I.C.Y.M.I.: 'A West Wing Special' Encourages Voting, The Best Horror Movies of 2020 (So Far) + More!

Greetings, fellow pop culture aficionados, and welcome to week 36 of our I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It) blog series, where we recap a handful of trending tidbits from the past week(s) in popular culture, in case you missed them.

• We're Open! — Plan Your Visit to MoPOP

Last week, we led with congratulations to the Seattle Storm on securing their fourth WNBA title. This week, with Election Day just 17 days away, we highlight a special West Wing benefit aimed at encouraging voting and voter registration. Read on!

A West Wing Special Debuts on HBO Max

In recent weeks, The West Wing's Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) has been convincingly making his way through our pop culture presidents bracket; a fun way for fans to vote on some of their favorite fictional leaders from film and television that we launched alongside our Get Out The Vote campaign. Now, just in time for Bartlet's Final Four bracket matchup with Independence Day's Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman), a new West Wing special has surfaced.

A West Wing Special to benefit When We All Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to increasing participation in elections, aired on HBO Max this past week. The hourlong special features a recreation of "Hartsfield's Landing" (Season 3, Episode 14) from Aaron Sorkin's NBC drama. Shot as a staged production inside the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, A West Wing Special is a word-for-word re-enactment of the 2002 episode. But even though most of the original show's cast returns, Sorkin isn't set on calling it a reunion show so much as a show with a purpose.

“Over the years, I resisted the opportunities to do a reunion show,” Sorkin says. “But this opportunity came along to do something at a crucial time for When We All Vote, and so while it is a group of people coming back together after having not been together for awhile, it is not a reunion. It has a purpose.”

To learn more about how you can get involved in this year's election, head to MoPOP.org/Vote

The Best Horror Movies of 2020 (So Far), Ranked

As the Halloween season kicks into high gear, our Movies at MoPOP and It's Coming From Inside the House series are pretty good places to start getting your fix of scary films this fall. Plus, there's our classic list of 100 Horror Films to See Before You Die. But if you've exhausted those resources or are just looking for something a little more current, Thrillist has you covered. The entertainment site has ranked the best horror films of 2020 (so far) and there's several titles included that we'll be looking to catch up on before Halloween season is over. 

What Else To Catch Up On This Weekend

• Our Grow Up! online watchalong series continues at 6 p.m. PT this Saturday, October 17 as we hit play on Pan's Labyrinth with special guest Becky Cloonan, a comic book artist who illustrated The Criterion Collection edition cover of the film. Make sure to register for the virtual event in advance at MoPOP.org/Movies
• Our Get Out The Vote campaign shares a short interview with ACT Theatre Managing Director Becky Witmer, who chats with MoPOP on the importance of civic participation.
• Our bracket competition featuring fictional leaders from film and television has moved into the Final Four! Which pop culture presidents get your votes between The West Wing's Jed Bartlet and Independence Day's Thomas Whitmore, or between Air Force One's James Marshall and Battlestar Galactica's Laura Roslin? Cast a ballot today and you'll be automatically entered for a chance to win tickets to MoPOP!
• And our milestone series celebrating 20 years of MoPOP continues with a look back at the launch of The Residency, the youth hip hop program put on in partnership with Arts Corps and Grammy Award-winning duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

What'd We Miss?

Now that we've filled you in on a few things, what do you feel we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up with a suggestion on social media. We'll look to include your ideas in our next edition of I.C.Y.M.I.

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If you like what you see, support our work by making a donation or planning a visit to MoPOP today!