Season 3
From West Wing Wiki
[edit] Season Summary
In the wake of the tragedy of 9/11, the series returns with a special out of continuity episode dealing with American feelings towards Islam and Islamic fundamentalism.
Immediately following this, the third season officially gets underway, as we learn that, despite his concealing a serious illness from the American people, President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) will run again, and he intends to win.
It may not be that simple. First, his decision causes serious friction with his wife, Abbey (Stockard Channing), who had made the President promise to only serve one term. Next, a team of election consultants led by Bruno Gianelli (Ron Silver) clashes with the idealistic and resentful staffers. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives begin their probe into the cover-up of Bartlet's illness, with both Donna (Janel Moloney) and Leo (John Spencer) finding themselves in sticky situations. To end it all, Bartlet is forced to make a difficult decision.
The staffers' personal lives are not any less complicated, either. Josh (Bradley Whitford) finds himself drawn to woman's activist Amy Gardener (Mary-Louise Parker) while Toby (Richard Schiff) confronts the President about his sacrificing of political ideals in order to be liked, which causes a rift between them. Sam (Rob Lowe) is confronted by several challenges, including having to deal with his ex-fiance and a betrayal by a friend that hurts him deeply and embarasses him publicly.
Finally, C.J. (Allison Janney) recieves a death threat after making pointed comments about Saudi Arabia, threats so serious that they require the protection of the Secret Service.
As the season draws to a close, the President is forced to make a deadly decision when it is uncovered that a foreign diplomoat is also a terrorist that has plans to attack the U.S.
[edit] Episode List
- Isaac and Ishmael (September 11 Response Episode)
- Manchester (Part I)
- Manchester (Part II)
- Ways and Means
- On the Day Before
- War Crimes
- Gone Quiet
- The Indians in the Lobby
- The Women of Qumar
- Bartlet for America
- H.Con - 172
- 100,000 Airplanes
- The Two Bartlets
- Night Five
- Hartsfield's Landing
- Dead Irish Writers
- The U.S. Poet Laureate
- Stirred
- Documentary Special
- Enemies Foreign and Domestic
- The Black Vera Wang
- We Killed Yamamoto
- Posse Comitatus
