WHAT'S NEXT

As an unprecedented pandemic rages and we self-quarantine for the duration, tens of millions of us are taking refuge with our favorite TV shows for comfort and a sense of normalcy. One of these shows, of course, is the beloved and iconic political drama The West Wing.

It's no surprise that The Guardian recently named the Aaron Sorkin creation one of "our favourite shows to rewatch in lockdown," with TV editor Toby Moses noting: "I might be stuck inside, and Donald Trump might be terrorising the White House out there, but I can always depend on President Bartlet." And Americans were already turning increasingly to Martin Sheen and comrades before the pandemic hit. As 2019 crashed to a close amidst an impeachment fight, fires, wars and rumors of wars, The New York Times declared: "They Can't Get Enough of 'The West Wing' Right Now." Now, for the first time, key members of the cast and crew have agreed to participate in a book on that beloved program. One that we are confident will outperform the bestselling Seinfeldia and other similarly successful books about individual television shows because in this case the cast members are fully behind it. That's because the book will be written by two of them. WHAT'S NEXT: A CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO THE WEST WING by series actors Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack will include the active support and participation of much of the cast (who have agreed to interviews for the book as well the use of their personal photos.) Sorkin is already interested in writing the Foreword, and Sheen will likely contribute an Afterword. Allison Janney, a recent Academy Award winner and close friend of the authors, can also be counted on to help with some limited promotion. We even envision a scenario when key members of the cast get together as a group -- which happens with some regularity -- and just let the tape recorder run for inclusion in the book. The result of this collaboration will be a book that is in one sense timeless and yet also meets the moment. With more political turmoil surely lying ahead, a book and a show about the nobility of public service and about national leadership hits all the right notes. The title "WHAT'S NEXT" of course will be instantly familiar to many West Wing fans. It was the iconic line constantly recited by President Bartlet - someone always looking forward, to address and combat the next challenge ahead. It's easy to see why so many Americans stream reruns of this iconic show in times of crisis. The Times speaks of "an idealistic alternative reality, an escape from the vitriol and ill-will that they see coursing like poison through contemporary politics" and visiting a Washington "populated by public servants of integrity, intellect and wit." The Guardian observes that "in the creation of a group of well-meaning, if flawed, politicos, Aaron Sorkin solidified for many the way politics should be done." We need that now more than ever. And yet nostalgia and wish fulfillment are only part of the story of The West Wing's appeal. The central element of the show - on screen and off - is precisely the kind of community spirit that defines the best of America. They tell stories of a set that was run like a family, with patriarch Martin Sheen at its head. Sheen, John Spencer and the other senior hands brought the values of the fictional Bartlet administration - values like respect, civility and trust - to life during the real-world production of the show. And their influence didn't end there. Melissa and Mary are now part of a network of West Wing alumni, all of whom have sought to better their world by engaging in charitable pursuits at local, national and even global levels. They all get together to help out on each other's various projects. Martin Sheen picks up Melissa for charity shoots with fresh-brewed mugs of tea. They stay at each other's homes around the country. Because of this closeness among the core cast, we can count on participation in the book production and promotion from Martin Sheen, Aaron Sorkin, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Dulé Hill, Richard Schiff, Janel Moloney and more. Similarly fan-focused like Seinfeldia and The Office but shot through with far greater urgency, relevance and heart, WHAT'S NEXT will ask "West Wing" admirers and all Americans that eternal question so often posed by President Bartlet, and help us find the answers we need.