-up; Sam has a personal interest in an oil spill off the coast of Delaware; Josh and Donna argue about a loan to Mexico; Toby orders C.J. to flush out a leak in the White House staff, which is far from easy.
Directing: Bill Johnson · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Timothy Davis-Reed, NiCole Robinson, Emily Procter, Kris Murphy
2x20 The Fall's Gonna Kill You
May 2, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 8.0
Babish menacingly questions CJ and Abbey about their involvement in the MS cover-up while Josh asks Joey Lucas to create a hypothetical poll the gauge the public's reaction; Sam is happy with a projected smaller-than-expected budget surplus; Donna is the only one worried about a Chinese satellite hurling toward the Earth at 2,000 mph.
Directing: Christopher Misiano · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, NiCole Robinson, Marlee Matlin, Rosalind Chao
2x21 18th and Potomac
May 9, 2001 · 40 min · ★ 8.4
The staff prepares for the worst as they make arrangements for the public announcement of the President's condition; Sam and Babish grill Abbey about her medical treatment of the President's MS; a crisis erupts in Haiti; Josh deals with two Democratic senators who won't support the administration's suit against tobacco companies; Mrs. Landingham buys her first new car, with tragic consequences.
Directing: Robert Berlinger · Writing: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, Timothy Davis-Reed, NiCole Robinson, Marlee Matlin
2x22 Two Cathedrals Season Finale
May 16, 2001 · 41 min · ★ 9.3
On the day of Mrs. Landingham's funeral, the staff deals with a Haitian presidential crisis and the law suit against the big tobacco companies, and Bartlet must decide about running for reelection.
Directing: Thomas Schlamme · Writer: Aaron Sorkin · Starring: Stockard Channing, NiCole Robinson, Anna Deavere Smith, Gregory Alan Williams