A West Wing Cast Member Exit Led To Martin Sheen's Favorite Episode

The Season 2 finale of The West Wing, "Two Cathedrals," is widely regarded as one of the show's greatest episodes. The story centers around President Jed Bartlet's response to a tragic event that hits close to home for the show's creator, Martin Sheen. Behind the scenes, however, a mundane reason sparked the episode's creation: an actress contemplating her future with the series.

Kathryn Joosten portrayed Mrs. Dolores Landingham, a fan-favorite character and the personal secretary to President Bartlet. The beloved actress was considering leaving The West Wing after being offered a role on another show. Unbeknownst to her, her casual mention of this possibility would have far-reaching consequences. At an event, Joosten stepped out to smoke a cigarette next to Sorkin, the show's creator, and casually mentioned her potential departure from the series.

Sorkin, a perceptive man, saw the narrative potential in this unexpected turn of events and decided to immortalize it on-screen.

The sudden loss of Mrs. Landingham would drive Bartlet to a crisis of faith, culminating in a powerful moment where he curses God inside the National Cathedral. While some fans expressed backlash over Dolores Landingham's death, the episode ultimately remains an all-time classic for The West Wing. Martin Sheen himself has stated that it is his favorite episode of the show, regularly topping ranked lists of the series' best moments.

Joosten's career flourished following her departure from The West Wing. She gained widespread recognition for her role as eccentric neighbor Karen McCluskey in the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives and earned two Emmy Awards for her performance. Joosten also made memorable appearances on other popular shows such as Scrubs, My Name Is Earl, and the CBS drama Joan of Arcadia.

She reprised her role as Mrs. Landingham twice after her character's death in the series, appearing in flashback episodes in Seasons 3 and 4. Sadly, Kathryn Joosten passed away at the age of 72 in 2012, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in television.