i have seen all the episodes of the last season and baffled as to why josh and donna never became romantically involved… or did that happen while I stepped out of the room???
They never became romantically involved because, they just didn’t. Most of the time, Josh was Donna’s boss. And it’s not good form for high-ranking White House aides to sleep with their staff. (see “Clinton, Bill”)
Then they each left the White House to work for different campaigns. Hard to have a relationship when you don’t see each other.
All kinds of possibilities- most likely theories:
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Aaron Sorkin and his writers never intended Josh & Donna to get involved. Millions of viewers liked the idea of them as a couple, and HOPED that they’d hook up, but that was never part of the planned storyline.
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This was another of television’s time-honored teases. “Who’s the Boss” was on the air for about 75 years without ever having Light & Danza hook up. “JAG” spent a few centuries playing “will they or won’t they” with Mac & Harm. Writers figure that once a couple actually gets together, the audience tires of them and becomes less interested, so they spend years having male and female characters flirt and spar with each other, never daring to have them do more than that.
well it’s disappointing. I had expected they’d at least kiss or caress, but nut’n! I guess you’re saying, in a sense, that politics for both was more important than pursuing a relationship… as saavy as they both were portrayed, I can’t understand why they didn’t try to work it into their schedules, heck celebrities do it all the time, right?
Unresolved romantic tension makes for more compelling writing and serves to keep audiences coming back, rather than getting the characters together and trying to decide where to go next.
See: Jump the Shark category “They Did It”, namely “Friends”, “Cheers”, “Frasier”, and of course, “Moonlighting”.
Also, don’t forget Josh was thisclose to putting the moves on Donna when he went to visit her in the German hospital, not realizing she’d become involved with that journalist guy.
Ah, a West Wing thread. I was in serious withdrawl here.
I don’t remember seeing that. And we never heard from him again, did we?
Donna/Josh are closer than they would be if they had got busy, I think.
Early on in the series (3rd season? The conversation about the ERA late one night, and Josh sent her flowers because it was her anniversary of working for him, but it really wasn’t.), Donna was talking about how her boyfriend stopped for a beer on the way to the hospital when she had broken her leg.
Josh: I wouldn’t stop for a beer if you were in the hospital.
Donna: I wouldn’t stop for red lights.
A conversation between Donna and Amy Gardner (Mary-Louise Parker) in an office late one night-
Amy (suddenly realizing something): Donna, are you in love with Josh?
Donna looked sheepish, but didn’t answer. Cut to commercial.
When the staff found out that Donna was in the hospital in Germany, seriously injured. Josh in Leo’s office wanted to practically blow up everybody related to the group that attacked the delegation. And it was obvious he wasn’t pissed about the Admiral (Ret) getting killed.
During the campaign this last season, there was that one episode where Josh and Donna were staying in the same hotel, right across the hall from each other. They kept going over to knock on the other’s door. But never did.
I like how they’ve kept them out of bed but still interested in each other. I thiink, that if they are both around this season, we will see this resolved. Which would be nice, too.
In other news, has everybody seen the news that Janeane Garofalo is going to be Matt Santos’s Director of Communications?
There was also the episode where Josh and the President had been shot. The news of course was all about the President being shot, so when Donna rushed to the hospital she didn’t know Josh was seriously injured and the other staffers had to tell her.
But overall, I think that Josh and Donna have gotten into a brother-sister relationship. Very close and they love each other, but not in a romantic way.
I’ve been catching up on the DVDs, and am probably about halfway through the third season. To date, the look on Donna’s face while she waits to hear any news about Josh is one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen on television.
There’s also the comment by Sam when Josh is asking about how close Sam is with (secretary who left the show)
Sam: I’ve never seen her naked if that’s what you’re asking.
Josh: It’s not.
Sam:She’s more like a little sister. Like you and Donna.
So at least very early on (this was a first season episode where Josh got the NSA card for what to do in case of a nuclear attack “The Crackpots & These Women” I think) that was the common knowledge about Josh and Donna.
As for why it never happened, I’m gonna agree with those above who said it was more about not getting together.
There were lots of friends moments and lots of boss/employee moments and only a few romantic moments throughout the series.
Except that they did.
Congratulations, you have officially outed yourself as a “shipper.” 
He’s just not that into her.
The thing about that scene was it was ambiguous. There seem to be a vibe building between Donna and Amy. I remember watching it and thinking, “if Mary-Louise Parker starts making out with Janel Moloney this will be the greatest moment in television history.”
I hope they don’t “Do It”. I love the kinda-flirting banter, and I don’t want any “They Did It” shark jumping. I wonder where Josh and Donna and Will will end up now, after the happy little beer-reunion at the DNC. Well actually, Will can go, I never really liked him.
Wasn’t it Lisa Kudrow’s idea that the last episode of Friends should show Phoebe and Joey in bed together, with the implication that they’ve been having sex all along and nobody knew about it. The West Wing could do that with Josh and Donna; let us know they’ve been “friends, with benefits” since Bartlett took office.
I hope they don’t do that, but they could.