The West Wing got it right

With the 2008-2009 network television season in the bag, and a dreary 2009-2010 season to look forward to, I find my mind a wandering back in time. As easy as it is to stumble back on The West Wing anyway, my stroll was aided by a recent conversation being held over the highs and lows that West Wingers past have been hitting on USA Network’s In Plain Sight.

While the topic need not be revisited (I can only tell Ivey he’s wrong so many times), Modwild got me thinking about just how well some shows cast their guests. Not that certain actors are deserving of a certain level of quality parts, but rather, that there’s a fine art to assigning an actor to a role.

While there are countless examples of how to, and not to, do this right, The West Wing, in particular, stands out as an example of casting done brilliantly. Over its life, guest stars big and small took both short and long turns on the show, and in a world where most things fall into predictable percentages, The West Wing got it right more often than most.

A few of my most memorable:

• Mark Feuerstein, as Cliff Calley, is about as close as I’m going to stray to a series regular. From a memorable arc in season three playing opposite Donna (Janel Moloney) and Josh (Bradley Whitford), to his recruitment in the role of Deputy White House Chief of Staff in season six, Feuerstein sparred so well with everyone from Josh to Leo (John Spencer), I was sure that his role would wander into season seven territory. Alas, it was not to be, and another perfect Winger got away, just like Rob Lowe before him.
• Danica McKellar, as Elsie Snuffin, had the perfect name, and the perfect disposition, to be yang to Will Bailey’s (Joshua Malina) ying. Actually, I think she got washed out way too quickly; why wouldn’t Will have brought his sister and writing partner back to help him run Bingo Bob’s (Gary Cole) campaign?
• Jesse Bradford, as Ryan Pierce, thorn in Josh’s side. Bradford played his usual annoying self, but here, it was perfect when set down beside Donna and Josh. Ryan drove Josh crazy, and made Donna jealous, and his infusion of chaos added some nice spice into what could have developed into a static relationship.
• John Larroquette, as Lionel Tribbey, was a great match for the show, no matter how short his turn. Never again will I see Larroquette without imagining him storming into the Oval Office, wielding a cricket bat.
• Oliver Platt, as Oliver Babish, left me with the same type of indelible image: smashing his tape recorder with a gavel after President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) tells him he perpetrated a fraud on the American people. Awesome.
• Matthew Perry, as Joe Quincy, was the start of a beautiful relationship between Perry and Bradley Whitford. From their initial interview, to the series finale of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Perry was about as perfect an Aaron Sorkin actor as anyone who appeared on any of his shows. I’m just sorry he didn’t get to play either role more regularly.
• Terry O’Quinn, as General Nicholas Alexander, couldn’t quite replace Fitz (John Amos), but it was a great intro to O’Quinn, in retrospect. His Chairman of the Joint Chiefs wasn’t quite as military minded as his John Locke, which is saying something, but it was my introduction to O’Quinn on The West Wing that opened my eyes to his talent. Now he’s everywhere!
• Christian Slater, as Lieutenant Commander Jack Reese, didn’t hit his high note again after that first scene with Donna, outside his polling place, but between him and Cliff Calley, I felt like I saw a much deeper pool to Donna’s waters. Plus, I’ll never forget how he smashed that $400 ashtray!
• Mark Harmon, as Simon Donovan … must I say anything? With Gibbs watching her back, CJ (Allison Janney) had nothing to worry about. Although he got killed….
• Taye Diggs, as Wesley Davis, made me willing to see Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss) as a full-time cast member, just to get more of Diggs. Just a fantastic actor who keeps on getting screwed with leads, but landing nice fat plums as a guest.
• Roger Rees, as Lord John Marbury. There was an indefinable charm to Marbury that really made me comfortable with his character. It was a bit strange to see him turned to so often by the Bartlet Administration, but I think Rees had a lot to do with that unorthodox move. There was something so funny about how he said “Gerald,“ too.
• Ted McGinley, as Mark Gottfried. Who knew Jefferson D’Arcy (Married … with Children) could be a political analyst with a nose for hardball?
• Jay Mohr, as Taylor Reid, shocked me with his ability to groove into the world of politics so smoothly. Unfortunately, Gary Unmarried killed that dead, but we’ll always have “chicken.”
• Steven Eckholdt, as Doug Westin, President Bartlet’s son-in-law, did a great job of portraying someone who will forever be walking in giant shadows. The mere fact that the man could get up in the morning was amazing.
• James Cromwell, as D. Wire Newman, former Democratic President of the United States. My God; how did they keep on landing these great actors?
• Edward James Olmos, as Roberto Mendoza, did a fantastic job as a nominee for the Supreme Court, who carried a chip on his shoulder about how the rest of the world looks at Latinos. I think sitting in a jail cell may have carried it a bit too far, but Olmos did an otherwise fantastic job with the role.
• Allison Smith, as Mallory O’Brien, Leo’s daughter. Her wit and charm with President Bartlet, her banter with her father, and her wicked battle with Sam (Lowe) over school vouchers, were all inspired. She might have seemed a trivial role, but Smith did a great job at making herself relevant.
• George Coe, as Howard Stackhouse, pulled off the greatest filibuster ever aired on television. Bravo!
• Steven Culp, as Jeff Haffley, is one of the most authentic portrayals of a Representative that the show provided us with. Seizing his moment in the sun, he ran the table at a budget session, railroaded a VP nomination, and then found himself left stranded in the middle of Capitol Hill. Culp did a terrific job.
• Al Fann, as Joe Willis, turned a tiny blip on The West Wing‘s radar into a beautiful tribute from a husband to his lost wife. Mr. Willis of Ohio was nobodies fool.
• Andrew McFarlane, as Anthony Marcus, CJ’s “inherited little brother.” A great story that dropped off a cliff. How about his run-in with Charlie (Dule Hill)? Talk about a great scene!
• Omar Benson Miller, as Orlando Kettles, was another blip that left us with something indelible: a lot of people get lost in the system, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t love to be a part of the process, if given half a chance.
• Glenn Close, as Evelyn Baker Lang. There are no words. And I don’t mean to do Close a disservice; there are just no words.
• William Fichtner, as Christopher Mulready. As above, there are no words. And with Close and Fichtner together? Wow.
• John Goodman, as Glen Allen Walken. Easily one of the best jobs ever on a guest casting, possibly surpassed by Goodman’s two-parter on Studio 60.

Okay, okay, enough. Even so, I left out so many people, it’s incalcacable (as Michael Scott would say). However, I wanted to be sure to leave you with something to add. Any West Wing guests stand out for you?

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 27, 2009 @ 16:29 EST5EDT