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The Best Episodes Written By Aaron Sorkin

Every TV Episode Written by Aaron Sorkin Ranked from Best to Worst by Thousands of Voters

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    undefined Season 1 Episode 3 - The Focus Group
    10.0/10(3 votes)

    #1 - The Focus Group

    S1:E3

    A scare is sent through the company by a focus group that Matt and Danny's first show rating success might not carry on during the rest of the season.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  2. undefined Season 1 Episode 9 - The Option Period
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #2 - The Option Period

    S1:E9

    Word of Ricky and Ron planning to leave the show along with the writing staff causes trouble at Studio 60. Meanwhile, Harriet considers doing a sexy lingerie spread in a magazine and Jordan and Danny wrestle with pending budget cuts.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  3. undefined Season 1 Episode 8 - Nevada Day (2)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #3 - Nevada Day (2)

    S1:E8

    Jack pleads with the local Nevada judge to free Tom so he can make it back to the Friday night show. Meanwhile, tension heats up between Matt and Harriet on the set.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  4. undefined Season 1 Episode 14 - The Harriet Dinner (2)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #4 - The Harriet Dinner (2)

    S1:E14

    Danny and Jordan cannot get down from the roof of the theater; staff members attend a dinner honoring Harriet; Harriet and Matt's relationship begins to unravel.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  5. undefined Season 1 Episode 11 - The Christmas Show
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #5 - The Christmas Show

    S1:E11

    With a holiday show on the horizon, Matt is determined to bring the Christmas spirit to Studio 60. Which works romantic wonders for him. Meanwhile, Danny has to confront his true feelings for Jordan.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  6. undefined Season 1 Episode 5 - The Long Lead Story
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #6 - The Long Lead Story

    S1:E5

    During cast rehearsals with Lauren Graham and Sting, a reporter attempts to get the real story on Matt and Harriet. Meanwhile Jordan passes on a tasteless new reality series.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  7. undefined Season 1 Episode 12 - Monday
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #7 - Monday

    S1:E12

    Danny continues his pursuit of Jordan while Matt competes on an online bid for a date with Harriet. Jack and Wilson must deal with their pending situation about Macau, while Jordan meets with Hallie Gallway regarding a new reality show pitch.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  8. undefined Season 1 Episode 6 - The Wrap Party
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #8 - The Wrap Party

    S1:E6

    A drunken Jordan makes friends with the cast during an after-show party, Danny tries to get Matt's mind off Harriet with the help of three sexy women, Simon makes a plea to hire more black writers and Cal deals with a mysterious man backstage.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  9. undefined Season 1 Episode 13 - The Harriet Dinner (1)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #9 - The Harriet Dinner (1)

    S1:E13

    Danny and Jordan cannot get down from the roof of the theater; staff members attend a dinner honoring Harriet; Harriet and Matt's relationship begins to unravel.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  10. undefined Season 1 Episode 7 - Nevada Day (1)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #10 - Nevada Day (1)

    S1:E7

    Studio 60 staff must travel to Nevada to free Tom from jail in time for the show. Meanwhile, a judge who doesn't care for the show complicates matters.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  11. undefined Season 1 Episode 20 - K & R (2)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #11 - K & R (2)

    S1:E20

    Tom's Brother is still captive; Simon talks to the press; the lawyer talks to the ransom liaisons. Matt flashes back to 9/11 censorship. Jordan has her baby.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  12. undefined Season 1 Episode 17 - The Disaster Show
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #12 - The Disaster Show

    S1:E17

    Allison Janney, as herself, is the guest host of a show that goes haywire when the propmasters and cue card workers stage a last minute wildcat strike.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  13. undefined Season 1 Episode 16 - 4am Miracle
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #13 - 4am Miracle

    S1:E16

    Matt is stuck on a Wednesday night with writer's block and also has to contend with a young lawyer who's investigating a sexual harassment claim while Harriet continues shooting her movie. In addition, Jordan and Danny enter into a contest to see who'd make the better parent.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  14. undefined Season 1 Episode 21 - K & R (3)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #14 - K & R (3)

    S1:E21

    The long day's journey into night continues as we learn more, in flashback, about how Matt and Danny came to be fired. Jack tries to convince Simon to apologize for his statement to the press. Matt continues to explore paying a ransom to free Tom’s brother over the objections of Captain Boyle. Harriet sits with and act as a distraction for Danny who is keeping vigil for Jordan at the hospital.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  15. undefined Season 1 Episode 19 - K & R (1)
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #15 - K & R (1)

    S1:E19

    Jordan is rushed into surgery as the situation with Tom's brother grows more grim.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  16. undefined Season 1 Episode 15 - The Friday Night Slaughter
    10.0/10(2 votes)

    #16 - The Friday Night Slaughter

    S1:E15

    Matt takes a stroll down memory lane and recalls how he met Harriet.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  17. undefined Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    9.6/10(5 votes)

    #17 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    When the Executive Producer of sketch show 'Studio 60' has an on-air meltdown, new network president Jordan McDeere hires Danny Tripp and Matt Albie to replace him and save the show.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  18. undefined Season 1 Episode 2 - The Cold Open
    9.5/10(4 votes)

    #18 - The Cold Open

    S1:E2

    Now that they're on board, Matt and Danny try not to crumble under the pressure of putting on their first big show, where the stakes are outrageously high. Also high are the number of complaints the network is getting over the "Crazy Christians" sketch, which Jordan defends to Jack.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  19. undefined Season 2 Episode 22 - Two Cathedrals
    9.3/10(7 votes)

    #19 - Two Cathedrals

    S2:E22

    On the day of Mrs. Landingham's funeral, the staff deals with a Haitian presidential crisis and the law suit against the big tobacco companies, and Bartlet must decide about running for reelection.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  20. undefined Season 4 Episode 2 - 20 Hours in America (2)
    9.3/10(3 votes)

    #20 - 20 Hours in America (2)

    S4:E2

    Donna teaches Toby and Josh an important lesson as their trek homeward continues; Sam staffs the President in Josh's absence and welcomes an old friend home; Bartlet hires a secretary and C.J. finds a Big Brother for Anthony; the situation in Qumar continues to escalate; Bartlet gets spooked by a photo op as the Dow continues its dive; and a pipe bomb kills 44 students at a Midwest university swim meet.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  21. undefined Season 4 Episode 21 - Life on Mars
    9.0/10(2 votes)

    #21 - Life on Mars

    S4:E21

    On his first day at work, Joe Quincy pieces together three news leaks and uncovers a scandal which forces Hoynes to resign.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  22. undefined Season 4 Episode 22 - Commencement
    9.0/10(2 votes)

    #22 - Commencement

    S4:E22

    Bartlet finally tells the staff the truth about the death of Shareef; Danny agrees to hold off on the story after five alleged terrorists go missing; Andy goes into labor after once again refusing Toby's marriage proposal; Zoey is kidnapped from a nightclub on the night of her college graduation.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  23. undefined Season 1 Episode 11 - The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee
    9.0/10(2 votes)

    #23 - The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee

    S1:E11

    Casey appears on _"View, The" (1997)_ and the team follows the story of seven college football players who are suspended for refusing to play under the Confederate flag.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  24. undefined Season 3 Episode 21 - Posse Comitatus
    8.8/10(6 votes)

    #24 - Posse Comitatus

    S3:E21

    Bartlet continues to struggle over the wisdom of assassinating the terrorist Qumari defense minister; after Ritchie declines to meet Bartlet, Sam and Toby play a dirty trick; as the search for Mrs. Landingham's replacement continues, Charlie finds the perfect candidate, who makes less than a stellar first impression on Bartlet; Josh's determination to pass a welfare bill costs Amy; as C.J.'s stalker is finally captured, the night ends in tragedy.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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  25. undefined Season 4 Episode 1 - 20 Hours in America (1)
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #25 - 20 Hours in America (1)

    S4:E1

    Toby, Josh, and Donna learn the hard way about the lack of accessible public transportation in the heartland when they spend a long day trying to get back to Washington after the motorcade leaves them behind during a campaign stop in Indiana; Bartlet interviews potential replacements for Mrs Landingham while C.J. tries to find someone to fill Simon's shoes as Anthony's Big Brother; the Ritchie campaign whips up a furor when Abbey claims to be "just a wife and mother"; Qumar reopens the Shareef investigation; and the Dow takes a dive.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Aaron Sorkin

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Aaron Sorkin Ratings Summary

"The Focus Group" is the best rated episode written by Aaron Sorkin. It scored 10/10 based on 3 votes. It was directed by N/A. It aired on 10/2/2006 and is rated 0.0 points higher than their second-best episode, "The Option Period".