West Wing's End

"The West Wing" will come to an end at the end of the current season, executive producer John Wells confirmed to reporters Saturday.

A formal announcement would come from the network today, during the NBC session that closes the two week winter press tour. The announcement will come a day after a memorial service for John Spencer, the Emmy-award winning actor who died unexpectedly in December. At the time his character, Leo McGarry was a candidate for vice president in the election that's been taking the whole season.

When his death is noted on the show, it will be just five days to election -- too late by law to change ballots and likely to affect the (fictional) vote that will culminate the season of the show, which has been failing in ratings in recent years and suffered further in a move to Sunday nights this season.

Comments

[Andrea Alexander]

WOW--it doesn't seem possible, and yet it seems like the right decision. It was really difficult to imagine how the roles of my favorite characters would play out in another "administration". Better to send them off in a tribute to the wonderful show that has kept us watching and "believing" for 7 years.

[Melanie Brooks]

I've been a fan of the show since the first episode. As much as I love this show, I think it's right to end it after this season. I'm too devoted to the current cast to be able to keep watching with a new "Josh" or "CJ" walking the halls.