What's Next

"Mary and Melissa succeed so brilliantly in capturing what it was like to be part of The West Wing. From the casting process to the table reads to our final night of filming, What's Next is packed full of details, anecdotes, and secrets from behind the scenes. This is the book The West Wing deserves." -Allison Janney "Dedication to service has always played a key part in The West Wing, and now it's a key part of What's Next. Full of a hopeful optimism, it's a celebration of the past as well as an inspirational look to the future. What's Next is the book we all need right now." -Dulé Hill "What an amazing time to take a deep dive into the Bartlet administration! Any West Wing fan will adore this book, as will anyone who admires brilliant television and all that it takes to make it. Run and buy What's Next for all the West Wingers in your life!" -Janel Moloney "Being part of The West Wing was more than the creative experience of a lifetime. It was a show that celebrated public service and was a reminder that we don't just get a democracy, we have to make one every day. I'm so proud of my West Wing family who continue to use the attention the show gave us to hold this country up to its spectacular, unfulfilled promise. And I'm so grateful to Melissa and Mary for highlighting the causes that are so important to each of us and how you can help. A joy and a MUST READ for all the Wingnuts out there!!!" -Brad Whitford "What's Next is the highest level of access you can get to The West Wing without a background check. I co-hosted a podcast about the show and there's tons of stuff in here I didn't know. Mary and Melissa take you inside the writers' room, on the cast-and-crew road trips to Vegas, and behind the scenes of the series we all love. Buy the book and skip the chapter about Brad. " -Josh Malina A behind-the-scenes look into the creation and legacy of The West Wing as told by cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, with compelling insights from cast and crew exploring what made the show what it was and how its impassioned commitment to service has made the series and relationships behind it endure. Includes an exclusive foreword by showrunner Aaron Sorkin and introduction by cast member Allison Janney. Step back inside the world of President Jed Bartlet's Oval Office with Fitzgerald and McCormack as they reunite the West Wing cast and crew in a lively and colourful "backstage pass" to the timeless series. This intimate, in-depth reflection reveals how The West Wing was conceived, and spotlights the army of people it took to produce it, the lifelong friendships it forged, and the service it inspired. From cast member origin stories to the collective cathartic farewell on the show's final night of filming, What's Next will delight readers with on-set and off-camera anecdotes that even West Wing super fans have never heard. Meanwhile, a deeper analysis of the show's legacy through American culture, service, government, and civic life underscores how the series envisaged an American politics of decency and honour, creating an aspirational White House beyond the bounds of fictional television. What's Next revisits beloved episodes with fresh, untold commentary; compiles poignant and hilarious stories from the show's production; highlights initiatives supported by the cast, crew, and creators; and makes a powerful case for competent, empathetic leadership, hope, and optimism for whatever lies ahead.