Cast members of “The West Wing” reunited onstage at Sunday night’s Emmy Awards to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary next week.
Stars Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney and Richard Schiff took to the stage during the ceremony to present the award for Best Drama Series.
Although it was a short scene, the cast appeared in a replica set and lampooned the current political climate.
“It’s hard to believe that just 25 years ago, (creator) Aaron (Sorkin) and his writers really had to use their imaginations to create intriguing storylines for ‘The West Wing,'” Janney joked.
“Unlike today, you can just rip a story out of the news. Twenty-five years ago, reporters might have found the story a bit far-fetched or even completely absurd,” Schiff added.
Bradley Whitford, who played Deputy Chief Josh Lyman, was unable to attend the Emmys due to production in Budapest, but wrote an emotional post on X/Twitter.
“It breaks my heart that I won’t be able to be with my West Wing family for tonight’s Emmy Awards or my 25th birthday celebration at the White House later this week, but I’ll be pretending I’m working for a different Administration on a different set at the White House in Budapest (I know, I need to stretch my acting muscles),” he wrote. “The writing on West Wing is incredible. Those characters. Played by people I love, respect and will be a part of my family for the rest of my life. As Janelle said in her beautiful article, it has been a privilege and somehow always will be. A gift.”
“The West Wing” premiered on NBC on September 22, 1999, exactly 25 years ago next Sunday. The series stars Sheen as President Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, Janney as press secretary CJ Clegg, Hill as President Bartlet’s personal assistant Charlie Young, Moloney as senior aide Donna Moss, Schiff as communications director Toby Ziegler and Rob Lowe as deputy communications director Samuel Seaborn.
During its run, The West Wing won 27 Emmy Awards out of 98 nominations; six Screen Actors Guild Awards and 20 nominations; two Golden Globe Awards out of 20 nominations; three Directors Guild of America Awards; four Producers Guild of America Awards; and five Television Critics Association Awards, among other accolades. The show aired for seven seasons from 1999 to 2006, averaging 17.2 million viewers in season three. The second season premiere was a highlight for the series, drawing more than 25 million viewers.
Since its airing, “The West Wing” has often been cited as one of the greatest shows of all time. Its “ping-pong” dialogue and style have been parodied in many other TV series, talk shows and actual political campaign videos. In 2020, the cast reunited virtually to raise awareness and promote voter registration ahead of the election. This election year has seen many similar political shows, including “Veep,” “Scandal” and “Parks and Recreation,” trend online due to their eerily prescient storylines resembling real-life headlines.
Similar to last year’s Emmy Awards broadcast, the ceremony brought together several famous TV names, including cast members from “Happy Days” and “SNL.”