Best 'West Wing' episodes of all time

- IMDb rating: 8.7
- IMDb votes: 1,269
- Season 2, Episode 4

While technically every episode of "The West Wing" could be named "In This White House," it's the fourth episode of Season 2 that gets the honors. In the episode, POTUS acted against the wishes of his staff when he hired a feisty Republican commentator. Meanwhile, Josh and Toby had to mediate a conference between U.S. pharmaceutical companies and an African president dealing with an AIDS crisis.

- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 886
- Season 7, Episode 18

With the series finale looming, Season 7's "Requiem" dealt with remembrance, solidarity, and change as POTUS and his staff mourned the death of McGarry while Santos prepared to become the next president. In keeping with its communal vibe, the episode gathered everyone from the main cast both past and present, with the exception of three characters: Sam Seaborn, Kate Harper, and Mandy Hampton.

- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 938
- Season 4, Episode 2

In "20 Hours in America: Part II"," Toby, Josh, and Donna continued their trek home after being left behind in Indiana, discussing campaign strategy along the way. Filling Josh's shoes in his absence was Sam Seaborn, who finds himself surprisingly overwhelmed with his new responsibilities. Meanwhile, POTUS had a full plate as always, dealing with an angry Qumari government and then a domestic bombing that killed a number of Americans.

- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 1,094
- Season 7, Episode 7

In a first for "The West Wing," Season 7's "The Debate" was broadcast live to reflect the real-time sensibility of an actual political showdown. In the episode—which delivered a substantial ratings boost for the show—presidential candidates Santos and Vinick go head to head on various issues, with TV news veteran Forrest Sawyer moderating. It was up to viewers to decide who won the debate.

- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 1,334
- Season 2, Episode 17

It's politics as usual in Season 2's "The Stackhouse Filibuster," in which an old, stodgy senator tried to block President Bartlet's Family Wellness Act by refusing to yield the floor. On the somewhat pettier, but still important side of things, C.J. scrambled to locate a ceramic statue given to POTUS by a Middle Eastern monarch about to visit the White House. And on the extremely petty side of things, Josh tried to get all his work done in order to make it to Florida to visit the Mets' spring training camp.

- IMDb rating: 8.8
- IMDb votes: 1,533
- Season 1, Episode 14

The death penalty debate took center stage in Season 1's "Take This Sabbath Day." Kicking off the debate was Seaborn, who pleaded with POTUS to commute the death penalty for a convicted drug dealer. With the execution scheduled for Monday, President Bartlet reached out to the Pope himself over the weekend. This one goes down to the wire.

- IMDb rating: 8.9
- IMDb votes: 822
- Season 6, Episode 22

The Season 6 episode "2162 Votes" centered on the Democratic National Convention, where three contenders vied to fill President Bartlet's shoes. Santos ended up taking home the ticket, but you already knew that. In the same episode, POTUS had to decide whether to risk national security by deploying a top secret defense shuttle in order to save some astronauts who would otherwise die.

- IMDb rating: 8.9
- IMDb votes: 1,004
- Season 4, Episode 6

Nothing captures the competitive nature of politics quite like an intense debate, and Season 4's "Game On" saw President Bartlet seeking re-election and squaring off against Gov. Robert Ritchie. Rather than hide his supposed elitism, Bartlet used it to his advantage, taking Richie to task on issues like education, taxes, and states' rights. Back at the White House, Leo and attorney Jordon Kendall, played by Joanna Gleason, mediated the ongoing conflict between Israel and Qumar while simultaneously exploring a romantic treaty of their own.

- IMDb rating: 8.9
- IMDb votes: 1,407
- Season 1, Episode 19

POTUS and his staff struggled to accomplish their goals in Season 1's "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet." Adding fuel to the fire of aggravation was a memo being passed around Washington that highlighted Bartlet's weaknesses in scathing fashion. It was up to C.J. to track the memo down before a local reporter published its contents.

- IMDb rating: 8.9
- IMDb votes: 1,529
- Season 1, Episode 15

It's storytime on Season 1's "Celestial Navigation," which centers on Josh recounting his previous week's exploits to a Georgetown college class. As he regaled his young audience with tales of disastrous press briefings and other misadventures, Sam and Toby headed to Connecticut to spring Bartlet's choice for Supreme Court justice from jail, hoping to sweep the arrest under the rug.

- IMDb rating: 9.0
- IMDb votes: 1,095
- Season 7, Episode 22

The final episode of "The West Wing" found Bartlet taking one last stroll through the White House as he and his staff reflected upon all that they've achieved. Emphasizing the transitive nature of politics, the episode ended with President Santos' new staff coming in while President Bartlet's staff exited. Look for a cameo from series creator Aaron Sorkin, who appeared as one of the guests at President Santos' inauguration.

- IMDb rating: 9.0
- IMDb votes: 1,097
- Season 4, Episode 22

One of "The West Wing's" most memorable episodes, "Commencement," found the country on edge after it was revealed that five wanted terrorists last seen on the West Coast had fallen off the government's radar. As the hunt for the terrorists went on, POTUS prepared to deliver a commencement speech at Zoey's graduation. Things took a turn for the worse when Zoey went missing at the end of the episode, with nothing to show for her absence but a discarded panic button and a dead Secret Service agent.

- IMDb rating: 9.0
- IMDb votes: 1,257
- Season 2, Episode 21

It was a bad day for the White House in Season 2's "18th and Potomac." The episode opened with POTUS and his staff preparing to reveal to the world that Bartlet had MS, despite the fact that polling numbers indicated such a move would be disastrous. In the midst of this crisis, POTUS had to decide whether to grant sanctuary to a newly elected Haitian president whose own country had turned against him. Capping off the episode was a dramatic car crash that took the life of Dolores Landingham.

- IMDb rating: 9.0
- IMDb votes: 1,263
- Season 2, Episode 18

It may have been POTUS who had MS on "The West Wing," but in "17 People," mere knowledge of the condition spread like a disease. Specifically, Toby finally discovered the truth, which prompted him, Leo, and POTUS to try to figure out whether the 17 people who know can go to jail for information disclosure. Still in the dark are Sam, Josh, Donna, and the rest of the staff, who instead worked on punching up an upcoming speech.

- IMDb rating: 9.0
- IMDb votes: 1,332
- Season 3, Episode 22

Named for an act passed in 1878, which prohibits large-scale military entities from interfering in matters of local law enforcement, Season 3's finale "Posse Comitatus" saw Secret Service Agent Simon Donovan attempting to stop a convenience store robbery. Back at the White House, POTUS had to make one of his most harrowing and consequential decisions: whether or not to order the assassination of the Qumari defense minister.

- IMDb rating: 9.1
- IMDb votes: 891
- Season 7, Episode 17

"Election Day: Part 2" continues to tally the results between Santos and Vinick in their race for the presidency. Stopping some of that momentum in its path was the death of Vice President Leo McGarry. By the end of the episode, Santos claimed victory, but it was a bittersweet victory at best, given Leo's passing.

- IMDb rating: 9.1
- IMDb votes: 1,235
- Season 3, Episode 10

As any fan of "The West Wing" is likely to know, Aaron Sorkin penned the majority of the hit show's most popular episodes, so much so that nine of the top 10 episodes are from the first four seasons, when Sorkin was on board. Coming in at #10 is Season 3's "Bartlet for America," a Christmas episode that didn't necessarily revel in the holiday spirit, though it did retain the show's pervasive sense of optimism. Most of the episode centered on Leo as he testified before Congress about the administration's failure to disclose the president's MS, with the testimony punctuated by flashbacks of when Leo decided to help Bartlet run for office. Meanwhile, POTUS dealt with a rash of church burnings.

- IMDb rating: 9.1
- IMDb votes: 2,049
- Season 1, Episode 10

In the Season 1 Christmas episode entitled "In Excelsis Deo," a homeless veteran is found dead on the National Mall, and Toby goes about securing the veteran a proper burial. Elsewhere, Sam and Josh asked a call girl about one of her clients, a political rival who might expose Leo's previous drug problem.

- IMDb rating: 9.2
- IMDb votes: 1,166
- Season 4, Episode 23

In the Season 4 finale entitled "Twenty Five," POTUS was confronted with his worst nightmare: the kidnapping of his youngest daughter, Zoey. Realizing the conflict of interest at hand, Bartlett decided to recuse himself as leader of the free world. By the end of the episode, Speaker of the House Glen Allen Walken was sworn in as president and Zoey was nowhere to be found. This was the last episode written by Aaron Sorkin.

- IMDb rating: 9.2
- IMDb votes: 1,305
- Season 5, Episode 17

Season 5's "The Supremes" was the sole top 10 episode not written during the Sorkin era, though it nevertheless emanates his signature style. Featuring a premise as timely today as it was 14 years ago, the episode featured POTUS scrambling to fill a seat on the Supreme Court after a justice suddenly died. Standing in the Democratic president's way was a Republican-dominated Congress willing to do whatever necessary to appoint a conservative justice.

- IMDb rating: 9.2
- IMDb votes: 1,553
- Season 1, Episode 22

More than just the title of a "West Wing" episode, "What Kind of Day Has It Been" was a title given by Aaron Sorkin to an episode on his previous show "Sports Night," and then again to episodes on "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and "The Newsroom." Suffice to say, it's a pretty important question to Sorkin, who frequently depicts environments where a lot can happen in a single day. On the day in question in the White House, Toby's brother got trapped on a space shuttle, POTUS ordered the rescue of a stealth fighter shot down in Iraq, and shots rang out after a town hall meeting that the president attended. What a day, indeed.

- IMDb rating: 9.3
- IMDb votes: 1,668
- Season 2, Episode 2

Season 2 of "The West Wing" kicked off with a thrilling two-part episode in which POTUS was shot and then rushed to the hospital. The second half of the premiere — "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part II" — found POTUS still in surgery as the manhunt for the gunman continued. Sprinkled throughout the episode are various flashbacks showing how the president and his team came together during his first campaign.

- IMDb rating: 9.3
- IMDb votes: 2,072
- Season 2, Episode 10

As its title implies, the Season 2 episode "Noël" took place with the White House once again preparing for the holidays. However, Josh's behavior became increasingly erratic in this episode, leading to an explosive showdown with POTUS. Consequently, Josh was sent into therapy, where it was discovered that he was suffering from PTSD.

- IMDb rating: 9.4
- IMDb votes: 1,934
- Season 2, Episode 1

Starting Season 2 with a bang was "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part I," the first half of a two-hour premiere. In the episode, the White House descended into chaos after the president was shot, prompting various staff members to wonder if their security measures were up to snuff. As the president was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, the audience was shown how everyone came together via various flashbacks.

- IMDb rating: 9.7
- IMDb votes: 3,879
- Season 2, Episode 22

With its sky-high IMDb rating of 9.7, Season 2's "Two Cathedrals" grabs the #1 spot on this list. The acclaimed episode focuses on POTUS as he was preoccupied with the sudden death of Mrs. Landingham, as well as his pending announcement to the public regarding his MS diagnosis. The other question on everyone's minds during this episode was whether Bartlet would run for reelection. Featured in the episode is a famous sequence in which POTUS stands alone in a cathedral, questioning the almighty's mysterious ways.