It was my understanding that ...
Question: It was my understanding that when
The West Wing was first going into production, the role of the president was somewhat peripheral to the activities of his staff: that he would be sort of an unseen (or infrequently seen) presence. But when
Martin Sheen got the role, it shifted the gravitational center of the show so that President Bartlet was at the center. The staff then orbited the president, as it would be in the real West Wing. I'm wondering if you think, as I do, that
Sam Waterston is capable of similarly "pulling rank" as the new district attorney on
Law & Order.
Answer: You may be right. At the very least, it will be refreshing to see a real actor in the DA role again. Here's what Dick Wolf had to say at the TCA press tour when asked about Jack McCoy (aka Sam Waterston) getting promoted for the new season: "Sam is not going to be the pragmatist that the elected politicians have been. He is also going to be somebody who goes through changes in his own attitude because he is doing a different job. And a lot of it is going to be fascinating, because we've talked very openly about what happens to men of a certain age and a certain stature when the next generation comes in. There's a lot to play here. There's an aspect of
The Lion in Winter to this that is fascinating to any of us who are of a certain age." Which makes me think he'll have more of a visible and active presence than those who've occupied this role before him, as is only fitting to a star of Waterston's stature. But I doubt the show will transform itself as totally as
The West Wing did from its initial premise. It's still going to be classic
Law & Order, for better or worse.
