Parents' Guide to

The West Wing

By Elisabeth Chaney, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Intelligent political drama for mature viewers.

TV NBC Drama 1999
The West Wing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 13+

Based on 5 parent reviews

age 10+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 13+

A bit of mature themes, but overall fine for your tween.

A bit of sex, with the worst thing being callgirls being referenced frequently. Some swearing and substances are used. But overall fine for your preteen. And a good show I might add.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (11 ):

What truly sets this award-winning show apart from its network drama counterparts is the superb writing. Oftentimes the writing in network dramas seems to pander to the audience so that the least intelligent audience member will understand. Not so with The West Wing, where the dialogue is so rushed, the characters so developed and rich, and the plot so intricate that even the most seasoned political aficionado may have difficulty keeping up.

But the most remarkable component of the writing is the speeches that are written for the president. Whether it's a stump speech at his re-election campaign, a State of the Union address, or a private meeting with a priest or mayor, President Bartlett never ceases to inspire with his strong, patriotic words.

TV Details

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