I Somehow Avoided A West Wing Spoiler For Two Decades That May Completely Ruin The Show’s Final Season For Me

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Lately, I discussed my recent encounter with an exceptionally poor episode of “The West Wing” to support my current reasoning for maintaining my Max subscription: a full series binge-watch for the first time. Previously, I’ve seen most episodes from the initial four seasons, or what is known as Aaron Sorkin’s era, numerous times. Yet, when the problematic episode initially aired years ago, I exclaimed “I hate this!” at the screen and left.

For the first time in two decades since the series ended, I’ve embarked on a binge-watch of the final seasons in their entirety. However, there was a brief hiccup when it vanished from Max for a few days. Remarkably, I find myself largely unspoiled about what happened over the years, but one pivotal scene has caught me off guard and is causing me quite a dilemma as it approaches the climactic event that I already know is coming.

I’ve Been Mentally Preparing Myself For The Death Of John Spencer

It’s quite an unfortunate and sad twist of fate that I stopped watching “The West Wing” after Leo McGarry suffered a heart attack, thinking they were writing his character off for good. Later on, I found out that Leo didn’t meet his end on the show, but tragically, actor John Spencer did suffer a real-life heart attack and passed away before the series concluded.

As a devoted fan, I’ve always known that Spencer wouldn’t stick around forever in Season 7 of “The West Wing.” I can’t say for certain how many episodes will be left when it happens or how his departure will unfold on screen, but one thing is clear: I’m going to miss one of my beloved characters who’s been a vital part of the show; he’s essentially the soul of the “West Wing” ensemble.

As I continued watching Season 6, although it seemed possible that Leo could meet his demise at any point, it also became evident that even the new writers struggled with how to develop Leo’s character post-removal from the role of Chief of Staff. He appeared aimless throughout much of the season, suggesting both a lack of purpose for the character and uncertainty about how to utilize him effectively. Towards the end of Season 6, things took a turn for the worse.

I Had No Idea Leo McGarry Would Be The Vice Presidential Nominee

As I look back at the climax of Season 6, it was all about the Democratic convention where the leading contenders vied for the top spot and clinched the nomination. Eventually, Matt Santos, brilliantly portrayed by Jimmy Smits, emerged as the Democratic nominee. Now, he finds himself in a crucial decision-making process: choosing his running mate. And guess who he selects? None other than Leo McGarry.

This was incredibly astonishing. I feel as though I should have absorbed this kind of information through cultural immersion over the past few decades, yet I didn’t manage to. It brings joy to see the character flourish, but it saddens me knowing where this is heading.

This left me utterly amazed. I feel like I should have picked up on this detail through cultural exposure over the years, yet I missed it. Seeing the character’s progress brings a smile to my face, but it also fills me with foreboding because of what lies ahead.

Appointing Leo as Vice President aligns logically with his character. He is a widely recognized and highly respected figure, making it sensible for him to be in this role given that Josh Lyman serves as Santos’ campaign manager. It seems natural that Josh would want to include his mentor in such an influential position.

As a dedicated fan, I’m eagerly diving into Season 7, but there’s a twist – it seems the Democratic nominee for Vice President meets an untimely end somewhere in the series. Will this tragic event unfold before or after the election? Who will step up to fill Leo’s shoes once he’s gone? I can’t help but wonder what the original plan was for Leo’s storyline, and how it will be altered now.

I haven’t figured out these questions just yet, but I’m not exactly thrilled about learning them. If Leo had been written off the show during Season 6 or if he hadn’t played a significant role in Season 7, it would have been unfortunate to see him go, but it wouldn’t have felt like a fitting farewell for such an iconic character.

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2025-02-06 02:07