Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip had critics and fans in a lather before its premiere last week, some obviously anticipating the Second Coming. When clearly it's the Third, after Sports Night and The West Wing.
But seriously, what show could live up to that expectation? The most frequent criticism is that by focusing on the behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show, the stakes are far too low to sustain the series.
I'm not sure how or why people expected Sorkin to raise or even match the stakes of The West Wing. It seems to me the options would be limited. Perhaps a drama about idealists in the United Nations? Or he could have gone galactic, exploring contemporary issues in a futuristic setting. Maybe on a ship of some kind, like a battlestar.
The pilot sets up the premise that Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) and Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford) are brought in to save a Saturday Night Live-like show after its producer has an on-air meltdown, railing against the state of television because a sketch called "Crazy Christians" has been cut by Standards and Practices.
Though there are more quality shows on TV now than in The West Wing's prime, did anyone wonder what shows Judd Hirsch's character could possibly have been talking about when he referred to eating worms or screwing sisters? Did anyone futilely cast their minds over the TV landscape to find examples of the meanness and bitchiness he spoke of?
The comedy show Albie and Tripp take over isn't about to change the face of the world or even the face of television, but with the support of new network president Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet), it is making a stand. It's a stand that's still relevant even in a golden age for television, considering an FCC that fines stations for showing Janet Jackson's nipple but not a slashed throat, with watchdog groups that claim to be offended by shows they haven't watched, with parents groups who complain about adult programming aimed at adults instead of bothering to learn about parental controls, like the V-chip, or taking the TV out of their kids’ bedrooms.
Article comments
1 - Clavos
Loved Sports Night (way too short-lived, alas!), loved West Wing, enjoyed the first episode of Studio 60--have to wait and see where Mr. Sorkin takes us with it.
2 - Terri
This show is HOT! Well into the charectors in the first episode. If nothing else the talent is extreme. The writing as well. I hope it is a big hit. Can't wait for it to unfold.
3 - Jennifer
Many things about the show are excellent, but can someone please get rid of the awful 80s style TV music? And how many secret handshakes do they really need to have? Otherwise, excellent performances and classic Sorkin/Schlamme pacing.
4 - Wes
This show is very pretentious and very preachy. First of all, the characters move about and act with the same self-important attitudes as the West Wing cast, except they're not running the country - they're just putting together weekly comedy skits. So, to inject tension and anxiety, they make the Christians and republicans their nemesis. They ruminate endlessly of the repercussions of criticizing these institiutions on their SNL type show. Get real! Leno, Letterman, Stewart, et al make their living criticizing the current administration. What will happen if Christians or the Pope are mocked? Nothing! We live in an open society! Unless, of course, we laugh at Muslims...