Aaron Sorkin‘s The West Wing is one of the most optimistic shows to air on television. From 1999 to 2006, President Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, played by the versatile veteran actor Martin Sheen, and his idealistic staff of deep thinkers presented the illusion that Capitol Hill was where the finest minds in America worked together to find the right answers, and got bonus points for the most self-righteous. The NBC series began the same year as HBO’s The Sopranos, and could be seen as its polar opposite, though the two shows had many similarities. Both were considered dramas, but had so many individual laugh lines they veered into comedy. Each featured a strong leader who faced crises, at home and abroad.

Starting with the very first episode, President Bartlet confronted beltway blowback, global dissension, and harsh life-threatening decisions. Some of these issues were personal, because a president’s private life affects the political process.