Should Rob Lowe return to the WW, I see a few possible roles for him. Doubtful that Sorkin would put him in the Republican role as he has had many a disagreement with the Republican party (ie Ainsley Hayes) I see three likely scenarios for Sam's return. First, He could easily join Josh in the Santos/McGarry campaign as a speechwriter. Second, he might fill the post of Communications Director now that Toby is going under fire for his recent felonious activity leaking classified info. CJ will need the experience. Lastly, he may put on his Lawyer suit and defend Toby in what is sure to be a trial rivaling only OJ Simpson. The other scenarios that I deem most unlikely are that he could return with the Vinick campaign because of his California roots. Also he might be returning the favor for Will and help him on his quest to become a congressman.

I believe that TWW will be aired against Desperate Housewives. Hmmm. I have been TWW most loyal viewer from day one. Since Rob Lowe's departure, I have seen the show decline. The writing, along with the death (for who knows what reason) of Mrs. Landingham, who had that one of a kind relationship with POTUS, that only SHE could pull off while loving "her president." And what ever happened to Mandy, Ainsley Hayes down in the catacombs of the WW? People just disappear on this program. I plead with you to put TWW back together. Get this show's standards back up to what we were glued into in the fist few years. Rob's permanent return would be the BEST place to start. I agree with the opinion above that Sam should be WITH the team and with more responsibility. BRING ROB BACK. And NOT just for 5 episodes. Don't tease us with Sam's return just to dish us another departure. KEEP HIM ON BARTLET'S TEAM. Unload Will Bailey. I would rather be a WW viewer than to switch to Desperate Housewives. The choice is up to NBC whether they want to lose in the ratings game. The cure is in my writings above. Thanks for letting me vent.

Let me clarify my statement: "I think I'd rather remember that he left the Bartlet administration with a Toby hug, courage, and grace." Courage because he had the balls to speak on what he believed in and not those things that might give his chance at winning maybe a *little* edge; courage because he stuck it out and let them throw rocks at him when he could have cut and run. Grace because he DID remain loyal to the Bartlet administration and the friends who, as you said, abandoned him; grace because he followed through on a promise to a widow. Sam didn't "slink" out of that bar - no way, no how. I'm in full agreement he was disheartened and dumbed down to a pathetic caricature of his original self. And for that I blame the selfishness, ignorance, or both of Aaron Sorkin. Rob Lowe is too smart to return to anything less than an exceptional script and satisfactory closure for Sam. As much as I'd like to see Sam in top-quality action again, I don't want to give TWW ptb the satisfaction of high ratings during Rob's appearances. As I said before, I'm very afraid. Run, Rob, Run!

Sam, if he comes back, will be working with Josh on the Santos for America campaign. If they go the plot twist route Sam will be working on Alan Alda's campaign, he is from Cali.

Even when Sorkin was still writing for the series, Sam's character was dumbed down to the point where he was unrecognizable. At first he was the lawyer's lawyer, the "go-to" guy that everyone respected. Sorkin eventually reduced him to a drooling idiot who could barely cope with "staffing the President" when Josh and Company were stuck in the wilds in Indiana. The lame, insulting exit story was just the icing on the cake. Lowe had no choice but to leave, and he'd be a fool to go back to a show that's been failing for two years, and would have been cancelled if NBC weren't so desperate to maintain some shred of its former self.

I must have been watching a different show. I remember him slinking away a loser, disheartened, abandoned by his friends, never to be mentioned again for another year. Christ I hate the way Aaron Sorkin disenfranchised the character that way. I've never been able to tune into TWW since that moment. It just ruined the entire spirit of the series for me.

I'm afraid . . . very afraid . . . to think of Rob returning to TWW. I watched through squinty eyes and grimaced at Sam's fast-fading role until he was put out of his misery in S4. I worry now that he would return to a fate worse than standing in the street screaming at the Capitol or resorting to fisticuffs with his colleagues. As much as I admire, respect, and appreciate Rob's work (3 words that mean the same thing) and as much as I adore Sam, I think I'd rather remember that he left the Bartlet administration with a Toby hug, courage, and grace. God bless the President of the United States . . . and Sam Seaborn.

Point 1: Sam didn't win the election. Sorkin wrote the dialogue explaining how/why Sam would lose, then abandoned the character before the results were ever mentioned. Point 2: Lowe's doing the play in London from August through December. Unless Liz Smith reported the wrong sweeps period (February? May, maybe?) Lowe's not going to be available to film any episode for November, let alone five. Unless he's backed out of the play commitment, but that news hasn't hit the wires yet, and I'd think it would have, if true.

That's true Mark. But we have to take these things one step at a time. ;)

Well, I agree having Rob Lowe back for a stint would be fun, but you can't have the old West Wing back without Aaron Sorkin doing a guest spot behind the writer's desk (and Schlamme putting it all together). Now that would be a sweeps ratings stunt I'd get excited about.