Season 4

Season 4
Premiere	20 Hours in America (Part I)
Finale	Twenty-Five
Network	NBC
Created by	Aaron Sorkin
Aired	25 September 2002 — 14 May 2003
Episodes	22
Showrunner(s)	Aaron Sorkin

Season 4 of American television drama series The West Wing aired on NBC.

Summary

The campaign in full swing, Toby, Josh and Donna are left behind by the motorcade and, through a series of missteps, spend 20 hours getting back to D.C. And that's just the first of many challenges facing Bartlet and his staff. The ramifications of the Bartlet administration's decision to assassinate Qumari Defense Minister Abdul Sharif start to become apparent, as Qumar seeks to use the death to accuse Israel and instigate hostilities. Meanwhile, everyone is worried about the campaign, as Gov. Ritchie may wind up winning because the public has such low expectations of him, which he can only beat. Bartlet, on the other hand, has the reverse problem. It all comes down to a debate that Bartlet has to win, and win handily.

Walken takes the oath of office

Sam, on the other hand, has problems of his own. He goes to California to persuade a congressional campaign manager named Will Bailey to end a campaign where the candidate has died. When Will refuses, Sam makes a promise to run should the late candidate win, which seems highly unlikely. Sam isn't counting on Will's brilliance, though, and he finds himself in sticky situation that may force him to leave the West Wing. Finally, all hell breaks loose as Zoey, about to embark on a trip to France, is abducted by parties unknown. With the nation on high alert in wake of the kidnapping, Bartlet makes the most fateful decision of his presidency, and his fatherhood.

Cast

Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn (12 episodes)

Stockard Channing as Abigail Bartlet (10 episodes)

Dulé Hill as Charlie Young

Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg

Joshua Malina as Will Bailey (17 episodes)

Janel Moloney as Donna Moss

Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler

John Spencer as Leo McGarry

Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman

and Martin Sheen as President Bartlet

Special Guest Stars

John Amos as Admiral Fitzwallace (9 episodes) Lily Tomlin as Deborah Fiderer (7 episodes) Christian Slater as Jack Reese (3 episodes) Tim Matheson as John Hoynes (2 episodes) Taye Diggs as Wesley Davis (2 episodes) Marlee Matlin as Joey Lucas ("Debate Camp") Hal Holbrook as Albie Duncan ("Game On") James Brolin as Robert Ritchie ("Game On") Donald Moffat as Talmidge Cregg ("The Long Goodbye") John Goodman as Glen Allen Walken ("Twenty-Five")

Mary-Louise Parker as Amy Gardner (9 episodes) Timothy Busfield as Danny Concannon (5 episodes) Ron Silver as Bruno Gianelli (4 episodes) Matthew Perry as Joe Quincy (2 episodes) Adam Arkin as Stanley Keyworth ("Holy Night") Matthew Modine as Marco Arlens ("The Long Goodbye") SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY The Whiffenpoofs ("Holy Night")

Guest starring

Anna Deavere Smith as Nancy McNally 2

Amy Adams as Cathy ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper 6

Renée Estevez as Nancy 4

Joan MacIntosh as Meredith Walker ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

Valorie Armstrong as Mrs. Harrison ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

Art Chudabala as Peter Lien ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

Alan Dale as Mitch Bryce ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

Victor McCay as Peter ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

Danielle Harris as Kiki ("20 Hours In America — Part I")

John Gallagher Jr. as Tyler 2

Ernestine Jackson as Fiona ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Joel Marsh Garland as Cap ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Allison Smith as Mallory O'Brien ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Victor McCay as Peter ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

John P. Connolly as Matt Kelley ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Don Perry as Muriel Keith ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Allan Wasserman as Donald McKittridge ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Andrew McFarlane as Anthony Marcus ("20 Hours In America — Part II")

Joanna Gleason as Jordon Kendall 3

Clark Gregg as Agent Casper 2

Glenn Morshower as Mike Chysler 2

Thomas Kopache as Bob Slattery 4

John P. Connolly as Matt Kelley ("College Kids")

George Coe as Howard Stackhouse ("The Red Mass")

Malachi Throne as Ben Yosef ("The Red Mass")

Deborah May as Janet ("The Red Mass")

Robin Bartlett as Susan Thomas ("The Red Mass")

Andrew McFarlane as Anthony Marcus 2

John Cothran, Jr. as Civilian Advisor ("The Red Mass")

Larry Brandenburg as Senator Michael Jackson ("The Red Mass")

Kathryn Joosten as Dolores Landingham ("Debate Camp")

Kathleen York as Andy Wyatt 4

Bill O'Brien as Kenny Thurman ("Debate Camp")

Jeffrey Pierce as Jeff Johnson ("Debate Camp")

Bruce French as Bill Stark ("Debate Camp")

Eyal Podell as Michael Gordon ("Debate Camp")

Danica McKellar as Elsie Snuffin 6

Tony Amendola as Ali Nissir ("Game On")

John Aniston as Alexander Thompson ("Game On")

Omar Benson Miller as Orlando Kettles ("Election Night")

Michael Mulheren as Statehood Supporter ("Election Night")

Megan Cavanagh as Voting Shortcut ("Election Night")

Kaarina Aufranc as Ten Dollars ("Election Night")

Kris Iyer as Andy's Doctor ("Election Night")

Tobin Bell as Colonel Whitcomb ("Process Stories")

Gina Hecht as Julie ("Process Stories")

Victor Raider-Wexler as Bernie ("Process Stories")

Geoff Pierson as Wendell Tripplehorn ("Swiss Diplomacy")

Lucinda Jenney as Karen Kroft ("Swiss Diplomacy")

Bernard White as Dr. Ehsan Mohebi ("Swiss Diplomacy")

Wolf Muser as Ambassador Von Rutte ("Swiss Diplomacy")

Paul Vincent O'Connor as Laney ("Swiss Diplomacy")

Faran Tahir as Manny ("Swiss Diplomacy")

Vyto Ruginis as Mitch ("Arctic Radar")

Audrey Wasilewski as Janice Trumbull ("Arctic Radar")

Jerry Adler as Jules Ziegler ("Holy Night")

Elisabeth Moss as Zoey Bartlet 2

John Diehl as Larry Claypool ("Holy Night")

Trent Ford as Jean-Paul Vicomte de Bourbon 2

Megan Ward as Senator's Staffer ("Guns Not Butter")

Kiersten Van Horne as Jane Cleery ("Guns Not Butter")

Pat Skipper as Senator James Hoebuck ("Guns Not Butter")

Natsuko Ohama as Dr. Gwendolyn Chen ("Guns Not Butter")

Verna Bloom as Molly Lapham Cregg ("The Long Goodbye")

Betsy Aidem as Libby ("The Long Goodbye")

Terry Beaver as Dr. Lee Voight ("The Long Goodbye")

Granville Van Dusen as Bryce Lilly ("Inauguration (Part I)")

Steve Ryan as Miles Hutchinson ("Inauguration (Part I)")

Victor McCay as Henry ("Inauguration (Part I)")

Gibby Brand as Adam Kent ("Inauguration (Part I)")

Faran Tahir as Manny ("Inauguration (Part I)")

John Cothran, Jr. as Civilian Advisor ("Inauguration (Part I)")

Trivia

• The fourth season is the final season for creator Aaron Sorkin, executive producer/director Thomas Schlamme and actor Rob Lowe, who played Sam Seaborn, although Lowe returns as a special guest star for the final episodes of the final season.

Media

Writer of 'The West Wing' Is Resigning From the Show (May 2003)

Episodes

#	EPISODE	AIRDATE	WRITTEN BY
1	20 Hours in America (1)	25 SEPTEMBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin
	The reelection campaign of President Bartlet is underway. At the White House, Leo McGarry and Percy Fitzwallace (John Amos) become anxious when they learn that the country of Qumar has reopened its investigation into the death of one of its officials.
2	20 Hours in America (2)	25 SEPTEMBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin
	A study of 20 hours in America, while Toby, Josh and Donna try to get home from Indiana.
3	College Kids	2 OCTOBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin S | D. Cahn & M. Goffman
	The President's team reacts to the ongoing inquiry into its pre-meditated Qumari assassination by lawyering up as they gingerly approach Leo's lawyer (guest star Joanna Gleason) while a key judicial ruling on presidential third-party candiates throws a monkeywrench into the campaign.
4	The Red Mass	9 OCTOBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin • S | Eli Attie
	The President ponders the fallout of greenlighting a strike force to overtake a barricaded gang of homegrown terrorists in Idaho -- who include a young non-combatant in need of medical attention -- while his staff tries to negotiate with Bartlet's Republican rival for more, rather than fewer debates.
5	Debate Camp	16 OCTOBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin S | W. Sind & M. Palmer
	While on a weekend retreat to prepare for the crucial debates, the President is confronted with an Israeli air attack on Qumar that could enflame the Mideast -- while his staff recalls the Bartlet administration's first error-prone days in office.
6	Game On	30 OCTOBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin & Paul Redford
	President Bartlet engages in the final debate of his career. Meanwhile, Leo and Jordan Kendall (Joanna Gleason) meet with a UN diplomat about the escalating Qumari crisis and Sam tries to persuade the staffers for a just-deceased Southern California Congressional candidate to end their election campaign.
7	Election Night	6 NOVEMBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin S | Gerken & Handelman
	Election Day arrives as the President and his staff begin counting exit poll votes across the country -- especially in a conservative California congressional district where the result has important implications for Sam and its maverick campaign manager (Joshua Malina).
8	Process Stories	13 NOVEMBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin S | P. Yoo & L. Schmidt
	As the White House staffers rejoice after Bartlet's win, the outcome of a bizarre congressional race in a conservative California district provides them with a surprising idea. Meanwhile, a coup takes place in Venezuela.
9	Swiss Diplomacy	20 NOVEMBER 2002	Kevin Falls & Eli Attie
	The President (Martin Sheen) ponders the immense political ramifications of honoring a secret request from the hardline Iranian Ayatollah to allow his son to be flown to the United States for life-saving surgery.
10	Arctic Radar	27 NOVEMBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin S | Gene Sperling
	Sam packs up to begin his California campaign and refers talented campaign manager Will (guest star Joshua Malina) to Toby who reviews Will's speechwriting skills. Elsewhere, C.J. duels with a reporter who's upset over his new press room seat assignment.
11	Holy Night	11 DECEMBER 2002	Aaron Sorkin
	A winter storm blankets the northeast as a staffer gets a surprising visit from his father and Bartlet and Leo start to hear the footsteps.
12	Guns Not Butter	8 JANUARY 2003	Eli Attie & Kevin Falls, Aaron Sorkin
	The staff comes together to fight a losing battle on a foreign aid vote in the Senate. Meanwhile, Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) is getting closer to the truth about Sharif; and Charlie wants to help a female soldier whose family needs food stamps.
13	The Long Goodbye	15 JANUARY 2003	Jon Robin Baitz
	C.J. reluctantly returns to Dayton, Ohio, to speak at her 20th high school class reunion but her return home includes an impromptu encounter with a rich and handsome classmate -- and a sobering understanding that her intellectual father is suddenly deteriorating from Alzheimer's Disease.
14	Inauguration (Part I)	5 FEBRUARY 2003	Aaron Sorkin S | M. Palmer & W. Sind
	A situation in a thoroughly unimportant country on the other side of the world has the President and his staff re-writing his Inauguration address on the eve of his swearing-in as tensions between the White House and the Pentagon mount and the staff is stunned by the betrayal of one of their own.
15	Inauguration: Over There (Part II)	12 FEBRUARY 2003	Aaron Sorkin S | D. Gerken & G. Sperling
	Preparations for the Inauguration (and the parties that follow) continue as the White House scuttles the President's speech and moves closer and closer to an historic military action.
16	The California 47th	19 FEBRUARY 2003	Aaron Sorkin S | L. Schmidt & P. Yoo
	En route to California to campaign for Sam's congressional election challenge where everything that can go wrong, goes wrong, the President and his staff debate whether to announce his controversial tax plan that might damage Sam's bid in conservative Orange Count.
17	Red Haven's on Fire	26 FEBRUARY 2003	Aaron Sorkin S | M. Goffman & D. Cahn
	The President waits tensely for the results of a military strike to rescue three captive American soldiers in Africa while Toby tries to help Sam's California congressional campaign and Josh butts heads with the First Lady.
18	Privateers	26 MARCH 2003	Paul Redford & Debora Cahn & Aaron Sorkin
	Abbey is upset when an anti-abortion rider is attached to a foreign aid bill and asks Amy (Mary-Louise Parker) to work behind the scenes to torpedo the President's proposal while Toby gets in a legal bind when an ex-classmate (guest star Jeff Perry) turns whistle-blower on a lawbreaking chemical company.
19	Angel Maintenance	2 APRIL 2003	Eli Attie & Aaron Sorkin S | Kevin Falls
	At the end of an 18 hour return trip home from the Manila, just as Air Force One is about to begin its descent into Andrews Air Force Base, a cockpit indicator light leads the crew to believe that the landing gear might not be locked down and so the plane stays in the air while the problem can be looked at.
20	Evidence of Things Not Seen	23 APRIL 2003	Aaron Sorkin S | E. Attie & D. Handelman
	After a gunman fires three shots at the White House, the staff remains under lockdown as the President negotiates the return of a downed spy plane while Josh interviews a candidate (guest star Matthew Perry, NBC's "Friends") for associate counsel -- and a spirited card game allows everyone to let off steam.
21	Life On Mars	30 APRIL 2003	Aaron Sorkin S | P. Redford & D.D. Myers
	A seemingly benign press leak begins a day and night long journey that ends with the discovery of a scandal that affects the uppermost levels of the administration, though what the staff doesn't yet know is that this is merely the match that lights the fuse and that things are about to get considerably worse.
22	Commencement	7 MAY 2003	Aaron Sorkin
	With the country at a heightened state of alert because suspected terrorists have disappeared, the President wrestles with what message to give his youngest daughter Zoey's (guest star Elisabeth Moss) graduating class at Georgetown.
23	Twenty-Five	14 MAY 2003	Aaron Sorkin
	In the season finale, a national crisis is thrust on the President on the night of his daughter Zoey's graduation, forcing him to shut down Washington, D.C. as he orders the Fifth Fleet to the Persian Gulf -- all of which prompts Bartlet to consider executive action that would have been unthinkable just hours earlier.