A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote

These act-break moments could have played cheesy (as one segment with Rob Lowe and Allison Janney teeters toward), but the special always stays on the right side of being a Very Special Episode. That’s in large part because Sorkin and Schlamme allow the meat of special—“Hartsfield Landing”—to remain sacrosanct. ... While some of [the actors] may have more gray hair and age lines, they all effortlessly step back into their roles as if it were 18 years ago.

What these hypothetical viewers will see is a group of skilled performers telling a reasonably engaging story, and a group of committed citizens speaking to them frankly and with warmth and humor about the reality of this election. But the people who are most likely to watch ... “Hartsfield Landing” is undeniably theatrical, more “Our Town” than “E.R.” It’s not an attempt to make a typical episode of television, and in abandoning such a fruitless pursuit, they create something truly beautiful.

Between those high production values and Whitford’s sober introduction, The West Wing special immediately defused a lot of my cynicism. There’s no doubting how passionate this cast is about performing together. ... It is competence porn. This is what The West Wing has to offer in the moment of Trump: the idea of our big, scary world stewarded by an old man you can trust. It’s not about politics; it’s about having someone to tuck you in at night.

Sorkin and his crew and cast took seriously the task of making something beautiful in between the PSAs, which were themselves entertaining, in an often cheeky way. ... The theatricality of this special staging, the suggestive spareness of the decor — door frames give the actors something to “walk and talk” through — along with the ornate empty theater and the pinpoint lighting give the performance a ceremonial feeling that supports such a direct approach and a ritual energy suitable to the subject.

It's easy to debate whether that sounds naive. But for an hour or so, "The West Wing" special manages to bring the show, and its central ideals, back to life.

As a reimagining of a strong television episode, the new version of “Hartsfield’s Landing” plays out beautifully. The cast slips back into their roles like aging rock stars breathing new life into old hits.

An elegantly staged reading of the standout episode “Hartsfield’s Landing.” ... Part nostalgic reunion, part COVID-production triumph, and part rudimentary celebrity PSA, the special boasted more gravitas than usual, as far as these things go. It also suffered the same exasperated whiff of “what’s the point” that all similar efforts battle in today’s whirlpool news cycle. ... But for an hour, at least, it was nice to cozy up with.

If you’re a West Wing fan, you’ll love this special. If you’re not, you won’t even go find this on HBO Max. And that’s what makes us wonder about if the special’s message will actually land with the people with whom they’re trying to communicate.

[Director Thomas] Schlamme did his best impression of original "Hartfield's Landing" director Vincent Misiano doing an impression of Thomas Schlamme, using editing and immaculate stagecraft to simulate the episode with the dual impediments/restrictions of COVID-19 precautions and the stage at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles. ... All the actors slid back into their roles naturally, as if no time had passed.