The West Wing: 10 Greatest Ever Moments
4. "You're Relieved, Mr President" - Twenty Five
In the episode Twenty Five, with his daughter kidnapped and whereabouts unknown, we saw the President deciding to temporarily step down from office after it became clear he was no longer capable of acting as Commander–in-Chief as opposed to a terrified father.
The show has always shed some light on lesser known quirks of the American system, from filibusters to shutdowns etc, and here they ace it once again as we learn about the line of Presidential succession and what happens when a President invokes the 25th amendment whilst not having a recognised Vice-President.
In this instance, the next person in line is the Republican Speaker of the House, Glen Walken.
The episode finishes with our new President striding powerfully through the White House corridors, with it slowly being revealed that, in an inspired piece of casting, he is being played by John Goodman. Walken is duly sworn in, and while CJ, Josh and Toby debate over the next course of action, Walken makes it very clear to them all that he is now in charge.
The final moment that really caps the scene off is when President Bartlet tries to intercede on his staff’s behalf, only to be sternly informed by his replacement, “you’re relieved, Mr President.”
You can sense the helplessness Bartlet feels in that moment and the supportive look Leo offers him as he turns to leave is especially poignant. It’s a sight we never thought we’d see, Jed out of power and the White House under new temporary charge. With Zoe still missing, it's a gripping cliffhanger to end the season on.