Sorry, West Wing-ers, the reboot is a book written by Mary McCormack

Bartlet administration vet Josh Malina and Mary McCormick teased a reboot or reunion on social media for the last month

By Matt Schimkowitz  |  January 24, 2024 | 8:27pm
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Sorry, West Wing-ers, the reboot is a book written by Mary McCormack
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It appears President Bartlet won’t be elected to another term. Per Deadline, that West Wing reunion hyped by series alums Mary McCormack and Josh Malina is happening… in book form. “What? You were expecting a reboot?” Malina joked on Twitter to the sound of a thousand neo-liberal Baby Boomers sighing out in disappointment. No, a West Wing reunion isn’t coming to Peacock. Instead, the book What’s Next: A Backstage Pass To The West Wing, Its Cast And Crew, And Its Enduring Legacy Of Service is coming to bookshelves. Written by McMormack and Melissa Fitzgerald, What’s Next is what it sounds like, a behind-the-scenes look at the show, filled with interviews and stories from production.

Now, far be it from us to criticize someone for generating hype via social media. That’s kind of what it’s there for. But it was pretty misleading of Malina to be teasing a reboot for the last month, which he likes to joke about occasionally for some reason. On January 4, he tweeted, “I am relieved that Martin is not backing RFK Jr. as that would likely have affected the reboot negatively. Onward! News soon…” That might’ve been a joke, but when a fan asked directly, “Are you saying the West Wing is getting a reboot?” he answered, “Yes. That’s what I’m saying.” Two weeks later, he quote tweeted McCormack’s January 17 tweet inviting “wingnuts” to “stay tuned for the big reveal” about an upcoming West Wing announcement with “Rebooooooot!”

He has since backed away from such claims. Instead, he asked fans, “What? You were expecting a reboot?” Maybe there’s an inside West Wing joke we’re not getting about breaking campaign promises. However, we can’t ignore the irony of the cast of the Clinton era’s beloved political fantasy promising things and delivering a book about how great they are.

 
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