Before I even watched the pilot of this show, I knew that John Spencer died before the series finale; I heard about it on TV when it happened and I remembered it for some reason, even though I wasn't watching the show at that time. So that meant I knew Leo was going to die when I started the first season. I wish I hadn't known so much ahead of time, but it can't be helped.
Anyway. All that said, even with that knowledge as a warning, I couldn't help adoring the character of Leo, and being extremely impressed with John Spencer as an actor (and as a person, from what I saw in interviews and clips). Leo was smart, wise, witty, savvy, classy, principled, and above all else, loyal. He was the driving force behind Jed Bartlet's election to the presidency, and his President's best and closest friend. He wasn't perfect - his character would have been far less interesting if he were. But he cared deeply about his President, his daughter, his friends, and the good of the country.
So when I got to season 7, and the episode in which Martin Sheen gives a brief but heartfelt announcement and goodbye to his friend John Spencer, I knew it was going to be rough when we got to Leo's final episode. And it was. Oh, it was. From the moment Annabeth (ably portrayed by Kristin Chenoweth) discovers Leo in his hotel room, to every character's reaction - which had to have included the cast members' genuine grief at the loss of their costar and friend - I was grieving alongside them. Just like when Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith on Doctor Who) died, *I* feel almost like I have lost a dear friend. That is thanks both to the vividness of Leo McGarry as a character, and to the man who portrayed him, who died far too young.
I recognize that the show as a whole has decreased in quality since Aaron Sorkin left. It's only too obvious when I go back and rewatch an episode from the first four seasons. But I'm still enjoying it a great deal, and it's still an exceptional show. The cast as a whole has never ceased giving amazing, compelling performances, and the way the show handled this untimely loss is, I think, a fitting tribute.
In the words of C.J. Cregg to President Bartlet, "I really miss him, sir." And in the words of Joshua Lyman: "Thanks, Boss."
