Ryan Pierce
Encyclopedia
Ryan Pierce is a fictional character
from Season 5 of the television drama The West Wing. Portrayed by Jesse Bradford
. Ryan appears in nine episodes as Josh Lyman
's wisecracking intern.
The fortunate son from a powerful Washington family, Ryan is the nephew of an influential senator, and the great-great grandson of President Franklin Pierce
(though in reality President Franklin Pierce had no children who survived to adulthood). Tension builds between him and the increasingly agitated Josh when the latter discovers that Ryan attended Harvard, his alma mater. Ryan attempts to use the connection as a bonding experience but Josh describes him as one of the popular rich kids who used to pick on him.
Nonetheless, Ryan does what he can to help out his overstressed boss. In the episode Han
, Josh asks Ryan to sit in on a meeting with a Democratic
congressman who has threatened to vote against Bob Russell
, President Bartlet's choice to replace the disgraced former Vice President John Hoynes
. The meeting ends with Josh loudly berating the congressman for being disloyal, and the congressman angrily storming out. Ryan quietly calls the congressman back, and apparently persuades him to vote with his party. He says nothing when Josh gets the credit for the congressman's vote.
Later in the season, Josh loses credibility with Congress after a Democratic senator from Idaho decides to join the Republican Party
, citing Josh's strong-armed tactics as one of the reasons. In the episode Disaster Relief
, Ryan follows Josh (at Donna
's urging) to a restaurant for a scheduled business dinner with a member of Congress. When the congressman calls to cancel, as expected, Ryan sits down with Josh so it doesn't look like he was just stood up.
In Full Disclosure
, Josh asks Ryan to help steer a meeting with the base closure commission, but the intern annoys nearly everyone present with a proposal to shut down a base in a key congressman's district. When Josh pulls Ryan out of the meeting to scold him, Ryan asks him to make it look like he's being fired, so Josh will get the credit for saving the congressman's base.
Ryan did not return the next season, as Bradford left the show to focus on his film career. The show explains that Ryan took a job as the legislative director for a pro-labor congressman.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from Season 5 of the television drama The West Wing. Portrayed by Jesse Bradford
Jesse Bradford
- Early life :Bradford was born Jesse Bradford Watrouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, the only child of actors Terry Porter and Curtis Watrouse, who appeared in commercials, soap operas, and industrial films. His mother also played his character's mother in Hackers...
. Ryan appears in nine episodes as Josh Lyman
Josh Lyman
Joshua "Josh" Lyman is a fictional character played by Bradley Whitford on the television drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he was White House Deputy Chief of Staff in the Josiah Bartlet administration...
's wisecracking intern.
The fortunate son from a powerful Washington family, Ryan is the nephew of an influential senator, and the great-great grandson of President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
(though in reality President Franklin Pierce had no children who survived to adulthood). Tension builds between him and the increasingly agitated Josh when the latter discovers that Ryan attended Harvard, his alma mater. Ryan attempts to use the connection as a bonding experience but Josh describes him as one of the popular rich kids who used to pick on him.
Nonetheless, Ryan does what he can to help out his overstressed boss. In the episode Han
Han (The West Wing)
- Plot :A renowned North Korean pianist is greeted at the White House for a solo performance, but the formalities change when the musician slips a message to the President stating that he wants to defect. Despite C. J.'s passionate argument, others counsel Bartlet that granting the defection...
, Josh asks Ryan to sit in on a meeting with a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
congressman who has threatened to vote against Bob Russell
Bob Russell (The West Wing)
Robert 'Bingo Bob' Russell is a fictional character played by Gary Cole on the television serial drama The West Wing.After the resignation of Vice President John Hoynes due to a sex scandal in May 2003, the Bartlet Administration was forced to replace him with another Democrat...
, President Bartlet's choice to replace the disgraced former Vice President John Hoynes
John Hoynes
John Hoynes is a fictional character played by Tim Matheson on the American television series The West Wing. Hoynes is Vice President of the United States during the first four seasons of the show....
. The meeting ends with Josh loudly berating the congressman for being disloyal, and the congressman angrily storming out. Ryan quietly calls the congressman back, and apparently persuades him to vote with his party. He says nothing when Josh gets the credit for the congressman's vote.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, citing Josh's strong-armed tactics as one of the reasons. In the episode Disaster Relief
Disaster Relief (The West Wing)
"Disaster Relief" is episode 94 of The West Wing. This episode directly follows the events of the previous episode.-Plot:A national emergency is declared by Bartlet in light of a killer tornado in Oklahoma, a disaster which ends up occupying the president's time and attention for far longer than...
, Ryan follows Josh (at Donna
Donna Moss
Donnatella "Donna" Moss is a fictional character played by Janel Moloney on the television serial drama The West Wing. Donna is a recurring character during the first season, although she appears in every episode, making her a de facto regular...
's urging) to a restaurant for a scheduled business dinner with a member of Congress. When the congressman calls to cancel, as expected, Ryan sits down with Josh so it doesn't look like he was just stood up.
In Full Disclosure
Full Disclosure (The West Wing)
"Full Disclosure" is the fifteenth episode of The West Wings fifth season, and episode 103 from the start. It originally aired on NBC February 25, 2004. Events circle around a potentially inciting magazine interview with former Vice President John Hoynes. Written by Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr...
, Josh asks Ryan to help steer a meeting with the base closure commission, but the intern annoys nearly everyone present with a proposal to shut down a base in a key congressman's district. When Josh pulls Ryan out of the meeting to scold him, Ryan asks him to make it look like he's being fired, so Josh will get the credit for saving the congressman's base.
Ryan did not return the next season, as Bradford left the show to focus on his film career. The show explains that Ryan took a job as the legislative director for a pro-labor congressman.