As of July 2026, The West Wing Season 1 aired in 1999 with 22 episodes — streaming now on Stan. Full episode guide and where to watch below.

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The West Wing Season 1

1999 22 Episodes Drama ⭐ 8/10

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, The West Wing Season 1 is available on and right now. A compact run that never overstays its welcome. 584 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Martin Sheen's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The West Wing Season 1 earns its spot. The writing in The West Wing Season 1 treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. Season 1 of The West Wing includes 22 episodes. It aired from September 1999 to May 2000. This season stars Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe and Allison Janney. Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 1999. What elevates The West Wing Season 1 is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, The West Wing Season 1 delivers. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Martin Sheen is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.

📡 Where to Watch The West Wing Season 1

🇦🇺 Australia

HBO Max Amazon Channel

🇺🇸 United States

HBO Max Amazon Channel

Netflix Standard with Ads

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇨🇦 Canada

StackTV Amazon Channel

🎬 The West Wing Season 1 — Episode Guide

The senior members of the White House staff are summoned to the office early in the morning to handle difficult situations: Hundreds of Cubans are on their way across the Atlantic Ocean in search of freedom; and klutzy President of the United States Josiah Bartlet accidentally sprained his ankle rid...

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

The Vice President refuses to fall in line with Bartlet. Sam discusses the problem of Laurie with Josh and Toby. Bartlet hires Mandy as his consultant.

A Proportional Response

Still enraged at Morris's death, Bartlet makes a show of deadly force. C.J. is upset about being kept out of the loop about Laurie. Josh hires Bartlet's new personal assistant.

Five Votes Down

Five votes keep a very important gun-control bill from being passed and the staff has 72 hours to track down the errant congressmen. Toby is accused of manipulating the stock market by having a friend testify to Commerce on internet stocks. Leo's wife gets fed up with his long hours.

The Crackpots and These Women

The staffers spend the day ("Big Block of Cheese day") dealing with private organizations, aka the crackpots. Throughout the day, Sam deals with a UFO nut, CJ gets a proposal to build a wolves-only road, Toby and Bartlet clash over everything, and Josh is overwhelmed by guilt regarding his sister's ...

Mr. Willis of Ohio

Toby and Mandy push for a commerce bill with a census-counting provision, with three votes as the deciding factor. Sam tutors CJ on the finer points of the census. Josh & Sam take Charlie out for a beer and are joined by Zoey and Mallory.

The State Dinner

The president of Indonesia is honored at a state dinner. The staff deals with Hurricane Sarah, a potential teamster strike, and a raid involving children in Idaho while a reporter flirts with CJ.

Bartlet and Hoynes argue in front of the Cabinet. CJ fends off Danny's advances when she suspects he's after a big story. Mallory asks Sam out. The staff leaps hurdles to pass a banking bill.

Bartlet struggles to name a nominee to the Supreme Court when the perfect nominee turns out to be not so perfect. A congressman attacks the staff, claiming that 1 in 3 use drugs.

In Excelsis Deo

Toby tries to arrange a proper funeral for a homeless veteran. Josh and Sam try to set up a preemptive strike against Lillienfield, who is attacking Leo because of his prior drug and alcohol problem. CJ tries to get the staff to revisit the hate crimes issue. Bartlet sneaks out to do some last minut...

Lord John Marbury

War breaks out between India and Pakistan and Bartlet consults with Lord John Marbury. Toby accuses CJ of being too friendly with the press when she objects to being kept in the dark. The staff realizes that Lillienfield's efforts to bring down Leo are going to get ugly when Josh gets a subpoena.

He Shall, from Time to Time

Bartlet collapses before his first State of the Union address. Leo publicly admits to his former alcoholism and drug abuse. Things get interesting romantically for both Sam and CJ. Lord John Marbury helps the staff negotiate an agreement between India and Pakistan.

Take out the Trash Day

Josh and Sam are able to make a bargain to keep Leo from going through a hearing, at the expense of a new sex education report. Mandy doesn't think a couple should be present at the signing of a new hate crimes bill instigated by the death of their son. Toby contends with some of PBS's detractors.

Take This Sabbath Day

After the Supreme Court refuses to stay the execution of a convicted murderer, Bartlet has forty-eight hours to decide whether or not to commute the sentence. Josh faces off with Joey Lucas about his staff's not backing her candidate as vigorously as she'd like.

Celestial Navigation

Toby and Sam travel to Connecticut to get Roberto Mendoza released from jail; Josh must run a press briefing when CJ has an emergency root canal.

20 Hours in L. A.

Bartlet and the senior staff fly to California to attend an important fundraiser. Hoynes must decide whether he will support Bartlet's stance or go with his convictions when the Senate is deadlocked on an ethanol tax bill.

The White House Pro-Am

Abbey keeps the staff busy with the fallout when she leaks her personal preference for a Federal Reserve Board appointment and discusses child labor on a talk show, prompting a Congresswoman to offer an amendment which could shoot down the entire international tariff bill. Charlie's date with Zoey i...

Six Meetings Before Lunch

Mendoza is confirmed by the Senate; Mandy needs Toby's help to replace a dead panda bear; Sam angers Mallory when she reads a position paper that he wrote supporting school vouchers; Josh meets with Jeff Breckenridge, who is irritating certain Congressmen with his stance on slavery reparations.

Let Bartlet Be Bartlet

Mandy's old memo about Bartlet administration weaknesses surfaces; Josh tries to get administration nominees appointed to the Federal Elections Committee; Sam works to get a better policy on gays in the military.

Mandatory Minimums

Andrea Wyatt insists that mandatory minimums be added to a new drug policy the staff is developing; C.J. makes a mistake and sets them back.

🎭 Cast of The West Wing Season 1

Martin Sheen

Rob Lowe

Allison Janney

Richard Schiff

Moira Kelly

John Spencer

Bradley Whitford

Bradley Whitford

Dulé Hill

📋 All Seasons of The West Wing

Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Season 6 Season 7

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