Season 3: 2001–2002 Cast: Rob Lowe, Stockard Channing, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford and Martin Sheen The third season, which covers the administration's third and fourth years in office, starts off with Bartlet announcing his intention to run for reelection and is heavily devoted to the upcoming presidential election. Other prominent plotlines include Congressional investigations into whether Bartlet committed electoral fraud by concealing his MS, a death threat against C.J. and the ensuing relationship she develops with a Secret Service agent assigned to her, the Qumari defense minister Abdul Shareef plotting terrorist attacks against the US, and a troubling meeting between Toby and the President that leaves Bartlet with a bout of insomnia in "Night Five." The season finale, "Posse Comitatus" closes several of these storylines as Bartlet meets his opponent in the elections and reaffirms his commitment to beat him. The episode ends with the president finally deciding to order Shareef's assassination (a legally questionable act) and C.J.'s agent's murder, just after the man threatening C.J. was caught. From a critical perspective, series creator Aaron Sorkin acknowledged in October 2002 that the terrorism-related plots designed to keep the series relevant after the real-life 9/11 attacks were awkward at times, saying "from week to week, you felt like you were writing the show handcuffed, a little bit. I didn't know how to write it anymore. It was a constant search for what I wasn't doing that used to make the show work. [...] Maybe there was a way to make it work; there probably was. I wasn't able to find it in twenty-two episodes." [1] Nonetheless, the show went on to win its third "Outstanding Drama" Emmy in a row.Season 3: 2001–2002 Cas t: Rob Lowe , Stocka rd Channing, Dulé Hill, A llison Janney , Janel Mol oney, Ri chard Sch iff, John Spe ncer, Bradley Whitford and M artin S heen The thi rd season , whic h covers t he admin istration& ;#39;s thir d and fourth years in o ffice, st arts off wi th Bartl et anno uncing his in tention t o run fo r reelectio n and is he avily devoted t o the upcoming preside ntial elec tion. Oth er prominen t plotlines in clude C ongress ional i nvestigations i nto whether Bar tlet committed electoral fraud by concealin g his MS, a de ath thre at again st C.J. and the en suing re lationship she de velops w ith a S ecret Service agent a ssigned to her, th e Qumari defense mini ster Abdul Shar eef plotting t erroris t attacks against the US, and a troubling meeting between Toby and t he Presid ent that leave s Bartlet with a bout of insomnia i n &qu ot;Night Five .&quot ; The season finale, & ;quot;Posse Co mitatus&am p;quot; clos es sever al of th ese storyl ines as B artlet meets hi s oppone nt in the el ections and reaffirms his com mitment to be at him. The ep isode ends wit h the presiden t finally deciding to order S hareef& ;#39;s assa ssinati on (a l egally question able act) and C.J.'s agent& #39;s murde r, just after the man threate ning C.J . was caught. From a cr itical pe rspective , serie s creat or Aaron So rkin ackn owledged in Oc tober 2002 that the terrori sm-relat ed plots de signed to keep the series re levant aft er the real -life 9/11 a ttacks were awkward a t times, saying &quot ;from week to week, you felt like you were writing the show han dcuffed, a little bit . I didn&# 39;t know how to wri te it anymore . It was a co nstant search f or what I w asn&# 39;t doing that used to make the show w ork. [...] Mayb e there was a way t o make it work; the re probabl y was. I wasn& amp;#39 ;t able to find it in twenty-tw o episodes.& ;quot; [1] None theless, the show w ent on to win its third &quo t;Outstandi ng Drama&q uot; Emmy in a row.详情