The press rumors are now swirling that the highly touted and mega hyped Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is going to be "imminently cancelled."
Let's hope not. It's gotten better since its slow-ish start, and the most recent episode was pure and classic Sorkin magic.
Studio 60, a drama that goes behind-the-scenes at a Saturday Night Live-esque nationally televised show, is a show held (and which holds itself) to nearly impossible standards: it must reflect the "real world" of live television production, it must be groundbreaking or at least issue relevant commentary on society or pop culture in some way (Sorkin's characters on both The West Wing and Studio 60 strive to appeal to our higher angels), it must be interesting and dramatic, and it must be funny (at least within its show-within-a-show dynamic).
I'll argue it's getting pretty close to doing all of that, with the exception of the last bit. I would argue that we, the audience, really don't need to see the sketch comedy of Studio 60 very often at all in order for the show to work. But that's a different story.
The show works on the strength of the writing and characters, particularly Matthew Perry as Matt Albie and Bradley Whitford as Danny Tripp. Perry, especially, has been impressive of late, and, if nothing else, has thrown off the shackles of being known forevermore as Chandler, or "one of the dudes from Friends." Last week, Albie's storylines with Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson, who is growing on me after a sluggish start) and Simon Stiles (D.L. Hughley) drove the show. Perry and Hughley were especially fascinating in arguing over the limits of what any one comedy writer -- black or white -- can deliver to an audience. And the show really transcended to greatness as the two agreed to spontaneously take a chance on hiring a black comedian who had just gotten booed off the stage at a local L.A. comedy club.
Even though NBC is currently fretting over high production costs of scripted shows, the suits should take heed of Jordan McDeere's (Amanda Peet, who has never been better than as the new president of the NBS network) notion that quality television pays for itself.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Louise
Does it come as any surprise to readers to notice that the two sites that are saying that Studio 60's demise is imminent,is Fox News (who apparently need to get a spell checker installed in the computers) and Marketwatch who is own by CBS.
Gee Wiz guys... could you be andmore obvious!
2 - Sally
Studio 60 is funny, thought provoking, aspirational and, above all, different. It’s the only show I watch and if it’s cancelled I’ll probably give up on television all together.
3 - Joan Hunt
Congratulations! This article has been selected for placement on Advance.net
4 - Joan Hunt
I loved last week's episode. It had heart, it had warmth, it had "humanness", and it was, in my book, brilliant. I'd gladly watch the show every night of the week if I could if every episode delivered the same quality storytelling. And I think it's absolutely possible to maintain that level if given time. My fingers are crossed!
5 - Michael
A lot of being said about this being a new "golden age" of television. It's nice to see that NBC isn't allowing this fact to get in the way of canceling a show with the potential to be truly great just because the numbers aren't where they'd like to be. Why keep unexpected, intelligent, intriguing television around when we can have yet another Law & Order series? I'm disgusted.
By the way, everyone comments on how the show isn't funny. Just thinking out loud here...but maybe that's because it's a DRAMA about doing a comedy television show?
6 - Mat Brewster
Studio 60 is fast moving from my favorite new show on television, to my favorite show on television period.
Great article EB!
7 - Susan Cohen
I absolutely love the show Studio 60. It is smart,soulful,with brilliant powerful dialogue. (I often use some of the lines in my own life). The acting and directing are outstanding. It is actually my favourite TV show perhaps ever. If this show gets cancelled for whatever reason, I will give up on TV altogether. Perhaps the population doesn't get the show. And what does that say about the population in general. Not too smart!
8 - Mary K. Williams
The show rocks. The Sorkin formula works well in this setting too. And the cast is absolutely the best.
9 - handyguy
Like "Nations," the [not very exciting sounding] series that Danny convinced its young creator to sell to NBS, Studio 60 might be better off on HBO or some other outlet not dependent on ratings.
NBC has already exiled an even better show, Kidnapped, to Saturday Siberia. It's understandable as a cold business calculation, but viewers lose when good shows get treated badly.
I do enjoy Studio 60 a lot, but I think the premise itself is still the show's biggest problem. Saturday Night Live stopped being relevant many years ago, so it takes some effort to believe that the show within the show on Studio 60 is actually worth caring about. Luckily Sorkin's dialogue and the gifted performers help us forget this central weakness most of the time.
10 - Rah
They should move it to different time-slot, It's a great show but going head to head with CSI Miami is not going to help.
I think 10pm is too late..
11 - bw
The show's audience dropped 7 million in 3 weeks. I'm sure some of you like the show, but its awful and the rest of the country seems to be agreeing. As for whether this is merely a rumour.Why would NBC pull the show this week without a word? It's one of the most expensive shows on TV and it was 3rd place in its time slot with one of the hottest new shows on TV as its lead in.
12 - Ozzyols
My understanding as to why it was pulled for this week was as part of lead in to November sweeps.
What interests me about the article is that the person was saying that it was purely contractual that there was an offer of 3 more scripts. Everything else that has been posted about the negotiations that were entered into regarding Ari Emanuel for this show was that it was guarenteed 13 eps, which they seem to already have. Why ask for 3 more if NBC know they can get out of it at the end of 13.
People keep saying that the numbers have dropped since the first week - sure, but then they have held around the same level for the past three as well. Neither loosing (nor I grant you, gaining, much ground either).
I agree with Louise that it's all rumor at the moment. And that it is very interesting that it just HAPPENS to be two rival networks that are leaking this stuff. Spoilers have been VERY few and far between on this particular show so I get the feeling that the cast and crew would be keeping schtum over something like this as well. I would like the originating author from Fox to come out - and put his reputation on the line and NAME his sources... or would that be opening him a up whole can of legal troubles?
13 - Eric Berlin
Thanks all for the great comments!
I'm hopeful that the audience will stabilize and grow over the next several weeks, and that NBC will see its way toward keeping it around and giving it a fair chance.
14 - Jason T
The show started off fantastic, and has slowly gotten more and more awful. Last week's episode was preachy, and Sorkin does a whole lot more "telling" than "showing." I could care less what two Hollywood elitist liberals think about life in South Central. Addressing "issues" does not necessarily make a show "intelligent." Actually coming up with plots that present issues without them having to be monologue my annoying characters does make a show "intelligent."
Matthew Perry's delivery was brilliant, however, and kept me watching longer than I probably would have otherwise (one episode of The West Wing was enough to bore me to tears).
Studio 60 is (or was) far from smart. It's become a dull blue state editorial at best. There is no real tension or drama between the characters. And it was just insanely brainless that the characters would let a writer get away with plagiarism, and even worse, feel respect for the two hacks that protected the person. And the black character's overreaction to the black comedian playing off stereotypes last week was completely unrealistic. It's like he's never seen Comedy Central, or talked to any other black person in his life before. I found it impossible to believe he grew up in the hood.
15 - Eric Berlin
I think it comes down to whether or not you're a fan of Sorkin when he's at his best, Jason. I loved Sports Night and The West Wing at its best, and found both shows passable when they were off-game. I feel the same way about Studio 60, as it turns out.
We can of course disagree, but I found Hughley's (and Perry's) reaction to the "hot comic" to be great: true professionals feel emotional pain when they see someone hacking up and pissing on their craft. I liked that twist, also -- Hughley finally dragged his boss to see a black comic to help prove his point and it backfired on him completely. And it was a nice moment to see the two heading off to the bar, Perry saying "Of course you are" after Hughley offers to buy.
16 - rena jacobson
STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP is sensational. The writing is pure magic. The casting is brilliant. This is one of the very best shows of this or any other season. In a world where "My Name is Earl" is considered good programming, "Studio 60..." is a masterpiece! Aaron Sorkin has, as always, put together a smart, fast moving, emotional, funny, topical piece of television mastery. The episode with Eli Wallach reminiscing about happy times gone by and then careers destroyed by the McCarthy Witch hunt, and the Hollywood 10...this was television at its very best. I am originally from the northeast, but have lived in Florida for many years. I have never been asked my opinion by Neilsen. However, this show is so important, that I must state that it would be a crime to deprive its audience of this special hour at Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip!
17 - Ron Voll
I also hope Studio 60 is NOT cancelled, and I took one small step for mankind by sending a nicely crafted note to NBC asking them not to cancel the show.
If all the fans speak out, maybe we can keep it on the air long enough for it to catch on. I believe MASH, Seinfeld, All in the Family and many other great shows got off to a rocky start. Let your voice be heard.
The URL I posted leads to the NBC Contact Page...
18 - John
I can't say that "Studio 60" is the best show on TV, because it's really the only one I watch with any sort of devotion.
Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme have been criticized for trying to bring the behind-the-scenes gravitas of the White House (really?) to Tinseltown. They've also been accused of self-righteousness. A number of scenes are full-array broadsides against a studio system that leaves little room for the Sorkin-Schlamme brand of television: smart, affecting, dialogue-rich, more likely to be influenced by Aristotle's Poetics than Canham's Reality TV Show Pitch e-book.
If indeed "Studio 60" gets the axe, NBC will not bear all the blame. In public at least, the network has stuck by the show. But if viewers don't fill out the only petition that matters -- watching at 10/9 p.m. on television and not on the web, then ordering a land-line and waiting for Nielsen to call -- "Studio 60" will have the same fate as "Arrested Development" and "Sports Night", critically-acclaimed television shows cut down too early. And to fill the time slot we'll be given more of what we least need but most deserve: "Trading Mommies" and "Survivor: Segregation."
19 - Jewels
I have no idea why the networks are so eager to kill off shows just because they enter with a slower groove. This show has more talent and potential than most out there now to become an icon endeavor. It's the "immediocity" (my word)factor killing the potentially great programs and leaving us dependant on the reality genres which fulfill that itch. This show has the potential to rise to some level of TV 'greatness' if only someone in programming has one iota of intellectual ability and patience. "Arrested Development" one show that was killed off that should not have been.
20 - Unto the Breach
Killing of shows as soon as they are out of the gate seems to be a fundemental flaw in the American TV culture.
In the UK generally we give a show AT LEAST a season or two to get their feet under them.
One Channel head over here (I forget which) commented that some networks are like 14 year old boys - 15 seconds of self gratification and if they can't make it work - that's it - Good night nurse.
I think that given the investment that they have made with Studio 60 that we will get at least a full season. Remember, shows like M*A*S*H, Cheers, Seinfeld and more recently 24 and House all performed badly in their freshman year.
24 is a lot like Studio 60, in the sense that there is a lot to take in in one hit - I am not sure of the wisdom of having such a cerebral challenging show on at 10pm. 9 would probably be better. Even when West Wing was on - we would record it, and go back and watch it again later to catch what was happening in case you missed something. 24 didn't take off until after Season 1 was released on DVD.