The West Wing is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and that means it was the perfect time for a cast reunion at this year’s Emmy Awards ceremony. During the banter between hosts Eugene and Dan Levy, it was noted that Eugene Levy auditioned for the role of Toby Ziegler, and with some notable exceptions, a small selection of the cast of Aaron Sorkin’s incredible political drama came together to make everyone a little nostalgic for the series that made everyone wish that Martin Sheen’s Jed Barlett was actually the president.

While Bradley Whitford preempted his absence from the evening, there were plenty of familiar faces from the series putting in an appearance with Sheen being joined by Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Richard Schiff, and Janel Moloney. Bringing the old administration back together was a treat for fans, and left many wondering exactly where the last 25 years have gone.

Appearing on stage in a replica of The Oval Office, Sheen stepped out and began the purpose of his being there; to encourage everyone in the U.S. to vote come election day. Sheen opened by saying, “From 1999 to 2006 I had the honor of playing the President of the United States on an extraordinary series created by Aaron Sorkin and produced by John Wells.”

“The name of that series was The West Wing, and we all had the honor of serving your administration,” Hill said. This was picked up by Janney, who added, “It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago, Aaron and the writers actually had to use their imaginations to create interesting plot lines for The West Wing.”

Schiff said, “Unlike today, where story lines can be plucked right off the news, storylines that writers would have deemed a bit far-fetched, if not utterly ridiculous 25 years ago.” And Moloney ended with, “Our political landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. But two things have not changed, the importance of everyone, making sure to be registered to vote.” Sheen, as expected, had the last word:

And the quality of drama.

The West Wing is One of the Greatest TV Shows of All Time

Airing its first episode on September 22, 1999, The West Wing wasted no time in becoming a hit for NBC, with audiences captivated by the presidential tenure of President Josiah Bartlett. From Martin Sheen’s powerhouse performance as Bartlett, through a more than capable supporting cast, and some of Sorkin’s best writing, The West Wing became must-watch television and wowed both audiences and critics.

While the series holds an average 81% Rotten Tomatoes score, individual seasons hit highs of 96%, and it was only through a drop in Season 5 and Season 6 that the series doesn’t hold a much more impressive aggregate. However, audiences did not see any reason to mark those seasons down, leading to the series maintaining a 95% approval rating.

Across seven seasons, the dramas of the Oval Office and its staff were so well crafted that a line between the fact and fiction of who was running the U.S. became blurred on many occasions. The nostalgic surge that will drive The West Wing back into people’s homes this year will no doubt have many once again wishing that Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlett could currently be on the ballot for this November’s election.

The West Wing
can be steamed on Max.