West Wing Cops Out

There's not much point in taking on West Wing now, since it's on its last legs. On the other hand, this may be our last chance.

So here's the latest plot--in the surprise development everyone was expecting, Democrat Santos (Jimmy Smits) pulled even in the polls with Republican Vinick (Alan Alda) in their race for President.

However, Santos loses a briefcase that Vinick's advisor Bruno (Ron Silver) finds. Bruno discovers Santos has been secretly paying for a women who's had a baby out of wedlock.

For one second, I thought they were actually going to do something interesting. They were going to have a major, positive character with a serious character flaw. Not just some understandable flaw in an advisor who otherwise only wants what's best for the public, but something that, to at least some viewers, might seem to demonstrate a true lack of judgment.

But then I realized they wouldn't do that. The story unfolded as expected. Vinick (also a good guy) returned the briefcase rather than take advantage of it. And it turns out--of course--that Santos is covering for a brother who impregnated the gal years ago. (At least he says so. It would be great if he were lying, but that's just not possible.)