For anyone who’s ever wished the American president’s name was Bartlet . . . Since bursting onto the airwaves in 1999, The West Wing has emerged as one of North America’s favourite TV shows — and for good reason. Through its snappy dialogue, Washington-insider references and stellar acting, the show, produced and written by Aaron Sorkin of The American President and A Few Good Men fame, looks at U.S. politics like no other TV series has before.

As a testament to the show’s success, it copped nine Emmy Awards — an all-time record — in September 2000. Its all-star cast, which includes Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Alison Janney, and John Spencer, is regularly praised in the press, and the second-season-opener, “Who Shot President Bartlet,” aired to record ratings in the fall of 2000.

In Inside the West Wing, author Paul Challen takes a detailed look at this hugely popular series: how it’s put together, what ideas and political themes drive its plots, and ultimately, why it’s so popular. Through in-depth interviews, commentary from political and entertainment-industry observers, plus extensive searches of the numerous official and un-official show Web sites available in cyberspace, Challen provides a comprehensive look inside the show for die-hard fans and casual watchers alike. To round out the package, Inside the West Wing also contains actor profiles, and an episode-by-episode guide to the first two seasons.