The West Wing lucked into two great characters for one role – The Sam-to-Will transformation

When it came to casting, The West Wing was a rock star. And I’m not just talking about one-off guests or mini-arcs, but the heart of the cast as well. But since I could likely get lost saying “a little something” about each one, let’s just leave it at this: job extremely well done.

There was one role — within the framework of the show — that was actually filled twice. Or so one could argue. And that was the privilege of getting dumped on by Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), as White House Deputy Communications Director.

Before (a variation on) the theme even struck a chord, we were introduced to Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe). Sam came to us, like the rest of the administration, already in progress. In fact, it wasn’t until the season two premiere (“In the Shadow of Two Gunmen”) that we learned how Sam (and everyone else) found his way to the Bartlet White House.

And yet, Sam spent his years on the show ever-evolving. The result — and the way he went about it — sucked, but I have to agree with Rob Lowe that he was criminally underutilized during his time on the series. Sam was usually the smartest person in the room, but unless the scene was written for him, he was little more than a wallflower. As often as he showed his naivete, he showed his political IQ; Sam wasn’t brought into the inner circle until it was too late to stop Lowe from leaving. His was a real loss to us all.

Nevertheless, the transition from Sam to Will “Bill” Bailey (Joshua Malina) couldn’t have been scripted better. A winning campaign for a dead man in the California 47th brought Sam back home to temper the enthusiasm of campaign manager Will. In my opinion, some of Lowe’s finest scenes were out there with Will and his sister, Elsie (Danica McKellar). In fact, they could have been lining Toby and Sam up for a bump, with Will coming in to fill Sam’s position in the administration. That’s how good these two were together. Alas, it was not to be. But Will’s introduction to Toby (“He’s one of us”), and the early days of bicycle hazing? It almost made up for the loss of Lowe. Almost.

With Will, we had the opportunity to watch a senior-level staffer to the president build a name, and an identity, for himself. Will’s swearing in, as well as his clumsy bumbling with Bartlet (Martin Sheen) in “Commencement,” solidified his relationship to the show, and made him an official part of the cast, and the administration. Not that Toby would ever take notice (nice one breaking the window, Will!).

But Malina got an opportunity that Lowe never had (and may never have gotten). From Deputy Communications Director to Chief of Staff to the VP, to managing the national campaign to elect “Bingo” Bob Russell (Gary Cole) president, Malina was allowed to expand his role, as well as his impact, on the series. I never quite understood how Will was able to stomach selling Russell for president, but it was only he — and Josh (Bradley Whitford) — who really actively evolved his own political life over the course of the series. Not that I could ever imagine anyone asking the combustible Toby to be their Chief of Staff….

Not to mention that Will was able to explore an onscreen romance, something that the ridiculously good-looking Lowe never had the chance for (that’s right; no use denying it!). Will’s time with Kate (Mary McCormack) was an unexpected twist that did wonders for them both (you hear that, In Plain Sight?).

The long and short of it is, I’m appreciative for the gifts that both characters, and both actors, brought to The West Wing. In a perfect world, I would have kept Sam and cast Will. Unfortunately, that was not in the cards.

And, aside from the nuanced things that Will was never able to replicate — not to say that he was meant to — we lost Sam’s relationship with Josh. The two were so strong together, and that bond only grew in my mind once we saw how Sam came to join “Bartlet for America.” In fact, it was like the sweetest of deja vus when Josh came to recruit Sam for the Santos (Jimmy Smits) administration.

It’s a shame that The West Wing and Lowe couldn’t find some way to have had him win a seat in the House of Representatives back in season four, thus guaranteeing us some guest spots for Lowe over the rest of the series, but the possibilities for a reunited Josh and Sam in a brand-new administration?

Now THAT would have been a sight to see.

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Sep 29, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT