Season3:2001–2002
Cast:RobLowe,StockardChanning,DuléHill,AllisonJanney,JanelMoloney,RichardSchiff,JohnSpencer,BradleyWhitfordandMartinSheen
Thethirdseason,whichcoverstheadministration'sthirdandfourthyearsinoffice,startsoffwithBartletannouncinghisintentiontorunforreelectionandisheavilydevotedtotheupcomingpresidentialelection.OtherprominentplotlinesincludeCongressionalinvestigationsintowhetherBartletcommittedelectoralfraudbyconcealinghisMS,adeaththreatagainstC.J.andtheensuingrelationshipshedevelopswithaSecretServiceagentassignedtoher,theQumaridefenseministerAbdulShareefplottingterroristattacksagainsttheUS,andatroublingmeetingbetweenTobyandthePresidentthatleavesBartletwithaboutofinsomniain"NightFive."Theseasonfinale,"PosseComitatus"closesseveralofthesestorylinesasBartletmeetshisopponentintheelectionsandreaffirmshiscommitmenttobeathim.TheepisodeendswiththepresidentfinallydecidingtoorderShareef'sassassination(alegallyquestionableact)andC.J.'sagent'smurder,justafterthemanthreateningC.J.wascaught.
Fromacriticalperspective,seriescreatorAaronSorkinacknowledgedinOctober2002thattheterrorism-relatedplotsdesignedtokeeptheseriesrelevantafterthereal-life9/11attackswereawkwardattimes,saying"fromweektoweek,youfeltlikeyouwerewritingtheshowhandcuffed,alittlebit.Ididn'tknowhowtowriteitanymore.ItwasaconstantsearchforwhatIwasn'tdoingthatusedtomaketheshowwork.[...]Maybetherewasawaytomakeitworkthereprobablywas.Iwasn'tabletofinditintwenty-twoepisodes."[1]Nonetheless,theshowwentontowinitsthird"OutstandingDrama"Emmyinarow.