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NBC Keeps "West Wing" in Office
The Peacock will continue to Wing it.
NBC confirmed Friday that it has picked up the White House drama The West Wing for at least two more seasons (in politico speak that's another half term for President Bartlet) and has an option of a third year.
Speaking to the Television Critics Association gathered in Hollywood, NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker would not disclose details of the negotiations. However, reports suggest the network will initially pay Warner Bros., the show's production company, at least $5 million per episode for Aaron Sorkin's Emmy-winning series, and perhaps as much as $7 million per once the studio recoups deficits incurred over the previous seasons.
The series, produced by John Wells, Thomas Schalmme and Sorkin, is currently in its fourth season.
Warner Bros. is, of course, also the studio behind NBC's ER and Friends, which the network just renewed at vast expense for a 10th season. An NBC spokesperson said Friday that new deal had nothing to do with the net's previous relationship with Warners. "Negotiations for Friends were over before we began those for The West Wing," the rep said.
NBC's announcement Friday averts the last-minute showdown the net would have faced if it dragged out talks closer to May, when the current deal expires. It also allows NBC to retain a prestige property that always represents at award shows, including this weekend's Golden Globes.
There had been much speculation that NBC was not too eager to pay big money to keep Barlet in office. Hollywood was abuzz that NBC was grooming its heavily promoted new midseason D.C. drama Mr. Sterling (Fridays 8-9 p.m.), starring Josh Brolin as an idealistic senator, as a possible replacement for The West Wing staff, which includes President Martin Sheen and Emmy winners Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Allison Janney and Stockard Channing.
But Zucker would have none of that Friday. "I can tell you that The West Wing is a valuable to us as it's ever been," he said. When asked whether the network had been cold-shouldering the show, he replied, "Absolutely and unequivocally, no less promos ran in order to gain any advantage in our negotiations."
Still, The West Wing's ratings have been slipping, especially since ABC began counterprogramming the Wednesday 9-10 p.m. time slot with The Bachelor and now The Bachelorette.
The debut episode of The Bachelorette two weeks ago left The West Wing with its lowest rating since the end of its first season. And this week, Trista attracted more than 17 million viewers, while the Oval Officers only interested about 14.5 million. For the season to date, The West Wing ranks 14th and averages 15 million viewers, down from last year's ninth-place finish and 17.2 million viewers.
But you couldn't tell that from the official network press release, which trumpeted, "By popular acclaim, NBC has voted to renew The West Wing" and touted the series as an "upscale champion, garnering the highest percentage of its adult 18-19 audience from high-education and high-income homes of any primetime network series."
Spoken like a true political spin doctor.
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