The BEST episodes written by Aaron Sorkin
#1 - Nevada Day (1)
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 7
Studio 60 staff must travel to Nevada to free Tom from jail in time for the show. Meanwhile, a judge who doesn't care for the show complicates matters.
#2 - Pilot
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 1
The once great sketch comedy show 'Studio 60' is suddenly close to cancellation due not only to its less than stellar on-air product, but another, more unexpected type of action, its Executive Producer's on-air mental meltdown. So enter NBS Chairman of the board Jack Rudolph and a new network president, looking to put her mark on the struggling network, Jordan McDeere. This results in the re-hiring of Danny Tripp and Matt Albie to replace the former Executive Producer and hopefully save the show.
#3 - The Focus Group
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 3
A scare is sent through the company by a focus group that Matt and Danny's first show rating success might not carry on during the rest of the season.
#4 - The Cold Open
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 2
Now that they're on board, Matt and Danny try not to crumble under the pressure of putting on their first big show, where the stakes are outrageously high. Also high are the number of complaints the network is getting over the "Crazy Christians" sketch, which Jordan defends to Jack.
#5 - The West Coast Delay
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 4
Matt fabricates a response to a gift sent by one of Harriet's fans while the show attempts to recover from 90 seconds of questionable material. An article about the show is approved by Jordan.
#6 - Two Cathedrals
The West Wing - Season 2 - Episode 22
On the day of Mrs. Landingham's funeral, the staff deals with a Haitian presidential crisis and the law suit against the big tobacco companies, and Bartlet must decide about running for reelection.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#7 - Angel Maintenance
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 19
Air Force One is forced to keep aloft for almost 24 hours when an indicator light leads the flight crew to believe that the landing gear isn't functioning properly; Bartlet and Will have a spirited discussion on Colombian recertification, which is ultimately rendered moot when Air Force One doesn't land on time; the Black Caucus plays hardball with the Oval Office to gain a Congressional debate on the merits of reinstating the draft; legislation to clean up Chesapeake Bay is sacrificed to partisan politics; Will is unsuccessful in hiding his fear of flying from C.J. and Charlie; deaths in Kundu continue to mount.
#8 - We Just Decided To
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 1 - Episode 1
"News Night" anchor Will McAvoy returns to work after a public meltdown to find most of his staff has jumped ship, but new hires help steer the show when news of a catastrophe breaks in the spring of 2010.
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#9 - Nevada Day (2)
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 8
Jack pleads with the local Nevada judge (John Goodman) to free Tom so he can make it back to the Friday night show. Meanwhile, tension heats up between Matt and Harriet on the set.
#10 - B-12
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Season 1 - Episode 10
A virus threatens the staff while Matt has to cope with a reduced writing staff. Jordan tells Danny a little secret which could affect the whole NBS network.
#11 - Life on Mars
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 21
On his first day at work, Joe Quincy pieces together three news leaks and uncovers a scandal which forces Hoynes to resign.
#12 - Privateers
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 18
Toby's old friend approaches him ready to blow the whistle on his employer's violations of environmental laws; staff pranks abound on Amy's first day at the office; Abbey charges Amy with the task of convincing the President to threaten a veto on a foreign aid bill containing an abortion gag rule provision; claiming that Abbey's ancestor was a pirate rather than a privateer, a prominent member threatens to mount a boycott of the D.A.R. dinner at which Zoey will be inducted until Will, C.J. and Amy devise a plan to defuse the situation; at the behest of Jean Paul, Zoey sends Charlie a "Dear John" email, but Charlie refuses to accept the brushoff and declares his love for Zoey; Donna is less than thrilled when Josh assigns her the job of shadowing a possible security risk at Zoey's D.A.R. induction; Will takes one for the team in putting an environmental and political face on the destruction and deaths which resulted from the melting of an Alaskan glacier.
#13 - Stirred
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 17
Hoynes and Bartlet each make an unexpected announcement about Hoynes' place on the ticket; fears of a terrorist attack arise when a truck carrying depleted uranium-fuel rods is involved in a head-on collision in an Idaho tunnel; Donna seeks a Presidential Proclamation to honor her high-school teacher/mentor who's retiring; and Bartlet's insistence on helping Charlie with his tax return sparks a discussion on the true nature of a tax rebate.
#14 - 20 Hours in America (2)
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 2
Donna teaches Toby and Josh an important lesson as their trek homeward continues; Sam staffs the President in Josh's absence and welcomes an old friend home; Bartlet hires a secretary and C.J. finds a Big Brother for Anthony; the situation in Qumar continues to escalate; Bartlet gets spooked by a photo op as the Dow continues its dive; and a pipe bomb kills 44 students at a Midwest university swim meet.
#15 - Twenty Five
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 23
When Bartlet learns that Zoey's kidnapping is the work of Qumari terrorists, he invokes the 25th amendment to diminish their leverage and eliminate any conflict of interest; since there's no Vice President, the power of the Presidency passes to Bartlet's chief political rival and the most powerful Republican in the country, the Speaker of the House, who immediately takes a very hard line; now that twins Huck and Molly have arrived, Toby wonders if he's capable of loving them enough.
#16 - The Greater Fool
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 1 - Episode 10
Mac is shaken by a potentially devastating revelation from gossip columnist Nina Howard. Meanwhile, Sloan mulls a new job opportunity; Neal's Internet alias could prevent a catastrophe; and Will, Mac and Charlie confront Leona and Reese during a volatile lunch meeting.
#17 - Boston
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 3 - Episode 1
In the wake of the Genoa debacle, Will, Mac and the News Night team decide to err on the side of caution in reporting a major breaking story. Neal is contacted by an anonymous source in possession of stolen government documents revealing how false press stories planted in newspapers spawned fatal riots in Kundu. Sloan looks to solve a takeover puzzle. Maggie is forced to pinch-hit for Elliot in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings.
#18 - Commencement
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 22
Bartlet finally tells the staff the truth about the death of Shareef; Danny agrees to hold off on the story after five alleged terrorists go missing; Andy goes into labor after once again refusing Toby's marriage proposal; Zoey is kidnapped from a nightclub on the night of her college graduation.
#19 - Inauguration (1)
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 14
The staff wrangles with the State Department over language in the inaugural address; a genocidal war breaks out in Kundu, and Bartlet weighs his options as Will pushes for American military involvement based on Bartlet's statements in the past; the Chief Justice's increased propensity for writing opinions in verse causes concern about his competence; Bartlet keeps Charlie busy on the hunt for the perfect Bible for the inauguration; Donna becomes upset when Jack is transferred out of the White House and reassigned to Italy after getting caught in a squeeze play between the Oval Office and the Pentagon.
#20 - Inauguration (2): Over There
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 15
Toby discovers that Will's frankness, stubbornness, and commitment to ideals is much like his own; Charlie remains on the hunt for an inaugural Bible; Bartlet and the staff continue to debate over sending American troops into Kundu to stop a genocidal war until Laurel and Hardy provide some needed inspiration; Bartlet appoints Will Deputy Communications Director; Donna takes one for Jack when a comment he thinks he is making off the record is included in a "Post" article by Danny's editor.
#21 - Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
The West Wing - Season 1 - Episode 19
Mandy's old memo about Bartlet administration weaknesses surfaces; Josh tries to get administration nominees appointed to the Federal Elections Committee; Sam works to get a better policy on gays in the military.
#22 - Take This Sabbath Day
The West Wing - Season 1 - Episode 14
After the Supreme Court refuses to stay the execution of a convicted murderer, Bartlet has forty-eight hours to decide whether or not to commute the sentence; Josh faces off with Joey Lucas about his staff's not backing her candidate as vigorously as she'd like.
#23 - Bullies
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 1 - Episode 6
Sloan subs for Elliot during the Japanese nuclear crisis following the March 2011 earthquake, but her harsh questioning of a Tokyo power-company representative could damage her credibility. Meanwhile, Will has a bout of insomnia that leads him to therapy, and he learns a lesson about bullying after his rude behavior in an interview.
#24 - I'll Try to Fix You
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 1 - Episode 4
Will becomes tabloid fodder after a confrontation with a gossip columnist on New Year's Eve, which threatens to undermine his credibility on a current news investigation. Meanwhile, Don urges Maggie to set Jim up on a date with her roommate; Mac's boyfriend pitches a story about the government's inability to prosecute financial crimes; and Neal tries out his Bigfoot theory on anyone who will listen.
#25 - Election Night (2)
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 2 - Episode 9
As Election Night 2012 winds down, Will and Charlie await a decision from Reese that may impact their future at ACN, and that of the entire senior staff. Sloan learns the identity of the anonymous winning bidder for her book. Don discusses a countersuit against Jerry with Rebecca. Neal turns to Hallie for help giving Mac a parting gift. Jim tries to make peace with Lisa, encouraging Maggie to do the same. Will has a revelation while Charlie is sharing his.
#26 - The Crackpots and These Women
The West Wing - Season 1 - Episode 5
The staffers spend the day ("Big Block of Cheese day") dealing with private organizations, aka the crackpots. Throughout the day, Sam deals with a UFO nut, CJ gets a proposal to build a wolves-only road, Toby and Bartlet clash over everything, and Josh is overwhelmed by guilt regarding his sister's death.
#27 - In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (1)
The West Wing - Season 2 - Episode 1
While the staff awaits news regarding the injuries to Jed and Josh, they recall how Josh, Sam, and Toby became involved in the campaign three years earlier; Leo, Toby, and C.J. deal with inquiries on Secret Service protection policies, as well as the absence of executive authority while Jed was in surgery.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#28 - Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
The West Wing - Season 1 - Episode 2
The Vice President refuses to fall in line with Bartlet; Sam discusses the problem of Laurie with Josh and Toby; the plane carrying President Bartlet's doctor, a naval officer, is shot down en route to Jordan; Bartlet hires Mandy as his consultant.
#29 - 100,000 Airplanes
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 11
On State of the Union night, Sam is being trailed by a magazine reporter to whom he was once engaged; the President' Congressional censure weighs heavily on staffers' minds as they debate whether to include an anti-cancer initiative in the President's address; Josh can't get Amy Gardner to talk to him.
#30 - The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee
Sports Night - Season 1 - Episode 11
A southern African American football player and five other students refuse to play at a Tennessee college where the Confederate flag is hung. Luther Sachs the owner of CSC and alumnus of the college sides with the college, but Isaac disagrees and says so on the show. Casey goes on "The View" and takes credit for his wardrobe, which he doesn't deserve and this leads Dan and another staffer to teach him that the show is a team.
#31 - Main Justice
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 3 - Episode 3
Leona and Reece look to raise cash in order to salvage ACN and thwart Blair and Randy. Will gets a surprise at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Charlie trades visions with her ACN suitor. Maggie's EPA scoop makes it to News Night. Sloan and Don try to keep their relationship a secret from a new HR veep.
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#32 - Napoleon's Battle Plan
Sports Night - Season 1 - Episode 22
Gordon has proposed to Dana, and Casey is seething, but tells Dan he plans to "take the high road" and follow Napoleon's Battle Plan: Show up and see what happens next. Dan reminds Casey that Napoleon lost at Waterloo and died in exile, and announces his intention to "step in". So Dan tells Natalie about Gordon's fling with Sally. Natalie runs straight to Dana, who confronts Gordon who, in turn, tells Dana about Casey's fling with Sally. Then Dana confronts Sally, who reveals she has been sleeping with Casey for months. Confused? You won't be on the tonight's episode of . . . oh wait, that's another show!
#33 - The 112th Congress
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 1 - Episode 3
Will's apology for the lack of integrity in newscasts sets off constant critiques of the Tea Party before the November 2010 midterm elections, but draws the ire of network executives and Atlantis World Media CEO Leona Lansing. Meanwhile, Don confronts Elliot about his analytical skills; Jim helps Maggie during a panic attack; and Mac is unnerved by Will's endless parade of romantic conquests.
#34 - Night Five
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 13
Stanley Keyworth revisits the White House to uncover the reason Bartlet hasn't been able to sleep since the night of the Iowa caucus; C.J. enlists Leo's help in freeing a White House reporter kidnapped while on assignment in the Congo; Toby and Andy joust over an upcoming presidential speech condemning Islamic fanaticism by name; Donna is offered a lucrative dot.com job by an old friend; Sam sparks an exchange on radical versus lipstick feminism when he comments on Ainsley's evening attire immediately after asking her to review language in Bartlet's U.N. address.
#35 - Game On
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 6
Bartlet, Leo, Josh, Sam and C.J. pull a practical joke on Toby; Sam's mission to end the Wilde campaign leads him to make a career-altering decision; Jordan backs up Leo as he deals with the Qumari; Toby continues to press his case with a resistant Andrea; and Bartlet cleans Ritchie's clock in their debate.
#36 - Contempt
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 3 - Episode 4
Facing a court subpoena and possible incarceration for contempt, Will stands firm in refusing to reveal the source of the stolen DOD documents. As Charlie's disdain for Lucas grows, Sloan and Mac scramble to find a more acceptable 11th-hour buyer for ACN. Jim's relationship with Hallie is put to the test by her new job at Carnivore, a start-up website.
#37 - Evidence of Things Not Seen
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 20
The White House is locked down after a gunman on the street fires shots into the West Wing; Josh interviews a candidate to replace Ainsley Hayes; Bartlet negotiates for the return of a spy plane is forced down over Russia; the staff plays poker.
#38 - Pilot
The West Wing - Season 1 - Episode 1
In the series premiere, the White House staff is being called into work in the early hours of the morning to the news that the President of the United States has crashed his bicycle into a tree, much to the enjoyment of the press. The staff must run damage control on this and a gaffe by Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman who, after provocation by Christian activist Mary Marsh on a televised debate, quips "Lady, the God you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud." Also, Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn meets and spends an evening with Laurie (Lisa Edelstein), not knowing she is a call girl, and then accidentally tells White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry's daughter, Mallory O'Brien, about it.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#39 - Red Haven's on Fire
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 17
While Toby and C.J. are in California working on Sam's campaign, Josh drops Abbey's agenda in favor of his own, Jed deals with a military hostage situation, and Will runs his intern writing staff ragged.
#40 - Bartlet for America
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 9
The staff and the F.B.I. work to combat a threat to firebomb black churches in Tennessee on Christmas Eve; accompanied by Jordan, Leo testifies before the House committee probing Bartlet's failure to disclose his M.S. during the presidential campaign; Sam and Josh try unsuccessfully to get Leo out of the line of fire of a Congressman on the committee intent on destroying Leo to advance his own political career; surprisingly, Leo receives a last minute reprieve at the hands of the Majority Counsel and the committee Chair.
#41 - The California 47th
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 16
Bartlet plays hardball to end the genocide in Kundu; after the entire speechwriting staff quits, Will is forced to rely on Elsie and some inexperienced interns to write tax policy remarks; the trip to California to help Sam's campaign gets off to a rocky start; Sam refuses to let Bartlet hold off the Democratic response to the Republican tax plan because it might hurt the campaign; Toby and Charlie get arrested coming to Andy's defense after a drunk accosts her; Bartlet fires Sam's campaign manager and replaces him with Toby.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#42 - Election Night
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 7
Election day finally arrives with the staff eagerly anticipating the outcome; Sam is increasingly concerned about the Wilde campaign in Orange County; Toby worries about the effect of Andy's pregnancy on the voters; Donna accidentally votes for Richie and tries to rectify the situation by trying to find someone who will vote-swap; Josh resists Deborah's new office rules until she reveals their basis; Bartlet has some new health issues to worry about.
#43 - College Kids
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 3
Bartlet decides he needs a lawyer when Qumar goes after Israel; Josh is disturbed to learn that Stackhouse might not endorse Bartlet; a comment Deborah made years ago comes back to haunt her during a security check.
#44 - Holy Night
The West Wing - Season 4 - Episode 11
It's December 23, and the holiday brings several visitors to the White House: Zoey comes home with her new French boyfriend in tow; aided by Josh, Toby's father seeks a reconciliation; and Danny arrives bearing gifts of gold and a heads-up for C.J. about Shareef's death. Will moves into Sam's office at Toby's insistence, and is treated to some good-natured ribbing by the rest of the staff. Bartlet and Leo try to exorcise their guilt about Shareef by adding eleventh hour funding to combat infant mortality in the federal budget, and promoting peace in the Mideast, respectively.
#45 - Hartsfield's Landing
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 14
On the day before the New Hampshire primary, Josh drafts Donna as his frontwoman to ensure that Bartlet wins the nation's first primary in the small town of Hartsfield's Landing; C.J. and Charlie play an ever-escalating game of practical jokes; Jed plays simultaneous chess games with Sam and Toby while he plays delicate diplomatic and military games with the Chinese government over Taiwan.
#46 - The Blackout Part I: Tragedy Porn
The Newsroom (2012) - Season 1 - Episode 8
The ratings for "News Night" plummet after it downplays a pair of sensational stories, and Will and Mac must find a way to lure back enough viewers to justify the network's quest to air a Republican debate. Meanwhile, Will considers writers for an all-access profile; Sloan is disappointed by the lack of coverage of an important financial story; and Charlie learns a National Security Agency whistle-blower's identity.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#47 - What Kind of Day Has It Been
The West Wing - Season 1 - Episode 22
The staff deals with the crisis of an American pilot who was shot down in Iraq; Toby's brother is in danger on a space shuttle whose doors won't close; Bartlet and the senior staff walk into trouble as they leave a town meeting.
#48 - Dead Irish Writers
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 15
Concern arises over the medical board's decision on Abbey's actions in treating Jed's M.S.; Sam tries to get a Senator he doesn't like to pass a bill for a super-conducter that he doesn't even understand; Amy tries to influence Josh; Lord Marbury explains to Toby why a member of the IRA cannot be invited to the White House; Donna receives shocking news when the Secret Service won't give her clearance to attend Abbey's birthday party.
#49 - H. Con-172
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 10
Majority Counsel Clifford Calley makes Leo an offer regarding the MS affair he wants very much to refuse; Josh looks for any excuse to see Amy Gardner; a fired White House photographer has written a tell-all book about the Administration that Sam wants to refute point by point; Charlie gives the President a present that touches him and troubles everyone else.
#50 - The U.S. Poet Laureate
The West Wing - Season 3 - Episode 16
Toby looks forward to meeting the new U.S. Poet Laureate; Jed fires the first salvo of his reelection campaign when he calls his likely opponent less than brilliant, and the national press just can't get enough of it; Ainsley gets promoted; Josh overreacts to posts on the message board of a website devoted to "all things Josh".