And then there are those precision-guided moral navigational systems with which every character on "The West Wing" seems to be outfitted, to the detriment of the show's dramatic impact. Why must everyone, from stoical, holier-than-thou Toby to shocked, "I can't even hear this" C.J., be so damn good, so morally upright and so self-righteously shrill, that they spend most of their time one-upping each other on questions of ethics instead of getting their hands filthy in each others' moral mud pies, like the real people in politics? Maybe I'm excessively jaded about the subject, but I don't buy the naiveté with which these staffers approach the assassination of the leader of fictional Qumar, or the paroxysms of disgust they experience upon discovering their boss has an illness he hasn't disclosed. What rock did these morally pure creatures crawl out from under and, more important, how do you go from innocent millipede to White House staffer without becoming soiled or disillusioned by the dirty realities of politics along the way?

As original and distinct as Sorkin's writing style is, "The West Wing" has needed some new, more exotic flavors to spice up its old standby formulas for a while now. Throwing Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter) into the mix during the second season definitely added a kick to the show, but she always felt underused. In fact, with every compelling personal subplot, the show always seemed to stop short, like a delightful appetizer followed by ... the check.

Until the last few episodes of this season, that is, when "The West Wing" seemed to veer into some unlikely territory. "Friends" star Matthew Perry steps into Ainsley's shoes and somehow pulls off the standard "I know more than you think I do" stunt that all the president's badasses are required to perform, this time with surprisingly understated grace. Meanwhile, the vice president (Tim Matheson) is revealed to have been conducting an illicit affair, and Charlie (Dulé Hill) directly confronts presidential daughter Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss) about dating some creepy French guy instead of him.

The surprises culminated in last week's riveting episode, when suddenly Toby was having heartfelt discussions with his pregnant ex-wife Andy (Kathleen York), Amy (Mary-Louise Parker) was blurting at Donna, "Are you in love with Josh?" the creepy French guy was slipping ecstasy into Zoey's drink, and Taye Diggs, the hot guy who helped Stella get her groove back, turned up as a Secret Service agent charged with protecting Zoey, mostly by marching around and screaming into his walkie-talkie. By the end of the show, which gained momentum with unusual cross-cutting and an eerie score, Toby was emoting openly, Donna and Amy were having a real conversation, and Zoey, aka "Bookbag," was kidnapped out from under the noses of her personal army. Is this really "The West Wing" -- or some mind-bending hybrid of "Six Feet Under," "24" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent"?

Whatever it is, I like it -- which makes it all the more frustrating that Sorkin is leaving the show just as he's starting to deliver exactly the kind of mesmerizing but appealingly personal plots that might win back a younger audience. Still, by leading the show into uncharted territory before exiting, he's certainly made it easier on next year's writers. Instead of being charged with mimicking the same lightning-quick banter we've seen for years (which they'll undoubtedly attempt to do regardless), Sorkin is demonstrating how to take the show in a new direction without compromising its quality. While hardcore "West Wing" fans are probably horrified with such dramatic moves away from the show's bread and butter, more viewers are bound to wake up and take notice.

Will the show barrel downhill without Sorkin and Schlamme at the helm? It's impossible to say. But a source close to the show points out that with John Wells taking over as show-runner -- Wells helped bring "ER" to the small screen and made the show a hit well after Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton left -- it's a good bet that "The West Wing's" quality won't suffer all that dramatically. Sure, the general flavor of the show might change, possibly to include more sensational or personal plots in line with other popular dramas. But at this point, frankly, "The West Wing" could use a little more salt in its stew.

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