Mark Predicts ‘The West Wing’: Season 7

This project has lasted over a year, and now I’m going to have to accept that it’s ending. SOON. I’d rather not, so let’s reflect on how well (or poorly) I did on my predictions for the penultimate season of The West Wing.

OH GOD.

1. Donna survives the surgery, and we find this out in the premiere. Okay, a nice thing happened. Yay!
2. THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE SEASON WHERE DONNA AND JOSH HAVE TO DATE. Writers, I am a person with dignity and self-respect, and I am demanding you stop teasing me with this. Just… there’s no point in me chronicling how many points I get. I’ve lost all of them because of this one. 
3. Donna will also pursue a career outside of the White House in this season. SIMULTANEOUSLY 100% PREPARED AND 100% UNPREPARED.
4. The peace talks at Camp David will ultimately prove to be fruitless. honestly this is STILL SURPRISING TO ME that this worked out oh my god OH MY GOD
5. C.J. will start dating someone who is not Ben. Please. She didn’t, but thankfully, they dropped Ben from the show. What a weird plot.
6. Zoey will make an appearance this season! She did! Briefly!
7. As will Joey Lucas. HELL YES IN A GREAT EPISODE.
8. State of the Union episode! (I’m so predictable. Get it?) oh god leo and omg 365 DAYS OMG.
9. We will see the start of the presidential nomination for the next election! IN HINDSIGHT: This is a mess of a sentence. We’ll see the start of the presidential campaign for the next President. That is how words work, Mark. 
10. One of the current characters we know will be considered a candidate. Two, actually! Hoynes and Russell. AND THEY BOTH LOST MUAHAHAHA.
11. WILL AND TOBY HAVE TO STOP FIGHTING. That’s a demand and a prediction. WELL. WELL. I TRIED. THERE WAS INDEED AN ATTEMPT, AND THEN AN UTTER FAILURE.
12. I just spaced out for ten minutes because that’s just how unprepared I am for season six. SO TRUE. Oh my god, I loved this season so much.
13. Um… Josh will break something? He did! My heart.
14. OH WAIT I HAVE A GOOD ONE. I think Bartlet will have to deal with his MS publicly for the first time in this term. This is the worst prediction ever because it doesn’t convey what I meant. He always dealt with it publicly, but what I meant was that it would be brought up again with some huge public fallout. Interestingly, it actually was brought up by the Republicans during their convention.
15. Charlie will go on a date! FUNNY. FUNNY. 
16. And I think the season finale will deal with the nominations for President and we’ll learn who they are! I just got goosebumps thinking about the finale. I am so excited for season 7!

All right, so. Final predictions ever for The West Wing. Let’s do it!

1. There will be one episode devoted to a debate of some form between Vinick and Santos.
2. Will, having lost his job now that Russell is out, will return to the West Wing.
3. Donna, however, will not return there this season. I think we’ll see her get a job that keeps her in the main story. Maybe working for the Democratic party? Or a Senator?
4. Zoey and Charlie will actually date on screen and not have their relationship grown offscreen. Who am I kidding? This is more of a hope than a prediction.
5. We will see Bartlet’s MS get worse.
6. There will be a lengthy investigation into who leaked the information about the military shuttle.
7. Unfortunately, all the evidence points straight to C.J., so with a HEAVY HEART, I predict she’ll be revealed as the source. Which… how? How do you deal with that? Won’t she lose her job?
8. I think the team will also realize Annabeth is way better at being Press Secretary and give that to her over Toby.
9. I think Vinick will lead in the polls until the very, very end.
10. Based on the premise that this show is a liberal fantasy in a lot of ways, I really think that in the end, Matt Santos will win the Presidency. I also need this more than you realize.
11. But it’s going to be a rough journey. I predict that there will be at least one super racist attack ad against Santos.
12. I also think that Bruno Gianelli will make a huge mistake along the way that will contribute to Vinick losing.
13. I also predict that if this show doesn’t give me Josh/Donna by the end of its run, I will retroactively destroy all copies of it out of existence.
14. Wait, I should definitively state: Josh/Donna becomes undeniably canon this season.
15. I will sob like a baby during the series finale, which I imagine will show Bartlet leaving the White House and Santos entering it.

I’m off to watch the season 7 premiere now! H E L P.

Mark Links Stuff

– If you would like to support this website and keep Mark Does Stuff running, I’ve put up a detailed post explaining how you can!
– Please check out the MarkDoesStuff.com. All Mark Watches videos for past shows/season are now archived there!
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next four Double Features will be: The Middleman, Band of Brothers, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and then Farscape.
– I will be at quite a few conventions and will be hosting events throughout the US, Canada, and Europe in 2014, so check my Tour Dates / Appearances page often to see if I’m coming to your city!
– Inspired by last year’s impromptu event in London, I am taking Mark in the Park on the road! You can see all currently planned dates and pitch your own city here.