From what I read, the contract dispute wasn't with Sorkin, but with the production company. He wanted Lowe to stay.

The show's still good -- for me, Tobey is the heart and soul of the show. It's slipped a touch, but when it's on, it's really on.

My problem is watching a presumable Democrat as President becomes progressively more unrealistic as we recede from the 1990s.

Great post, Steve. I feel similarly. Will Bailey is hardly a suitable replacement. His fumbling and mumbling and traces of his SportsNight character are bothersome when compared to the crispness of Lowe's delivery.

Felt that the last two episodes were good commentaries on the real world scenario, last week with Bartlet asking the Lieutenant his age and obviously dealing with the internal pressure of sending his sons of to war, then this week several of the scenes, particularly those with Leo, were powerful portrayals of the grave seriousness of war.

Wish the real administration would take some notes on that last point.

Still a very interesting and entertaining show. I wish Lowe was staying also.

Sorkin didn't really write any great story lines for Sam until he left. Sam always got stuck with the penny story. His Congress storyline has been great. Seeing Sam & Toby together last night, made me cry.

Hoosiercat:

I agree. Watching it last night made me realize why the show worked so well in the first couple of years. And now Sam Seaborn is gone, to be replaced by Will (or is it Bill) Bailey.

im fairly sure Sam wins his race

and Sorkin has always said that anytime he wants to come back to the show, he has but to say so.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who noticed what Rob Lowe brought to the show and that it will be the poorer without him. There was a lot more going on behind the scenes on this one than just the salary dispute and it's a shame that it was so detrimental to a show that I once loved.

If Sorkin hadn't brought in all these guest stars every week (Mary-Louise Parker, Lilly Tomlin, Christian Slater etc) he could have spent the money on keeping Rob on the show. He seemed to have made the mistake of thinking that the quantity of guests would be able to replace the quality that Lowe brought to the show. He was wrong.

I also appreciated your comments, Steve.

I may have been able to accept that the workplace was too toxic for Lowe to continue, and said goodbye with a sad heart, leaving it at that. But I resent the annihilation of everything about Sam Seaborn being part of the bargain. Energy and vision was replaced by defeat and ineptitude, and is a complete one-eighty from the inspiring "valentine to government work" this show purported to be in it's inception.

Sam's place in the administration was more than that of a speechwriter and senior advisor; he was a humanistic voice and presence, and the one person on staff who didn't seem snide or dismissive of everyone he came into contact with.

That kind of character could only stabilize an administration and show that's drifting further and further away from it's original glory.

At last articles are being written that aren't just saying what a mistake Rob Lowe has made in leaving the West Wing.

Sam Seaborn will be sadly missed. His final scenes were an insult to the character.

I wonder if Sorkin realises the true impact Rob's departure from the show will have?

Thank-you for this post. I too think Aaron Sorkin has gone a bridge too far and does not appreciate what Rob Lowe/Sam Seaborn brought to the West Wing. I like your description of a 'pissing contest, but I have the impression that this contest is within Sorkin's own head. Although Sorkin is quoted as saying he would welcome Lowe back at any time I think he is being disingenuous, to say the least. Rob Lowe strikes me as having a vast amount of integrity compared with Aaron Sorkin. Of course, I may be totally wrong, but perception is everything and all I have to go on is the way both individuals have conducted themselves over the past few months. I will miss Sam Seaborn.

I agree 100% with your assessment of both Rob Lowe's departure and the general tragic decline in quality of The West Wing. Considering that Lowe was initially given top billing on the show, only to see his part erode as more and more emphasis was (mistakenly) placed on Martin Sheen, I think Lowe showed great professionalism and dignity by always speaking well of the show and his colleagues in public--a favor that Aaron Sorkin did not see fit to return. As Josh Malina continues to fail to fill Rob Lowe's shoes, and as Martin Sheen's politics become increasingly embarrassing for the network, I think the mistake of letting Lowe go will be more obvious every week--for those who are still watching.

I miss rob lowe. Ever since he left, i find myself not watching west wing on nbc. I do however, watch the reruns on bravo religously everynight becasue of rob lowe. He brough freshness and class to the show that no one can replace. I hope the show and its producers realize how big of a mistake they made and bring lowe back.

I never watched WW until Bravo started it from the beginning this summer. When viewed every day, the shift in the focus of characters is magnified, and the loss of Sam Seaborn is brought into stark relief. Given how Rob Lowe has reported his treatment by Sorkin and the producers, I cannot see why he would ever go back. But there are those of us who fervently wish it could be so.

Thank you, Rob Lowe, for letting America know that there are intelligent, nondestructive people who give their all in the federal service. Too bad the Hollywood powers that be couldn't accept it.