"West Wing" retro a no-go

"I was really looking forward to the hour-long "The West Wing" retrospective that NBC has been promising since they announced the cancellation of the show at TCA Winter Press Tour," writes Sandy Snyder.  Now NBC has issued a press release saying that the pilot of "The West Wing" will air during the time slot that the retrospective was slated.  This is supremely disappointing, to say the least!  The pilot is terrific to be sure, but what fan hasn't already seen it a half dozen times (and probably owns it on DVD)? I would much rather watch a retrospective celebrating this great show with interviews from the cast and crew. Can you find out what's going on?  Why would they do this after months of promising the retrospective?  Would the actors not cooperate?  Or is this one final slap in the face by NBC to fans?"

Well, Sandy, I have not heard back from NBC yet. But I think it is safe to say that, yes, this is one final slap in the face to people who helped make "The West Wing" a huge hit. That, by the way, would includ millions of onetime "West Wing" fans who might have been lured back to the tube for one last two-hour finale. That's something NBC did many times in the past (albeit for programs that were still going strong at the end, like "Seinfeld" and "Friends"). The fact that NBC's not doing it now, I think, reflects the overall conservatism and loss of nerve at TV's number four network.