Season3:2001–2002Cast:RobLowe,StockardChanning,DuléHill,AllisonJanney,JanelMoloney,RichardSchiff,JohnS encer,BradleyWhitfordandMartinSheenThethirdseason,whichcoverstheadministration’sthirdandfourthyearsinoffice,startsoffwithBartletannouncinghisintentiontorunforreelectionandisheavilydevotedtotheu coming residentialelection.Other rominent lotlinesincludeCongressionalinvestigationsintowhetherBartletcommittedelectoralfraudbyconcealinghisMS,adeaththreatagainstC.J.andtheensuingrelationshi shedevelo swithaSecretServiceagentassignedtoher,theQumaridefenseministerAbdulShareef lottingterroristattacksagainsttheUS,andatroublingmeetingbetweenTobyandthePresidentthatleavesBartletwithaboutofinsomniain"NightFive."Theseasonfinale,"PosseComitatus"closesseveralofthesestorylinesasBartletmeetshiso onentintheelectionsandreaffirmshiscommitmenttobeathim.Thee isodeendswiththe residentfinallydecidingtoorderShareef’sassassination(alegallyquestionableact)andC.J.’sagent’smurder,justafterthemanthreateningC.J.wascaught.Fromacritical ers ective,seriescreatorAaronSorkinacknowledgedinOctober2002thattheterrorism-related lotsdesignedtokee theseriesrelevantafterthereal-life9/11attackswereawkwardattimes,saying"fromweektoweek,youfeltlikeyouwerewritingtheshowhandcuffed,alittlebit.Ididn’tknowhowtowriteitanymore.ItwasaconstantsearchforwhatIwasn’tdoingthatusedtomaketheshowwork.[...]Maybetherewasawaytomakeitwork;there robablywas.Iwasn’tabletofinditintwenty-twoe isodes."[1]Nonetheless,theshowwentontowinitsthird"OutstandingDrama"Emmyinarow