Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC, 2006)

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Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006)
Pilot

Aaron Sorkin's penchant for witty banter and sophisticated socio-political-cultural dialogue is what distinguishes his shows from standard fare (most notably "The West Wing"). His new show, "Studio 60,"  is about network TV. The pilot introduces the lead characters through simple title cards: Amanda Peet plays Jordan, a sexy and charming executive recently promoted as the president of Studio 60, a prestigious show that has recently seen itself "labotomised" with political correctness and poor writing. The pilot begins with a legendary TV host interrupting the flaccid programming and pulling an Edward R Murrow - he basically tells the audience that TV is shit and piss poor and it is run by corporate monkeys. All of which is true, and Peet's executive sees this an opportunity to lure back two talented writer and director team - Mathew Perry's Matt and Bradley Whitford's Dillon. That's the basic premise.

This duo will revamp the once illustrious Studio 60 in the coming episodes and face off more politics, office romance and the ocassional freedom of speech subtext. Sorkin's writing is razor-sharp and perhaps the most appealing aspect of "Studio 60." Setting the world of the story in present time helps (Soderbergh and Spike Jonze are referenced as hot directors while even Felicity Huffman makes a cameo as, well, Felicity Huffman!)

It's not groundbreaking or anything but "Studio 60 on Sunset Strip" holds promise. Besides, any show that ends with Bowie's "Under Pressure" gets my vote of confidence. ak


Rating:
out of

[kaytee]

Watched this last nite and it was impressive. The humour was subtle, the drama was not too loud and the characters were all likeable. But I was mostly impressed with Amanda Peet, she is so cute and ruthless at the same time.
I was never into West Wing but from the little that I have seen it was really funny at times. I get the same feel for Studio 60 and hopefully that is a good thing.

Well another show to be on my watch list.

[kaytee]

Some insight on the creator of the show - Alan Sorkin

''There's always been a struggle between art and commerce, but now, I'm telling you, art is getting its ass kicked.'' So says Wes Mendell (Judd Hirsch) in the already-famous meltdown monologue that kicks off the first episode of the eagerly awaited Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Now, here to kick back a little on behalf of art, comes Aaron Sorkin, and he's wearing steel-toed boots.

Wes, of course, gets fired for his act of on-air insurrection at Studio 60, the sketch-comedy series he produces, but Sorkin, in a nice coup, has apparently been hired to have characters voice such opinions on the air in prime time on NBC. The line between Sorkin and his characters is a thin one, as is apparent throughout this first episode, and as I'm sure we'll see over the course of the series. Here's some of what we should be watching for:

Sorkiniana You probably don't have to know all the inside baseball of Sorkin's own career and personal history to appreciate Studio 60, but if you do know the details, it's fun to spot similar ones in the characters of Matt (Matthew Perry) and Danny (Bradley Whitford). After all, when you hear a character say of Matt's history with Studio 60, ''It took four years, but the show collapsed without him,'' it's hard not to think of what happened to The West Wing after NBC fired Sorkin for missing deadlines. Similarly, you won't have to be familiar with Sorkin's own well-publicized drug history to appreciate Danny's losing a directing job over a positive test for cocaine (more on that below), and you don't have to know that Sorkin dated The West Wing's Kristin Chenoweth to appreciate Matt's ruptured romance with Harriet (Sarah Paulson), a blond, devoutly Christian cast member (more on that below, too). But it's all there for gossip hounds to find without digging too deep.

Addiction and recovery Drugs are everywhere in this first episode — in the dressing room of Studio 60's musical guests, Three 6 Mafia, at the boozy after party, and in Matt's bloodstream (he's hopped up on painkillers after back surgery). By the way, I'm enjoying Perry's woozy, wounded characterization. I spotted him playing Chandler only once this episode, when he catches himself blathering on and tells himself out loud to stop talking.

There's even Wes' reference to the TV remote as a crack pipe. See, it's not just Sorkin; we're all addicted to something.

Mostly, of course, drugs are an issue for Danny; even his last name is Tripp. I'm not sure why a single failed drug test would make Danny uninsurable as a film director but wouldn't keep him from landing a two-year, multimillion-dollar contract producing 40 episodes of a major network's flagship comedy franchise. But it'll be interesting to see whether cocaine or sobriety proves to be a bigger stumbling block in his new job. Besides, if Three 6 Mafia can be unabashed potheads (at least as depicted here) and still win an Oscar, there's hope for Danny.

Red-state baiting The sketch for which Wes was willing to throw away his career was something called ''Crazy Christians.'' Written years ago by Matt, it's supposedly brilliant (Harriet's only objection to the piece is that she isn't in it), but given the title, it sounds pretty hacky. Sorkin is entitled to take on the sorts of viewers whose easily offended sensibilities, as channeled through mass e-mails to the FCC, have helped make TV more timid and bland, but so far, his critique lacks any real cleverness, insight, or understanding of the other side's point of view.

Who knows, seeming oxymoron Harriet could turn out to be the most fascinating character on the show. I have a lot of optimism about Paulson, who was a delightfully funny and charming scene-stealer in the underrated Down With Love, but given Matt's unbending antipathy toward Harriet's faith and her coreligionists, it's a wonder that the two ever dated. Calling Pat Robertson a ''bigot'' and likening his 700 Club to a ''Klan rally'' is as shrill and knee-jerk as the other side's intolerance. I'd be more interested in seeing a satirical take on religion from the inside — the kind Harriet might offer, if Sorkin lets her grow and breathe.

The battle for the soul of television If Wes' rant is a blatant reference to Peter Finch's ''I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore'' moment in Network, then Amanda Peet and Steven Weber must be Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall. I'm actually liking Peet's Jordan McDeere, who treats every crisis as an opportunity and greets every setback with a bemused, beatific smile. It's still not clear whether Jordan is bringing Matt and Danny back to run Studio 60 because she's an idealist who believes in quality or because, like Dunaway's Network character, she's merely interested in creating sensationalism and controversy in order to drive ratings. I'm not too confident about the first possibility (after all, in the last great late-night-comedy war, Jordan sided with Jay against Dave), but she might turn out to be an honorable person, judging by her discreet handling of Danny's drug secret. As Danny wonders, ''What if she's for real?''

Similarly, I'm hoping that by casting Wings' likable Steven Weber as Jack Rudolph, Jordan's boss, Sorkin won't make the character a cardboard corporate villain. After all, Jack doesn't appear to be dishonest, stupid, or insincere, just expedient. And he is giving Jordan's experiment with Studio 60 a chance, however provisional. It's not like he has any better ideas — and that's usually the worst thing one can say about someone on a Sorkin show, that he's not creative or idealistic or capable of engaging in witty banter as he walks down the hall.

In any case, it's fun to watch Sorkin biting the hand that feeds him. ''This show used to be cutting-edge political and social satire, but it's gotten lobotomized by a candy-assed broadcast network hell-bent on doing nothing that might challenge their audience,'' says Wes, who goes on to insult not only Saturday Night Live but several other NBC shows as well. NBC, in turn, gets to inoculate itself from such criticism by being daring enough to air Sorkin's polemic. When the wee Suzanne, a Tiny Tim-like production assistant, meekly asks Matt, ''Are you coming to save us?'' it seems she's not just asking about the sketch-comedy show but the whole NBS network (read: ratings-challenged NBC) and maybe even all of television itself. That's a tall order for Matt/Sorkin to fill, but it's a load he's placed on his own shoulders. I look forward to seeing how far he can carry it.

[kaytee]

Read somewhere that the second episode has got far better ratings and reviews than the Pilot. Looks like we have a winner here.

[kaytee]

The third episode is out and this show just keeps getting interesting. Mathew Perry, Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet are the main characters on the show and they keep churning the laughs. This one is going places.

[kaytee]

This one is getting boring, the 5th episode was horrible, the writing was really unwitty. Guess I will give it one more watch and if it doesnt improve its bye bye.

[madali]

I've read the same reviews. While i enjoyed the pilot, I heard that there is too much focus on romantic subplots, which isn't what I think would be appealing by the show.

[captainhowdy]

OK, I watched the shows first 8 episodes (out of 9) back to back over the weekend.

How can you tell if a TV show has something to do with Mr. Aaron "West Wing" Sorkin?
- Each episode will feature several endless steadicam shots
- Characters are often quite bitchy and will speak really, really fast
- Characters will burst into rooms often
- Although the conversations are quite intelligent, regular humans cannot speak like Sorkin's characters

The pilot was impressive but it wasn't so good that it left me wanting more. The first thing that struck me was that none of the characters were very likable, especially the two male leads - Mathew Perry and Bradley Whitford. Sure their characters have a no nonsense attitude and are under high pressure to deliver every week, but so what?  But the most important reason, the plots for each episode so far really aren't all that interesting.

Ratings and viewer ship has fallen 50% since the show started airing on NBC. My prediction: either the show will cease to exist after the first season or it might be picked up for a second with much fewer episodes.

[captainhowdy]

From SLATE Magazine:

Can Studio 60 Be Saved?
Aaron Sorkin's sermonizing sketch comedy.
By Dan Kois

http://www.slate.com/id/2151608/

[kaytee]

Watched the Episode # 14 and I loved the episode. Maybe coz it didnt have anything to do with the Studio 60 show that these people try to put up every week, this time it was more personal. Characters doing all sorts of things but put the show. Someone asking someone out, someone fighting with a new recruit, someone trying to save the company, etc...Also the story is heading in a good direction, but dont know if the writers will be able to pull them off.

Watch this one, its getting pretty interesting.

[captainhowdy]

I've actually watched the first 11 eps. twice! As I was telling AK the other day, I LOVE this show! I don't understand why some critics at TIME magazine and Entertainment Weekly are calling it "the worst show of 2006"! WTF! Its smart, its fun and its highly addictive!

[kaytee]

Episode 15 was one of the worst of the season. Chandler going through a crisis and showing the story shift between his past and present was bad. I missed the smart and funny banter between the actors.

[captainhowdy]

Episode 15 was one of the worst of the season. Chandler going through a crisis and showing the story shift between his past and present was bad. I missed the smart and funny banter between the actors.

*SPOILERS*

Part 1 of "The Harriette Dinner" was great. Funny, moving and fast paced. All the factors which make this a highly enjoyable show. I am so glad Jordan and Danny finally hooked up. Cal and Bevo and their snake-ferret-coyote adventure was a barrel of laughs. Jack Rudolph and Tom Jeter's little 'asian adventure' was both warm and fun to watch. I see what you mean about Matt and Harriette. I thought in Part 1, it was very well written. Especially when Harriette tells Matt that this time they're breaking up for real and "not to be scared". For anyone (especially a guy) who's gone through a break up after and yet been in constant touch with the other person, they'll know exactly what this means.

[kaytee]

Yes The Harriet Dinner Part 1 and 2 were excellent but the one following that The Friday Night Slaughter was horrible. Have a look and let me know what you think.

[kaytee]

And we are back.

NBC has set a return date for "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."

The Aaron Sorkin drama, which arrived last fall as the season's most hyped show and vanished from NBC's schedule amidst sinking ratings, will move to Thursday nights at 10 p.m. starting on May 24, at least according to the network's website for the show.

Not-so-coincidentally, that Thursday is the day after the end of the crucial May sweeps period and it comes a week after the upfront presentation at which NBC will reveal to advertisers whether or not "Studio 60" has a future on the network next season.

The show's chances for renewal are believed to be relatively slim.

Savvy viewers will recall that this is a return of sorts for "Studio 60." Last May, NBC announced that the series would air on Thursday nights at 9 p.m., only to run scurrying to Mondays after ABC moved "Grey's Anatomy" into the same time period.

"Studio 60" had a solid premiere, but by the time February rolled around the series was drawing only around 7 million same-day viewers (factoring in DVR usage gave the series a boost). The last original "Studio 60" aired back on February 19, before NBC shelved it a week earlier than expected for "The Black Donnellys."

Of course, "The Black Donnellys" failed to even premiere big and NBC pulled the plug on that Paul Haggis-created drama after only six episodes, replacing it with "The Real Wedding Crashers," which also didn't exactly dominate the time period.

NBC has yet to announce its specific intentions for the truncated "Studio 60" return. Six episodes remain unaired.