TV: Behind the doors of The West Wing

By LOUISA CLEAVE

It's just after 5 am and the top advisers to the President of the United States are individually paged: POTUS is in a bicycle accident.

They all rush to the White House.

What is this code for — the start of a new Cold War? Sadam about to launch a missile attack? A White House intern about to launch a scandal?

Er, the Commander-in-Chief swerved to avoid a tree and sprained his ankle.

Like The Sopranos before it, the mulit-Emmy-Awards winner The West Wing is set to become the next Sophisticated American Drama on our screens.

The political series on the inner workings of the White House stars Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet and a supporting cast of familiar faces, including John Spencer as chief of staff Leo McGarry.

The West Wing also marks a comeback for 80s hearthrob Rob Lowe, who resurrected his career in the Austin Powers sequel, The Spy Who Shagged Me.

The 35-year-old actor plays deputy communications director Sam Seaborn, a ladies' man and political animal albeit a little rusty when it comes to American political history.

In tonight's first episode Seaborn addresses a visiting group of 8-year-old schoolchildren, telling the kids the White House was built "some years ago, mostly out of concrete."

Lowe told the American TV Guide he was sold on the role of Seaborn from the start.

"When I read the pilot I was drawn to it because it was exactly like a movie," he said.

"Ironically, on any given week, we're more like a movie than some movies. And if you watch a lot of movies today, they're like music videos now. On our show there are very long scenes. We'll do five pages of dialogue in one take."

Take this monologue from Seaborn to the incredulous teacher of the visiting students.

"Ms O'Brian, I understand your feelings, but please believe me when I tell you that I'm a nice guy having a bad day. I just found out the Times is publishing a poll that says a considerable portion of Americans feel the White House has lost energy and focus. A perception that's not likely to be altered by the video footage of the President riding his bicycle into a tree. As we speak, the Coast Guard is fishing Cubans out of the Atlantic Ocean while the Governor of Florida wants to blockade the Port of Miami. A good friend of mine's about to be fired for going on television and making sense, and it turns out I accidentally slept with a prostitute last night."

In the States, it has been reported that Lowe was unhappy with his allocation of on-screen time after Sheen's role was bumped up from just cameo appearances.

Lowe told Entertainment Weekly he was "in [the show] as long as I am creatively happy."

Creator Aaron Sorkin, also the brains behind ER, replied that he hoped Lowe "stayed creatively happy for a long time."

Lowe was a founding member of the Brat Pack, a group of young 80s' actors whose members included Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Emilio Estevez, the son of Lowe's West Wing co-star Martin Sheen.

Lowe made his film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders and starred in The Hotel New Hampshire, About Last Night and St Elmo's Fire.

But his career took a hammering in 1988 when he was caught videotaping himself having sex with an under-age girl while attending a national Democratic convention.

Lowe earned the reputation of a sex maniac but in 1991 he settled down with makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff and the couple have two sons, aged 5 and 3.

His maturation seems complete with his role in The West Wing, even though his first romantic liaison in the series turns out to be with a high-priced hooker.

The show has captured American viewers in their election year, attracting an average 13 million to each episode when the series was launched this year.

The cast met Bill Clinton at the White House and Lowe said the President's staff were "obsessed" with the show and "appreciate its idealised, positive view of politics."

Creator Sorkin wrote the feature film The American President and has put some of his research for the movie into the series.

He also draws on the experience of former real life White House staffers, including former Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Myers, to give the show authenticity.

The West Wing has even caught the attention of political journalists, including long-serving Washington correspondent Elizabeth Drew of The New Yorker.

"I think [The West Wing staff] is a better bunch of people than you usually run into in Washington," she said.

"This President is certainly a nicer, more even-tempered one to his staff than I've seen in a long while."

Who's in the The West Wing:

President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen)

Commander-in-chief of the most powerful nation on Earth. Direct descendent from one of the signatories to the Declaration of Independence. Needs bike-riding lessons.

Chief of staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer)

Has his finger on the pulse of the nation and has known the President for 40 years. Thinks he's a bit of a klutz but fiercely loyal.

Deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford)

Highly regarded political brain but his contempt for the religious right tends to land him in hot water with his boss.

Political consultant Madeline Hampton (Moira Kelly)

Former girlfriend of Josh who has left her $US900,000-a-year job to run the campaign of the rival presidential challenger.

Press secretary CJ Cregg (Allison Janney)

Cool and competent deflector of awkward press questions.

Communications director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff)

The spin doctor with a cynical sense of humour but known for an emotional outburst or two.

Deputy communications director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe)

Political animal with a knack for crafting the appropriate presidential response but needs more restraint in his personal life.