TV
Televisual Production 100: results published
Televisual’s exclusive annual report into the TV indie sector, the Production 100, is out now with Avalon in the number one spot.
Avalon posted a turnover figure of £223m. The top 100 indies collectively turned over £1.9bn over the past year.
RAW TV was voted the producers’ producer in the report’s annual Peer Poll in which indies vote for the rivals they most admire.
The survey also asked respondents to name the broadcasters that are the best, and worst, to work with. The BBC was voted as the best UK broadcaster and Netflix the best streamer to deal with over the past year.
All3media International and Drive jointly took the crown as the indies’ best rated distributors.
Below is the introduction to the survey. The full 56 page report is out now in the Autumn issue of Televisual Magazine
AFTER THE UNPRECEDENTED PRODUCTION HIATUS OF 2020, THERE’S A REAL SENSE OF RECOVERY ABOUT THE INDIE TV SECTOR. TIM DAMS REPORTS ON THE FINDINGS OF 2021’S PRODUCTION 100
Last year’s Production 100 was all about the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the indie sector, and was carried out at a time when most production had ground to a halt.
This year, by contrast, the story is all about the recovery from Covid-19. Many production companies say business has bounced back, amid unprecedented demand for new programming from content-starved broadcasters and streamers.
IN RECOVERY
However, it’s not a straight-forward recovery. Ask most indies how they are faring and they will reply, “It’s busy, but…” The word ‘but’ presages a long list of challenges that they – and many of their contemporaries – are facing. These include: rising costs as a result of Covid protocols; wage inflation amid talent shortages; struggles to secure talent, kit and studio space; a frazzled and exhausted workforce; growing competition; squeezed PSB budgets; battles to hold on to rights; and delays amid production bottlenecks.
“Because many productions were placed on hold over the last 16 months, production is ramping up massively across the industry,” says Thames. “This is good news for those who have lost work, but it means off-screen talent is very scarce at the moment. Rates are rising accordingly, although not yet matched by rising budgets.”
“It’s incredibly busy by all accounts – so very competitive with a huge skills shortage,” adds Oxford Film and Television.
Plimsoll says: “Coming out of a bumpy period, the UK production sector is bouncing back. However the much discussed privatisation of Channel 4 is a cause for concern.”
Looking ahead, Shine Television speaks for many when it says: Business is “pretty good, although it will be another hugely challenging year.”
THE TOP 100
The turnover of the top 100 indies stands at £1.9 billion this year. It’s difficult to compare this figure with last year’s survey as there isn’t one; such was the havoc wrought by the pandemic that Televisual didn’t ask producers to supply turnover figures for the 2020 Production 100. Still, it is significantly lower than the £3 billion turnover that the top 100 posted in 2019, before the pandemic.
The fall is, of course, largely because of the pandemic. In particular, the turnovers of many drama companies plunged over the past year as they were unable to get their big budget shows into production.
However, the fall is also due to the changing cohort of companies in the Production 100. IMG, 2019’s top ranking company with a turnover of £462 million, no longer takes part because its parent company Endeavor Group Holdings listed on the New York Stock Exchange in April, and the Group does not break out income from its individual companies.
IMG’s absence means that Avalon is now the top ranked production company in the UK. The Taskmaster, Spitting Image and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver producer has had its biggest ever year, despite the pandemic, with 11 new commissions. With its operations spanning talent management through to production and distribution, Avalon’s turnover hit £223 million for the year.
Gogglebox and The Circle producer Studio Lambert has shot up to second place thanks to a £90.6 million turnover.
Gangs of London indie Pulse Films – which spans TV, film, music and commercials production – has also had a big rise to third place on the back of a £68.7 million turnover.
Objective Media Group has also climbed the rankings. Back in 2019 it was in 36th place, but this year it’s fourth thanks to series such as Netflix’s Feel Good and ITV’s The Million Pound Cube.
Other indies to have done well this year include His Dark Materials producer Bad Wolf which has made the top 10 for the first time. Tiny World indie Plimsoll and Friends: The Reunion producer Fulwell 73 have also cracked the top 20, while risers include Normal People indie Element Pictures and The Masked Singer producer Bandicoot. Animation house Blue Zoo has also climbed the rankings, as has Wildseed Studios and Brinkworth.
STREAMER GROWTH
As always, the UK market remains key to most indies. Some 53.7% of an average indie’s production revenues are derived from UK broadcaster clients. But this is down significantly since 2019, when the figure stood at 60.5%.
The international market is increasingly important, now accounting for 29.4% of an indie’s turnover. Streamers such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon, and Discovery+ have become ever more significant as a source of business. “Streamers are piling into the UK market,” says Raw.
“The globalisation of TV production is providing an opportunity for growth,” says Love Productions.
Blink Films, meanwhile, says the UK market is squeezed but “we have seen significant growth in the streamer market opportunities available to us and this is now forming quite a high proportion of our turnover.”
Adds Dragonfly: “There are so many new players in the market and all of them are interested in UK companies, and have deep pockets and a long list of commissioning needs.”
The UK market, of course, is a lynchpin for most indies. “After a slow 18 months, it feels like UK channels are commissioning in earnest,” says Initial. True North, meanwhile, points out that lots of new commissioners have been appointed post pandemic “who are energetic and excited to create new hit shows.”
INDIE RESILIENCE
Even though the industry is in recovery, Covid remains the biggest talking point among indie producers. That’s hardly surprising – its effects have been so far reaching and profound.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is how many indies have come through the pandemic intact. More than anything, Covid-19 has demonstrated the remarkable inventiveness and resilience of indies. A number have closed, many have eaten deep into their cash reserves and made use of furlough schemes – but most have survived. The July 2020 launch of the Film & TV Restart Scheme is lauded as key to getting the industry going again, although not all shows have been able to take advantage of it as they fall outside its scope.
Many have experienced significant delays as result of Covid-19. “All of our production slate for 2020 was paused with a knock on effect on our revenues,” says Element Pictures. “This has a significant impact on resource management for 2021 as we effectively manage two years of production slate in one.”
Thames, meanwhile, had to postpone series 15 of Britain’s Got Talent to 2022, causing a significant financial impact.
Workerbee says that Covid-19 has pushed back productions into 2021, making the 2020 financial year very difficult to balance. “Production budgets created before the pandemic are still in play and underfunded.”
HCA Entertainment says Covid delayed its productions for 20 weeks last year. But by following broadcaster protocols, HCA has since managed to deliver a range of shows like Find It, Fix It, Flog It, The Motorbike Show and Shed and Buried. “But we haven’t been able to film abroad, so shows that have been contracted for over a year now – like Riding Route 66 and The History of Black Bikers for ITV4 – won’t be filmed till next year.”
Many say that relationships with broadcasters have, if anything, improved. “We’ve all become partners through these challenges and undergone them together,” says Outline.
Raw, meanwhile, says that broadcasters have been “amazing, supportive and realistic” to the challenges and financial impact which production companies have faced, citing Netflix and Discovery in particular. Kudos, meanwhile, picks out Sky and the BBC for being particularly collaborative and supportive. “We have had to invent new ways of working and solutions to new challenges, and have done it hand in hand with each of the broadcasters.”
Collective Media Group says that relationships with international broadcasters and SVODs (and to a lesser degree UK broadcasters) have been “much easier to build where interaction can happen over Zoom meetings rather than expensive international trips to pitch.”
Not all are so complimentary about broadcaster clients. Some say they have lent a sympathetic ear, but this hasn’t been reflected in delivery deadlines being extended or budgets being increased enough to take account of Covid-19 costs.
RISING COSTS
In fact, costs have emerged as a real bugbear in this year’s Production 100. Not all budgets have risen to take into account the 10-20% in production costs that shows have incurred as a result of Covid-19 protocols, delays and additional work.
“Covid safety costs including testing and PPE have led to budget increases on jobs already in production before Covid-19 hit, and [we’ve been] unable to get overages from the broadcasters in many instances,” says Pulse Films.
“Budgets are more challenging than ever,” says Outline. “Some broadcasters have been brilliant and really helped with the costs of Covid, while others have put all this financial uncertainty and pressure onto the indie – which is very tough and stressful to bear.”
“Our budgets have certainly suffered, having to factor in quarantining and testing both in this country and on the overseas shoots,” says Off the Fence.
BUDGET SQUEEZE
Even without additional Covid costs, producers say budgets for PSB broadcasters in particular have been squeezed, either as a result of falling ad revenues at commercial channels or funding freezes at the BBC. Many say they need to bring in third party funding to get budgets to an acceptable level. “The continuing reduction in budgets is making some projects unworkable,” says Back2Back. Rondo adds that budgets for UK commissions “haven’t increased to keep pace and compete with the newer SVODs.”
Others think that there may be fewer commissioning opportunities in 2021/22 as broadcaster have had to reschedule so many series that have not been able to deliver for broadcast – dramas especially.
Many say that squeezed budgets and rising costs have hit margins, making it harder to keep people on staff and assist their career development, and to invest in new ideas – whether optioning a book or commissioning a script. “Broadcasters have to recognise that unsustainable tariffs will backfire,” says one indie. “People will leave the industry.”
RISING INFLATION
Compounding the budget crunch, producers say they are working in a climate of galloping wage inflation for crew and facilities.
The rush back into production after lockdown has meant a big bottleneck as shows look to get made. As a result, experienced crew are thin on the ground, while facilities such as studios are booked up well in advance and equipment is difficult to source. All this has conspired to push up prices for talent and facilities. Pulse Films talks about hyper-inflation in rates: “The industry is very overheated with few crew and talent available.”
TALENT SHORTAGE
“The most challenging aspect of the business this year is unquestionably staffing,” says Bandicoot Scotland. “There’s an enormous shortage of experienced talent at every level.”
Sid Gentle Films, meanwhile, says that one of the biggest challenges it has faced “is finding available crew with adequate experience.”
Leopard Pictures says the boom in UK production has caused an industry wide shortage of talent, studios and equipment. “With a backlog of high end production and increased investment from the major content players, we anticipate continued pressure on all aspects of production over the next 12 months.”
BREXIT ISSUES
Brexit has compounded the issue for several indies. “The amount of work happening in the UK at the moment is very healthy, but we are struggling to find crew,” says Wildseed Studios. “Brexit has been a real problem, especially in animation where so much of the talent that we seek to employ is from France and other EU countries.”
Footstep Productions explains that Brexit has had more impact than Covid on its output. “We have worked regularly for European broadcasters, but they are not commissioning because of uncertainty as to how the rules will work.”
A Productions adds that Brexit is having a real impact on recruitment. “Key talent is returning to the EU or unable to move here due to prohibitive costs for the employer in terms of sponsoring.”
PRODUCTION STAFF
Many cite the worrying shortage in production management staff – production managers, line producers, production execs and co-ordinators. As it is, Covid has put a huge workload on to these often unsung heroes of production.
“The additional work shouldered by production managers to implement Covid protocols on top of the growing list of other requirements such as Albert certification is becoming a real issue and really adding to their workload,” says Interstellar.
Covid, explains Optomen, had added more pressure to the production management side of the business. “They are having to work twice as hard doing their normal jobs on top of managing Covid protocols.”
MENTAL HEALTH
Indeed, a prominent concern to emerge from Production 100 feedback is about the wellbeing of staff and crew as they navigate increased workloads while juggling home schooling, and possible health or financial difficulties.
Baby Cow says Covid has had an adverse effect on nearly all production operations, from the ability to source and maintain crew, to scenario planning for insurance, contingency budgeting, managing broadcaster expectations, setting up Covid operations on set, managing insurance claims, rescheduling shoots and managing adverse budgetary impacts.
“The negative impact to the mental health and well-being of the crew – mostly felt across production, Covid supervisors and AD departments – has been significant,” says Baby Cow.
Love Productions, meanwhile, says it is “acutely aware of the stress and fatigue throughout the industry,” whether for staff, freelancers, suppliers and clients.
GOING REMOTE
With a large percentage of their workforce working remotely, indies like Aardman say it has been hard to replace digitally the sense of community that it is used to at work, as well as the “impromptu conversation in the canteen which creates a spark for an idea or plan.” Angelica Films, meanwhile, misses face to face contact and laments the “lack of free flowing brainstorm opportunities.”
Like many, Impossible Factual points out that it has been “easier to get ‘face-time’ with buyers and commissioners when operating by video conference platforms.”
“The development team found remote harder this year as they felt Zoom and Teams calls had been slightly exhausted,” says Talkback. “Creative thrives far more in a room full of people together and the development process moves along far quicker as well.”
C4 PRIVATISATION
Beyond Covid, indies also reflect in the Production 100 on some of the wider issues that the industry is facing.
Many are concerned about the possible privatisation of Channel 4, and the impact that this could have on their business. “A healthy and competitive C4 that remains a publisher broadcaster is vital to the health of every UK indie – whether or not they are working for C4,” says one indie.
The uncertainty around privatisation is cited as a concern by the likes of Naked, Plimsoll, Studio Lambert and October Films. “The government arguments for privatising C4 make no sense and will reduce the number of suppliers in the sector,” says Studio Lambert.
Voltage thinks the UK production sector is facing “existential uncertainty”. Citing the possible sale of C4 and next year’s review of the BBC charter, Voltage says: “UK broadcasters are either destabilised by government interference or the threat of big spending SVODs launching in the UK and taking market share in key demographics plus talent drain.”
RIGHTS CONCERN
As it is, many indies are profoundly concerned at the increasing challenges of holding on to programme rights. The Terms of Trade has, of course, underpinned the sector’s growth and innovation since 2003. Indeed, many relied on their reserves from overseas sales to survive the pandemic when production halted.
Dragonfly says that the rights situation is becoming “less favourable overall as broadcasters erode the terms of trade,” citing C4’s increased use of Group M funding and the BBC’s longer rights window on the iPlayer. Meanwhile, “the streamers expect global rights for five years plus.”
DIVERSITY
Diversity also remains a key issue for the sector, after really coming to fore last year following the killing of George Floyd and the rise of Black Lives Matter. Many indies say they are struggling to recruit diverse staff and crew. “There is a severe lack of crew, especially diverse crew, in Yorkshire,” says Rollem. Spun Gold, meanwhile, says finding BAME talent, on and off screen has been a challenge, although it hopes this will become easier over time.
Amid all the challenges facing the sector, there are reasons to be positive. Most indies agree that we are living in a TV golden age of creativity and excellence, and say that they are enjoying a growth in global customers, particularly the streamers.
Changes to the UK landscape – including government plans for C4 and the BBC – are a concern, as is the huge competition between indies for commissions and talent, and inflationary pressures in the market.
But the outlook, at least, looks far more encouraging than it did this time last year.
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Strictly Come Dancing 2024 is here, with all the stars paired up with their respective pro dancers.
The reality competition series returned to our screens on 14 September, with a launch show in which the celebrity contestants learnt which professional dancers they would be coupled up with.
Meet your Strictly Come Dancing couples below…
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Comedian and actor Chris McCausland, 47, is making history as the show’s first ever blind contestant.
The star, who’s appeared on panel shows including Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie to You?, is paired with Dianne Buswell, who’s been with Strictly since 2017.
Buswell, 35, reached the final in 2018 with Joe Sugg (who she has been in a relationship with ever since), and then again in 2023 with Bobby Brazier.
JB Gill and Amy Dowden
The 37-year-old first rose to fame for being in boyband, JLS. Outside of music, he’s made a successful career in TV presenting.
He’ll be paired with fan favourite Amy Dowden, who will be returning for her first show following her experience with stage three breast cancer. Dowden, who has been with the show since 2017, was told there was “no evidence of the disease” in February.
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, 30, has already won a Strictly Christmas Special, which may frustrate some purist fans.
He’ll be dancing with Michelle Tsiakkas, 28, who joined the show in 2022. She has been dancing since she was six in her home country of Cyprus.
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
You may recognise Olympian multi-sport athlete Montell Douglas as Fire from the 2024 Gladiators reboot.
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She’ll be paired with Johannes Radebe. He’s been with the show since 2021, and has since been coupled up with celebrities including chef John Waite and tennis player Annabel Croft, the latter of whom credits him with helping her process grief after the death of her husband.
Although he hasn’t lifted the Glitterball trophy yet, this could be the year it happens.
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles is best known for starring on the popular home improvement show. He’ll be paired with Luba Mushtuk, 34, who’s been with Strictly since 2018. She won the Christmas special that same year with Shane Lynch.
She’s since been partnered with NFL player Jason Bell and Waterloo Road and Emmerdale star Adam Thomas. Although Mushtuk has not made it past week three of the main competition yet, this might be the year that all changes.
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Ex-footballer and pundit Paul Merson will be swapping the studio for the ballroom as he hopes to lift the Glitterball trophy this year.
The Sky Sports pundit will be partnered with Karen Hauer, the show’s longest serving female professional. She started on Strictly in 2012 with Westlife singer Nick Byrne. Over the years, she’s got closer to lifting the trophy, reaching the final of the competition with Jamie Laing in 2020.
Pete Wicks and Jowitza Przystal
The Only Way is Essex star Pete Wicks is dancing with Jowita Przystał. Wicks rose to fame for his blunt and irreverent persona on the reality show.
Przystal joined Strictly in 2021, rapidly making a name for herself by winning the Glitterball trophy with her first ever celebrity dance partner, Hamza Yassin in 2022. Last year, she danced with Paralympian Jody Cundy.
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
TV doctor Punam Krishan has swapped the doctor’s surgery for the dancefloor this autumn. She will be dancing with Gorka Márquez, who joined in 2016 and has reached the final twice: once with singer Alexandra Burke, and another time with presenter Helen Skelton.
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Former Love Islander Ghouri is a trained dancer, who has ruffled feathers as some fans believe she may have an unfair advantage over her peers.
She is partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec – but his return was claimed to have caused unease due to an alleged past altercation with another professional who dances on the show.
Škorjanec won the show with Abby Clancy the same year he debuted in 2013. In 2017, he made it to the final with Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson.
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean is partnered with Nadiya Bychkova.
Bychkova joined the show in 2017 and has been in a relationship with fellow professional and fan-favourite Kai Widdrington. She’s been partnered with Blue singer Lee Ryan and singer-songwriter Matthew Goss in the past.
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Punk-rock legend Toyah Willcox is best known for her hit singles, but she’s also had a career in acting and dancing.
The 66-year-old is partnered with Neil Jones, who has been part of the Strictly family since 2016. However, he had to wait until 2019 to be paired with a celebrity. He’s danced with Alex Scott and Nina Wadia, but hasn’t yet made it past the quarter-finals.
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Olympic gold medal-winning hockey champion Sam Quek is dancing with Celebrity Big Brother finalist Nikita Kuzmin.
The 25-year-old joined the show’s lineup in 2021, partnering with Tilly Ramsay in his debut and then Ellie Symonds in 2022. In 2023, he partnered with actor and singer Layton Williams, and they reached the final before losing out to Coronation Street star Ellie Leach.
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Comedian Sarah Hadland, known for her roles in Horrible Histories and Miranda, is dancing with Vito Coppola. The 53-year-old already has a little dancing experience like her fellow contestant Tasha Ghouri, having danced ballet since she was three.
After joining the show in 2022, Coppola had a rapid rise to success, winning the competition the year afterwards with his partner Ellie Leach.
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Singer and actor Shayne Ward is dancing with Nancy Xu. The 39-year-old first shot to fame after winning the second season of the X Factor in 2005.
In 2021, Xu performed with her first ever celebrity dance partner and CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson, making it all the way to a tense semi-final.
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
You may not recognise Evans immediately but he’s most well-known for being the opera talent behind GoCompare adverts since 2009.
He’s partnered with Katya Jones, who’s been with the show since 2016. She won the show in 2017, with her partner Joe McFadden. In 2018, she was embroiled in a scandal over kissing her celeb partner Seann Walsh.
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Amy Dowden has made a triumphant return to Strictly Come Dancing following a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment and hospital care for sepsis.
The 34-year-old Welsh ballroom dancer, who first joined the cast of Strictly in 2017, was too ill to compete in last year’s series as she recovered from treatment for stage three breast cancer.
Dowden found a lump in her breast in May 2023 – the day before she was due to leave for her honeymoon in the Maldives with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones.
On Saturday (21 September), the professional dancer moved fans to tears as she danced a classic waltz with her pop star partner JB Gill following her recovery from cancer treatment.
Dowden and the JLS singer performed the moving choreography to the emotional ballad “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer and received a standing ovation from the studio audience.
Strictly Come Dancing judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke scored the performance 31 points out of 40.
Ahead of her Strictly comeback, the professional dancer told Press Association: “I’m absolutely loving it, JB’s been the perfect comeback for me.”
“I’m just back in my happy place doing what I love most.”
She added of the Strictly live shows: “I think it’s going to be just really lovely because it’s going to be beautiful for my family because they struggled just as much as I did having to watch me go through it.”
Dowden admitted: “Last year’s Strictly was a tough watch for them because it was a reminder of exactly what we were going through.
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“It’s going to be one big celebration, this whole series for me.”
Meanwhile, Dowden’s partner Gill said he felt very connected to the professional dancer just one week into the 2024 Strictly series.
He said: “For me, I think it’s just trusting Amy, she’s the pro for a reason, I trust her judgment.
“We talk a lot, and I think our chemistry is very strong, even from the outset.”
Gill continued: “So, you know, just trusting her decisions, and obviously we will come up with stuff together, and then once we’ve decided it, that’s it, and we go and execute that, so that’s my biggest focus in that respect.”
It comes after Strictly viewers were left “in tears” by Dowden’s return to the programme in the series’ pre-recorded show last week.
Joined by her fellow Strictly professionals, the group performed a medley of songs, including Dua Lipa’s “Training Season” and Jungle’s “Busy Earnin’” and “Keep Moving”, as played by Dave Arch and his live studio band. The routine was choreographed by Jason Gilkison.
“I’m literally in happy tears over Amy’s dance,” wrote one person on X/Twitter.
Another added: “Must be peeling onions after that. Bless you Amy”.
Follow the Strictly Come Dancing live blog here.
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I am the Lord your God, and thou shalt worship no other god before me.’ Boy, those were the days, huh?” So thunders Jed Bartlet at the end of the first episode of The West Wing, 25 years ago today. As character introductions go, television has seen few as potent and delightful as when Martin Sheen’s avuncular Democratic president swept into the White House.
Over the course of seven seasons from 1999 to 2006, Aaron Sorkin’s political drama achieved the impossible: transforming the starchy, cutthroat world of Washington DC politicos into something joyous and accessible. The story of Bartlet and his diligent, whip-smart aides – among them loyal chief of staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), savvy press secretary CJ Cregg (Allison Janney), cocksure fixer Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), curmudgeonly speechwriter Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), and his idealistic deputy Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) – was the perfect vehicle for Sorkin’s distinctive gatling-gun dialogue. It was a show that was smarter and more eloquent than almost anything else on TV, and wasn’t afraid to flaunt it. “It was,” says cast member Joshua Malina, “a show that encouraged you to care about people and how they are affected by political decisions.”
Viewers watched in awe through elections, filibusters, tribunals, military invasions, health scandals, attempted assassinations, and even a kidnapping. The guest roster was a who’s who of venerable stars: JK Simmons, Amy Adams, Gabrielle Union, Glenn Close, Laura Dern, Christian Slater, Christopher Lloyd, Matthew Perry, James Taylor, and Yo-Yo Ma among them. The series’ legacy can be seen not just in TV – in the snappy “walk and talk” device that it originated, and which spawned a hundred parodies – but in the world of theatre (in the hit musical Hamilton), and even in real-world politics. The West Wing was the series that inspired a generation of young Democrats. And for everybody else, it was simply compulsively well-made television.
Sorkin came into The West Wing with real Hollywood pedigree, as the writer of A Few Good Men and 1995’s The American President. It was in this latter film, a smart political drama starring Michael Douglas, that the idea for The West Wing was born. But he began pitching the show at a time when the public was stubbornly resistant to political narratives. “When we first started, it was right after Bill Clinton’s [Monica Lewinsky] scandal,” recalls Janel Moloney, who plays Josh’s secretary Donna Moss. “People were just cynical and grossed out by politics.” TV executives were, accordingly, hesitant to greenlight a series about DC politicians – a genre that had, even in less jaded times, never really produced a hit. As the script for The West Wing went unheeded, Sorkin made inroads elsewhere, creating the well-received TV-insider sitcom Sports Night. But The West Wing remained at the back of his mind; eventually, NBC commissioned a pilot.
Bartlet himself was conceived as a kind of blend of three US presidents: John F Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. But while it’s impossible to imagine The West Wing without Sheen as its Jupiterian centre of gravity, the premise could have gone 100 different ways. Sorkin’s original idea was to focus exclusively on the president’s underlings, and never even show Bartlet on screen.
Early brainstorming meetings also suggested a complete uncertainty as to the direction of the character: James Earl Jones, Jack Lemmon, Bruce Dern, Donald Sutherland, Clint Eastwood, Helen Mirren, Jane Fonda, CCH Pounder, Johnny Carson, and (bizarrely) New York Yankees boss George Steinbrenner were among the myriad names floated. Talks with Sidney Poitier didn’t get far, and Alan Alda – who would join the series towards the end of its run as Republican presidential hopeful Arnold Vinick – turned Sorkin down. The role was actually offered to Hal Holbrook after an impressive audition, only for Sorkin and director/exec producer Thomas Schlamme to change their minds overnight. Sheen ultimately won out, and brought his own key touches to the role – Bartlet’s staunch Catholicism, and his history as a graduate of Notre Dame University.
The pilot was a triumph, and critics quickly took notice. The show’s first season bagged nine Emmy nominations, winning five – across its run, it would go on to win a total of 27 awards from a staggering 98 nominations.
Aaron and Tommy left in a very loving, positive way… It didn’t feel like this toxic, tragic, messed up thing
Joshua Malina
Sorkin, who personally assumed far more of the writing duties than is typical for the collaborative American writers’ room system, has been described as a “demanding and sometimes difficult” boss, but one whose results speak for themselves. His rapid-fire back-and-forth dialogue was a thing to behold, and tackled complex political ideas with wit and verve. Actors have sometimes described the knack for delivering Sorkin dialogue as having “West Wing-mouth”. Not everybody could do it.
“People always came onto the show and they’d say, ‘I just have to say it really fast, right?’” Moloney tells me. “They try and put the cart before the horse. But I think one of the reasons why the show worked is that the cast were all quite emotional actors who just happened to be really facile at language. Most of us were theatre actors. And the dialogue wasn’t a challenge. It was a pleasure. What’s challenging is bad writing.”
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There is an almost musical rhythm to a Sorkin script – perhaps it’s no coincidence that The Social Network scribe got a degree in musical theatre. It is also dialogue to be recited with precision: on the set of The West Wing, he would misleadingly tell guest actors to “make it your own” – but would insist on strict adherence to the script. Of the main cast, it was Schiff who would most push back against this approach – a creative obstinance befitting his character. One of Sorkin’s great strengths was writing specifically to the actors; there were, amid the sea of Sorkinese patter, all sorts of nuances to be found.
Kristin Chenoweth, who joined as deputy press secretary Annabeth Schott in season six, recalls a “particularly long monologue” that had to be rattled off in one shot. “When the camera rolled, I was halfway through the speech and I went blank, the director yelled cut and we did it again and the same thing happened,” she says. “I was horrified and upset. But John Spencer pulled me aside and said, ‘Kris, it’s happened to every single one of us, now you’re in your head. Let that go and just say the words.’ And I learned a valuable lesson: don’t overthink that dialogue too much, just speak it. The words are the star.”
The fourth season brought the first major change in the departure of Lowe, who felt his character, initially the most narratively prominent of all the White House staffers, was being marginalised. So in stepped Malina as plucky, nebbish Will Bailey. Malina had a long history with Sorkin, having appeared in Sports Night and all three of his films, and may have once saved Sorkin’s life by administering a Heimlich when the writer began choking at a bowling night. When he learned that Lowe was leaving the series, he rapidly emailed Sorkin, proposing himself as a replacement. “Tommy [Schlamme] and I were just discussing this!” came the reply.
The newcomer’s role involved a lot of scene-sharing with Schiff, something Malina tells me he “always loved” despite their “antithetical approaches” to acting. “If the script says, ‘Will is wearing a moose costume, I’m like, ‘Alright, give me a 42-regular,’” he jokes. Schiff, meanwhile, would scrutinise every minutia of the script. “In one scene we did, Richard was asking, ‘Why am I picking up the phone and saying hello at this point?’ I was like: ‘Richard – because it rang.’”
Malina also became renowned for his belligerent practical jokes on set – pages ripped from books, iPods wiped of music, cars filled with dirt. “Malina has no sense of proportional response. If I used a hand buzzer on him, he would, you know, pick up my daughter from school and not tell me,” Whitford says in What’s Next, the recent behind-the-scenes book written by ex-cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack.
An even more momentous departure, however, was yet to come. At the end of the fourth season, there was a change of administration. Not the Bartlet administration – but Sorkin’s. Following a protracted butting of heads with the studio over issues of budget and production, Sorkin and Schlamme exited the show, leaving producer John Wells to take over as showrunner. “I thought it was a death knell,” Sheen later said. “I didn’t know if we’d last another year.” Others, however, were more optimistic. “Aaron and Tommy left in a very loving, positive way,” says Moloney. “It didn’t feel like this toxic, tragic, messed up thing. John Wells was already deep in the show… it was pretty seamless.”
Malina remembers it taking a while for everyone to “find their feet” again. “There was a shift in my character’s arc and John Wells had a meeting with me to explain my storyline,” he says. “I’m a very practical actor, so I was like, ‘Whatever keeps me on the show and gives me a storyline, that’s up to you.’” The new arc saw Will Bailey jump ship and work for “Bingo” Bob Russell (Gary Cole), Bartlet’s mediocre VP. “I know big parts of the audience felt disappointed in Will’s trajectory after that,” he says. “But I thought John Wells and the writers did a fantastic job of maintaining a high quality.” Will wasn’t the only character to take a turn after Sorkin’s departure; the most controversial plot development saw Toby, the series’ moral anchor, leak classified secrets to the press. Schiff ended up being “phased out” during the final series, by mutual consent.
While the latter years of The West Wing never quite hit the ebullient heights of the Sorkin era, this was nonetheless no lame-duck presidency. Invigorating the series in its final two seasons was a pivot towards the post-Bartlet presidential campaign – a battle fought between Republican old hand Arnold Vinick and progressive Democratic outsider Matt Santos. To play these statesman, the series turned to two actors with heavyweight TV credentials: M*A*S*H* star Alan Alda, and NYPD Blue’s Jimmy Smits.
The crowning achievement of the election arc came on 6 November 2005, with an episode titled “The Debate”. Recorded and broadcast live – twice in one evening, for the airing on each US coast – the episode comprised a full-length, half-improvised debate between Santos and Vinick. It was, in many ways, the perfect distillation of The West Wing’s civic ambition: taking something as stiff and prosaic as an issue-based debate, and convincing people to watch it for their own entertainment.
Ultimately, it was Santos who emerged as the winner – the final twist of an election race that anticipated (in several oddly specific ways) the real-life ascent of Barack Obama two years later. Originally, the creators had equivocated over who would win the election – but the decision was made by the sudden death of John Spencer, from a heart attack, midway through filming the final season. His character Leo, who had been running as Santos’s prospective VP, was sombrely killed off, and writers feared that a Democratic loss would compound the tragedy too much. Thus, the series ended with a characteristic swell, as the Democrats – including a newly coupled-up Josh and Donna, and a returning Sam Seaborn – prepare for the transition of power.
But The West Wing didn’t end in 2006. Not really. In the years since the show went off the air, it has retained an ardent and devoted following. Sorkin went on to a career of coruscating highs (The Social Network, Steve Jobs) and dismal lows: his follow-up TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and The Newsroom were lambasted for indulging his worst tendencies. In recent years, The West Wing too has been criticised for its rose-tinted vision of US politics. In a post-Trump America, Sorkin’s vision of an ethical and conscientious government seems not just sentimental but wholly preposterous: some have argued that Sorkin’ political fairytale could, in its misrepresentations, have done more damage than good.
“There’s criticism now,” says Moloney, “that these legions of Democrats went to Washington with their head in the clouds thinking it was gonna be like The West Wing. That they should have been preparing for a different, dirtier fight. I find it a little depressing. You can’t blame us for the politics. We’re just a TV show. And the fact that it inspired all these people to get into politics is surely a net-good thing.”
“I wouldn’t overstate the positive way it’s affected politics,” says Malina, “but in the 20-odd years since it aired, I’ve been approached constantly by young people telling me I went into politics or community activism because of The West Wing. The series was its own civics lesson.”
The cast too have remained firmly ensconced in the world of politics, and are – more or less all – actively involved in activism, particularly in and around the Democratic party. “The show lives on because we dream of a better future, even now,” says Chenoweth. “It reminds us of how good we once had it. I think we all still long for what we once had – and The West Wing offered hope. I wish they would reboot it, because we need more hope now than we ever have.”
Chenoweth isn’t the first person to propose a reboot – but, outside of a one-off, non-canonical reunion special in 2020, there have been no credible murmurs of a West Wing comeback. Perhaps it’s for the best. The series endures as a product of its era, a shiny relic of a more hopeful time. And besides, adds Moloney, the window for a sequel is probably fast closing. “You’ll have to get out the walkers if we don’t hurry,” she laughs. “There’ll be walker and talks.”
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