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The West Wing

The West Wing: Season 4

  • 2002
  • 23 episodes

Season four follows the re-election of President Bartlet to his second term and we witness the gripping personal crisis that forces him to chose between the best interests of the country and those of his family.

Season 4 of The West Wing premiered on September 25, 2002 and has 23 episodes, from "20 Hours in America (1)" to "Twenty Five". The last episode aired on May 14, 2003.

Where to watch The West Wing

In the United States, you can stream The West Wing on Netflix and HBO Max. You can also buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and Fandango At Home. It is on streaming services in 23 countries.

Where to watch

Episodes

  1. Episode 120 Hours in America (1)Aired September 25, 2002

    Toby, Josh, and Donna learn the hard way about the lack of accessible public transportation in the heartland when they spend a long day trying to get back to Washington after the motorcade leaves them behind during a campaign stop in Indiana; Bartlet interviews potential replacements for Mrs Landingham while C.J. tries to find someone to fill Simon's shoes as Anthony's Big Brother; the Ritchie campaign whips up a furor when Abbey claims to be "just a wife and mother"; Qumar reopens the Shareef investigation; and the Dow takes a dive.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Renée Estevez Nancy
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Ron Silver Bruno Gianelli
    • Amy Adams Cathy
    • Alan Dale Mitch Bryce
  2. Episode 220 Hours in America (2)Aired September 25, 2002

    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.

    • 40m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Allison Smith Mallory O'Brien
    • Renée Estevez Nancy
    • Lily Tomlin Deborah Fiderer
    • Anna Deavere Smith Nancy McNally
  3. Episode 3College KidsAired October 2, 2002

    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.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Alex Graves
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Debora Cahn and Mark Goffman

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Joanna Gleason Jordon Kendall
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • Clark Gregg Michael Casper
    • Lily Tomlin Deborah Fiderer
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Ron Silver Bruno Gianelli
  4. Episode 4The Red MassAired October 9, 2002

    Leo meets with the Israeli Foreign Minister to enlist Israel's assistance with the Shareef investigation, but is ultimately foiled by the Qumari; the debate about the Ritchie debates rages on until the staff comes up with a brilliant tactic; Josh and Amy argue over whether Stackhouse is siphoning votes from Bartlet; Ritchie tries to bait Bartlet on needle exchange programs; Bartlet is faced with resolving an 11 day standoff with the KSU bombers in Iowa who are holding an injured child; Josh sends Donna undercover to a seminar held by one of Ritchie's advisors in an effort to expose the "fortune cookie candidacy"; Stackhouse comes to a momentous decision about his campaign and provides inspiration for Bartlet.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Vincent Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin and Eli Attie

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Clark Gregg Michael Casper
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • George Coe Howard Stackhouse
    • Andrew McFarlane Anthony Marcus
    • John Cothran Civilian Advisor
  5. Episode 5Debate CampAired October 16, 2002

    As the staff prepares for the presidential debates at a North Carolina conference center, a vexing question about a failed attorney-general nomination (amid charges of racial profiling) leads to flashbacks of the administration's first weeks in office. Back then, Toby's marriage to Andrea Wyatt was about to end; now Sam and Charlie are helping him in his effort to reconcile with her. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force weighs in on the Qumari matter, and Joey Lucas reports that the president is likely to lose New Hampshire.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Paris Barclay
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, William Sind and Michael Oates Palmer

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • Kathleen York Andrea Wyatt
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • John Aniston Alexander Thompson
    • Marlee Matlin Joey Lucas
    • Thomas Kopache Bob Slatterly
    • Bill O'Brien Kenny Thurman
  6. Episode 6Game OnAired October 30, 2002

    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.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Alex Graves
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin and Paul Redford

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Tony Amendola Qumari U.N. Ambassador Ali Nissir
    • Joanna Gleason Jordon Kendall
    • Kathleen York Andrea Wyatt
  7. Episode 7Election NightAired November 6, 2002

    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.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, David Gerken and David Handelman

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Kathleen York Andrea Wyatt
    • Christian Slater Jack Reese
    • Lily Tomlin Deborah Fiderer
  8. Episode 8Process StoriesAired November 13, 2002

    The staff celebrates election night and encourages Sam to run for the seat in Orange County; Toby continues to worry about how Andrea's pregnancy will play politically for both of them; a coup develops in Venezuela; Jed and Abbey endure some interruptions at their private celebration.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Paula Yoo and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Joanna Gleason Jordon Kendall
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • Kathleen York Andrea Wyatt
    • Christian Slater Jack Reese
  9. Episode 9Swiss DiplomacyAired November 20, 2002

    The 15-year old son of an Iranian leader needs a heart transplant in the U.S. Problem is, the only man who could do it is an enemy of the Iranian government; The Senate minority leader threatens to thwart the President's legislative agenda when he believes that Hoynes is doing some political maneuvering for the next Presidential election; Toby offers a Congresswoman a Cabinet position but is forced to take back the offer.

    • 39m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Eli Attie and Kevin Falls

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Renée Estevez Nancy
    • Lily Tomlin Deborah Fiderer
  10. Episode 10Arctic RadarAired November 27, 2002

    When a celebrated female fighter pilot is threatened with a dishonorable discharge for refusing to end her affair with an enlisted man, the staff, though full of opinions, agrees that the White House should not get involved; Donna asks Josh to find out if Jack Reese likes her, and is horrified to discover some of the anecdotes about her that Josh has shared with Jack; Sam heads out to California to begin his election campaign, and sends Will Bailey to the White House to help Toby with the inaugural address; despite the best efforts of Leo and Charlie to keep him out of it, Bartlet blows a gasket over complaints from U.N. diplomats about parking enforcement in New York City; and Josh takes issue with a temporary worker's choice in accessories.

    • 40m
    • Directed by John David Coles
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin and Gene Sperling

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • Christian Slater Jack Reese
    • Renée Estevez Nancy
    • Audrey Wasilewski Janice Trumbull
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
  11. Episode 11Holy NightAired December 11, 2002

    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.

    • 43m
    • Directed by Thomas Schlamme
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Timothy Busfield Danny Concannon
    • Elisabeth Moss Zoey Bartlet
    • John Diehl Claypool
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Trent Ford Jean Paul
    • Adam Arkin Stanley Keyworth
  12. Episode 12Guns Not ButterAired January 8, 2003

    Josh, determined to make sure a foreign aid bill passes even though it's a hopeless cause, sends Donna out to track down a reluctant senator; in an attempt to impress Zoey's new boyfriend, Charlie unwittingly gets over his head with the Department of Defense; Danny continues to pursue the Shareef matter; a Bartlet photo op with Heifer International creates unexpected opportunities -- for C.J. to perfect her spin-doctoring techniques, and for the staff once again to test Will's mettle and sense of humor.

    • 40m
    • Directed by Bill D'Elia
    • Written by Eli Attie, Aaron Sorkin and Kevin Falls

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Timothy Busfield Danny Concannon
    • Elisabeth Moss Zoey Bartlet
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Trent Ford Jean Paul
    • Megan Ward Jane
  13. Episode 13The Long GoodbyeAired January 15, 2003

    While Toby unsuccessfully attempts to fill her shoes in the briefing room, C.J. returns to Dayton, where she gives a speech at her high school reunion, reconnects with an old friend, and struggles with her father's worsening Alzheimer's.

    • 40m
    • Directed by Alex Graves
    • Written by Jon Robin Baitz

    Guest stars

    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Melissa Fitzgerald Carol Fitzpatrick
    • Matthew Modine Marco Arlens
    • Donald Moffat Talmidge Cregg
    • Verna Bloom Molly Lapham
    • Mindy Seeger Chris
    • Randy Brooks Arthur Leeds
  14. Episode 14Inauguration (1)Aired February 5, 2003

    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.

    • 40m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, William Sind and Michael Oates Palmer

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Timothy Busfield Danny Concannon
    • Steve Ryan Miles Hutchinson
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Thomas Kopache Bob Slatterly
    • John Cothran Civilian Advisor
  15. Episode 15Inauguration: Over There (2)Aired February 12, 2003

    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.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Gene Sperling and David Gerken

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Timothy Busfield Danny Concannon
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Melissa Fitzgerald Carol Fitzpatrick
    • Peter James Smith Ed
    • William Duffy Staffer
  16. Episode 16The California 47thAired February 19, 2003

    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.

    • 40m
    • Directed by Vincent Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Paula Yoo and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Kathleen York Andrea Wyatt
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Stephanie Venditto June Wheeler
    • Renée Estevez Nancy
  17. Episode 17Red Haven's on FireAired February 26, 2003

    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.

    • 39m
    • Directed by Alex Graves
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Debora Cahn and Mark Goffman

    Guest stars

    • Rob Lowe Sam Seaborn
    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Danica McKellar Elsie Snuffin
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Stephanie Venditto June Wheeler
    • Renée Estevez Nancy
  18. Episode 18PrivateersAired March 26, 2003

    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.

    • 40m
    • Directed by Alex Graves
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford and Debora Cahn

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • Elisabeth Moss Zoey Bartlet
    • Benjamin Brown Mike Wayne
    • Andrea Savage Heidi Choat
    • Helen Slayton-Hughes Marion Cotesworth-Haye
    • Jeff Perry Burt Ganz
  19. Episode 19Angel MaintenanceAired April 2, 2003

    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.

    • 39m
    • Directed by Jessica Yu
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Kevin Falls and Eli Attie

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Thom Barry Mark Richardson
    • James Morrison Jessie Weiskopf
    • Matt McCoy Tom Landis
    • George Wyner Congressman Simmel
  20. Episode 20Evidence of Things Not SeenAired April 23, 2003

    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.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Eli Attie and David Handelman

    Guest stars

  21. Episode 21Life on MarsAired April 30, 2003

    On his first day at work, Joe Quincy pieces together three news leaks and uncovers a scandal which forces Hoynes to resign.

    • 41m
    • Directed by John David Coles
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin, Dee Dee Myers and Paul Redford

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Timothy Davis-Reed Mark O'Donnell
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Kiersten Warren Blair Spoonhour
    • John Apicella Ralph Gish
    • Kris Murphy Katie Witt
    • Claire Coffee Cassie Tatum
    • Matthew Perry Joe Quincy
  22. Episode 22CommencementAired May 7, 2003

    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.

    • 41m
    • Directed by Alex Graves
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin

    Guest stars

    • Joshua Malina Will Bailey
    • Stockard Channing Abigail 'Abbey' Bartlet
    • Timothy Busfield Danny Concannon
    • Mary-Louise Parker Amy Gardner
    • Kathleen York Andrea Wyatt
    • NiCole Robinson Margaret Hooper
    • Michael O'Neill Ron Butterfield
    • Elisabeth Moss Zoey Bartlet
  23. Episode 23Twenty FiveAired May 14, 2003

    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.

    • 42m
    • Directed by Christopher Misiano
    • Written by Aaron Sorkin

    Guest stars

Season cast