The West Wing (Season 2) DVD Review by Britt Gillette

Premiering in September 1999, the original NBC series West Wing built an instant cult following with its seemingly realistic weekly excursions into the inner sanctums of the White House. The series became such a hit that some pollsters claimed that certain people actually believed Jed Bartlet was the real president (although, if true, this is more of a negative reflection on the intelligence of the electorate, and not necessarily an indication of West Wing's realism). But regardless, the truth of the matter is that West Wing definitely strikes a chord with certain audiences, providing entertaining brew of action, suspense, and drama on a weekly basis…

Seasoned Hollywood actor Martin Sheen plays the lead role of President Jed Bartlet. The day-to-day affairs of Bartlet's administration are run by a number of individuals who surround him, among them are: Claudia "C.J." Cregg (Allison Janney), Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Leo McGarry (John Spencer), and Charlie Young (Dule Hill). West Wing follows these dedicated staffers as they work extended hours behind-the-scenes to help keep the White House running smoothly. Along the way, the stress of the job and the characters' personal lives make for an interesting glimpse into what many believe is an accurate portrayal of a real-life White House administration…

The West Wing (Season 2) DVD offers a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part 1" in which the staff awaits news relating to the gunshot wounds suffered by Josh Lyman and President Bartlett, prompting them to reminisce about their initial involvement in Bartlet's campaign and how they all came to know each other. Meanwhile, Leo, Toby, and C.J. examine the formal inquiry into the Secret Service's policies as well as the legal implications of Bartlet's surgery and the transfer of his executive power… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include "In This White House" in which the White House staffers host a contingent of pharmaceutical executives and leaders from Africans nations in relation to ending the AIDS crisis, and "The Leadership Breakfast" in which the staffers participate in a bi-partisan breakfast which they hope will actually substantively tackle an issue…

Below is a list of episodes included on the West Wing (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 23 (In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part 1) Air Date: 10-04-2000
Episode 24 (In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part 2) Air Date: 10-04-2000
Episode 25 (The Midterms) Air Date: 10-18-2000
Episode 26 (In This White House) Air Date: 10-25-2000
Episode 27 (And It's Surely to Their Credit) Air Date: 11-01-2000
Episode 28 (The Lame Duck Congress) Air Date: 11-08-2000
Episode 29 (The Portland Trip) Air Date: 11-15-2000
Episode 30 (Shibboleth) Air Date: 11-22-2000
Episode 31 (Galileo) Air Date: 11-29-2000
Episode 32 (Noel) Air Date: 12-20-2000
Episode 33 (The Leadership Breakfast) Air Date: 01-10-2001
Episode 34 (The Drop In) Air Date: 01-24-2001
Episode 35 (Bartlet's Third State of the Union) Air Date: 02-07-2001
Episode 36 (The War at Home) Air Date: 02-14-2001
Episode 37 (Ellie) Air Date: 02-21-2001
Episode 38 (Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail) Air Date: 02-28-2001
Episode 39 (The Stackhouse Filibuster) Air Date: 03-14-2001
Episode 40 (17 People) Air Date: 04-04-2001
Episode 41 (Bad Moon Rising) Air Date: 04-25-2001
Episode 42 (The Fall's Gonna Kill You) Air Date: 05-02-2001
Episode 43 (18th and Potomac) Air Date: 05-09-2001
Episode 44 (Two Cathedrals) Air Date: 05-16-2001