The West Wing might have ended almost 20 years in the past and effectively earlier than the 2025 TV schedule, however the former NBC drama continues to be fashionable sufficient as we speak that there was outcry when it disappeared from streaming and the web was buzzing when information broke that Bradley Whitford can be reuniting with former co-star Allison Janney on The Diplomat. Their characters seemingly will not have a lot in frequent with Josh Lyman and C.J. Cregg, and I do not foresee any fights over secret plans to struggle inflation, however a primary have a look at them collectively for the Netflix present has many West Wing followers pondering the identical factor.
In truth, it is one small element within the first look photographs that prompted flashbacks to The West Wing circa December 2000 and the episode that received Bradley Whitford his Emmy for Greatest Supporting Actor: “Noël.” Check out the Diplomat pics beneath:
The Diplomat Season 3 will return with much more political intrigue for stars Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell. Allison Janney returns this season and reunites on-screen with Bradley Whitford, who joins the forged this season to play Grace Penn’s husband! #NextOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/xQX4n7t8FAJanuary 30, 2025
Not a lot is understood about Whitford’s new character for The Diplomat apart from that he’ll be the First Husband as partner of President Grace Penn (Allison Janney). Within the photographs from Season 3 for followers with a Netflix subscription, Bradley Whitford is sporting a bandaged hand. Whereas we’ll have to attend till the present returns for that third season for the context on the bandage, is it any marvel that The West Wing followers on social media instantly began flashing again to the episode wherein Josh Lyman had a bandaged hand?
That episode was “Noël,” the Christmas episode of The West Wing Season 2 that aired again in 2000, however all was not merry and vibrant for Josh Lyman that vacation season. Over the course of the hour, a psychologist received by means of to Josh in order that he would cease claiming that he’d merely damage his hand by breaking a glass. No, Josh had an undiagnosed case of PTSD after being shot, and he slammed his hand by means of a window when he was triggered by Yo-Yo Ma superbly enjoying within the White Home.
And I believe it is an especially secure wager that Bradley Whitford’s character in The Diplomat will likely be injured for a really totally different cause, however I can also’t blame followers for making the “Noël” connection and actually really feel like that I want to make use of my Max subscription and rewatch that West Wing episode for myself. As for what followers have been saying on X (previously often known as Twitter) concerning the Diplomatic/West Wing connection, have a look:
- @Anyaaaaaaaa8: “His hand nonetheless hasn’t healed from Noel”
- @ainsleyhcyes: “west wing fandom collectively gasped seeing bradley whitford with a bandaged hand appearing with allison janney”
- @LemonLymancom: “simply seen bradley whitford together with his hand bandaged and all of us considered this”
- @multifandomsgal: “Bradley Whitford’s character’s hand being bandaged simply gave me flashbacks to noël”
- @sam_loves_fics: “brad together with his hand bandaged, seemingly factor for his characters to wish”
- @joshlymoss: “JOSH JOSH HOW DID YOU CUT YOUR HAND”
Regardless of the cause for the bandaged hand in The Diplomat, The West Wing followers are flashing again to what occurred to Josh Lyman for good cause! Netflix hasn’t introduced a premiere date for Season 3 on the time of writing, however I would not depend on it too early in 2025. Season 2 solely launched in late October of the 2024 TV schedule. The hit drama additionally stars The Individuals alum Keri Russell and The Man within the Excessive Fortress‘s Rufus Sewell in addition to Allison Janney. You possibly can stream the primary two seasons on Netflix now.