What's Next

A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service

De: Melissa Fitzgerald, Mary McCormack, Aaron Sorkin, Allison Janney

Narrado por: Melissa Fitzgerald, Mary McCormack

Duración: 20 h

Resumen del Editor

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.

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 colorful “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 listeners with on-set and off-camera anecdotes that even West Wing superfans 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 honor, 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.

* This audiobook edition has been adapted for the audio format, and the content deviates slightly from the printed version. It includes a downloadable PDF that contains a list of organizations important to the cast and crew and behind the scenes photos and images from The West Wing.

©2023 Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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

“Mary and Melissa have brought me back to those glorious days on the West Wing set with What’s Next. A perfect storm of talented people lucky enough to find each other in a seminal moment of television history: this wonderful book remembers the 17 hour days and 80 hour weeks and the grind and glory of the impossible pursuit of excellence. We formed a tribe that adored each other and respected each other and elevated each other to heights we could not ever reach alone. What a joy to read from the memories of all our perspectives that bring us right back to stage 23 on the Warner Bros. lot.”–Richard Schiff