Isaac and Ishmael

"Isaac and Ishmael" is a non-canonical episode of the American political drama series The West Wing, usually considered part of its third season. The episode, first aired on October 3, 2001 on NBC, was inspired by the September 11 attacks that had taken place less than a month before. Synopsis Prior to the episode, the show's actors directly address the audience; they state that the episode is a "play" outside the show's normal continuity and provide donation hotlines for victims of the September 11 attacks. The White House is placed into lockdown (referred to as a "crash") after a staffer, Rakim Ali, is found to share a name with the alias of a suspected terrorist. A group of high schoolers, touring the White House as part of Presidential Classroom, are stuck in the cafeteria; Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman and other staffers entertain the group with a discussion on the causes of Islamist terrorism. At the same time, Chief of Staff Leo McGarry argues with Ali during the latter's interrogation. Eventually, the suspected terrorist is found in Germany and the lockdown is lifted, prompting McGarry to apologize to the staffer. Production The third season premiere for The West Wing, the first part of the two-parter "Manchester," was originally scheduled for September 26. The episode had already been completed by the time the September 11 attacks took place. A week before the scheduled premiere, showrunner Aaron Sorkin started writing "Isaac and Ishmael;" he convinced the network, NBC, to show a rerun on September 26, "Isaac and Ishmael" on October 3, and part one of "Manchester" on October 10. The New York Times described NBC's decision to show the rerun after it had already widely promoted "Manchester" as "a $10 million act of largess."