10 Best TV Shows Like The West Wing That You Should Watching Update 03/2024

TV Shows Like The West Wing

Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing debuted on NBC and ran for several seasons before being cancelled. Here’s what political show viewers can look forward to next.

Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing debuted on NBC in September 1999 and ran for seven seasons, until May 2006. One of the first of its kind, the show is a political drama. There had never been a popular television show before that featured the President of the United States as its central character and took place entirely in The White House.

No president in particular is referenced, but the show does deal with a number of political issues and current events at the time that they were written. This show paved the way for political dramas by attracting viewers and building a following for it. If you’re a fan of this show and haven’t seen any of the others, here are some suggestions.

1. 1600 Penn

1600 Penn

The thirteen episodes of this show, which aired on NBC for only one season, will no doubt appeal to viewers who enjoy political comedies like The West Wing and Saturday Night Live’s political parodies.

Josh Gad is the show’s creator and star, playing the role of Skip. Bill Pullman, who plays the current president, is no stranger to playing the role of the president; Skip is his eldest son.

2. Scandal

Shonda Rhimes, the brains behind popular shows like Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder, created Scandal.

During the course of the show’s storyline, viewers learn about Olivia Pope, a crisis management expert who frequently assists the White House when problems or scandals occur.

The fact that she’s having an affair with the president only adds to the scandal of this show. If you enjoyed the drama that The West Wing delivered on a weekly basis, you’re going to love this new series even more.

 3. Madame Secretary

Madame Secretary

Madame Secretaryexamines the Secretary of State’s additional important role in the politics of our country. Tea Leoni portrays fictional Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord in the five-season drama series Homeland.

A sixth and final season of Madame President was announced for 2019 under the new title,Madame President. Our first female president will be revealed in the sixth season premiere, when we learn that Leoni’s character has won her bid for office.

4. House Of Cards

House of Cards, on the other hand, takes a much darker look at how a fictional political system works on the inside. After being a huge success, it became one of Netflix’s first original series, setting the company up to create even more original content and compete with major broadcast networks for original programming.

It will be a real treat for fans of The West Wing’s more shady characters and plotlines to watch all six seasons back-to-back.

5. Veep

Veep

Veep, starring Julia Louise Dreyfus, will be your new favorite series to binge-watch for fans of Aaron Sorkin’s quirky dialogue and quick-witted humor on The West Wing.

While Dreyfuss’ Selina Meyer and her team are frantically trying to leave their political mark on society and history books, they seem to be distracted by the day-to-day games played in the typical political atmosphere, which makes for a hilarious working environment in this satirical comedy series.

6. The Newsroom

Because of his distinctive writing style, Aaron Sorkin has carved out a niche for himself in the television industry. All of Sorkin’s actors have to learn at least sixty pages of dialogue for a single episode because of his penchant for writing dense dialogue.

To fans of Sorkin’s stylized writing, The Newsroom will be their new favorite thing to stream because of the quick-talking back and forth.

7. Designated Survivor

Designated Survivor

Designated Survivor explores a little-known rule of our government that many people in the United States were unaware of before the show aired. The “designated survivor” is the member of the Presidential line of succession who is selected to sit in a safe room during an important event like the State of the Union address.

The main character of this series will be put in charge of rebuilding the country and its system in the event of an unlikely attack that kills our entire government.

8. Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip

Fans of Aaron Sorkin will want to check out this new show that he created. Despite being canceled after one season, this Sorkin creation garnered a devoted following during its brief run of only twenty-two episodes. As with Saturday Night Live, this show takes viewers behind-the-scenes at a late-night comedy sketch show.

Actress Sarah Paulson got her big break on this show, which features Matthew Perry and Sorkin favorite Bradley Whitford.

9. The Blacklist

The Blacklist

Those who enjoyed The West Wing’s dark portrayal of politics will enjoy this one as well. A former US Navy officer and an FBI agent are the focus of this show, rather than the White House.

As Raymond Reddington, played by James Spader, the FBI is willing to make a deal with the Navy Officer to avoid prosecution for his criminal past. With so many twists and turns, this suspenseful show will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, begging for more.

10. Parks And Rec

If you’re a fan of The West Wing and want something light and entertaining to watch in between some of the more intense political dramas, start with NBC’sParks and Recreation.

Mockumentary in the style of The Office, but set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, created by the same hilarious team that brought The Office to the United States. Amy Poehler is the star of this hilarious series, which features an all-star cast.

the wing on the other side of the building

In addition to writing, Mel Hall is a blogger who enjoys all things cinema, tv, and theater. A good book can always be found by Mel when they aren’t in a movie theater or binge-watching the latest hit streaming series from the convenience of their own home, because they know that Hollywood will eventually and inevitably become a film or limited series.