One less worthwhile network show left in the otherwise ludicrous wasteland of television: From AP / Yahoo News:
The new president on “The West Wing” will be a real short-timer: NBC announced Sunday it was pulling the plug on the Emmy-winning political drama after seven seasons in May.
NBC, struggling to regain its footing after the worst season in its history, also outlined several midseason schedule changes — including the moves of popular dramas “Law & Order” and “Las Vegas.”
“The West Wing” announcement wasn’t much of a surprise. Although this season’s story line with a presidential campaign involving a Democrat played by Jimmy Smits and Republican portrayed by Alan Alda has been strong critically, ratings have sunk with its move to Sunday nights.
The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack Dec. 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.
“There’s a point when you look at the ratings and say, it feels like it’s time,” Reilly said.
The series finale will be May 14, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. The campaign to replace the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president will be settled, NBC said.
Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, who created the show and guided it through its early years, will not be involved in the finale, Reilly said. … Read all
This quote particularly struck me: “At its prime, it also offered NBC two valuable benefits: critical acclaim and the most upscale audience on television, an important drawing point for advertisers.” People like us, who find less and less — really, almost nothing — to watch on network television. And, although I’m sure this is an unpopular view, I was rooting for Alan Alda’s character to win the presidency because it would have taken the show in an entirely new direction, with the Dems fighting on the outside. And Alda is a hell of an actor.