Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
This Aaron Sorkin drama/comedy went on September 18, 2006 on the network NBC. After an explosive opening episode, people started to turn the channel. The network cancelled it after 22 episodes. It’s loosely based on Saturday Night Live, and it gives an inside look to the behind the scenes stories that go into making a live TV show.
This is its strength. A frantic pace goes on the scenes and actions that most other shows can’t even imagine. Each episode has a main plot that and a few character subplots usually involving the crewmembers. I started to look forward to the behind the scenes activity in every fictional episode.
Considering that the show is based on a make-believe comedy skit show, the jokes aren’t that funny. However, Sorkin’s show is more of a drama than a comedy.
Sometimes, the drama aspect of the series became a bit too much to take seriously. Like MC stated before, the quality of the series took a dip toward the middles of the season. The show began to take on more soap opera characterizations. It felt like the network forced this focus down their throats. And, I think it was more harmful to the overall series than helped it.
Sorkin is skillful with mixing political issues with drama, but not relationship storylines, which took over the middle of the season. The writers were misdirected with the soapy love storyline between Amanda Peet and Bradley Whitford.
Speaking of Amanda Peet, she is great as the studio-programming executive that is always on the short list of being fired. Matthew Perry finally had a role where we can find him compelling to watch. Bradley Whitford is Bradley Whitford. All three have great chemistry together. D.L. Hughley plays a good character too; we just don’t see enough of him in the series.
Given that 30 Rock covered the same ground and the show lean a little too heavily to the left, the show was doomed to begin with. There are a number of reasons behind its failure, and I will not get into it. But, I thought the show improved toward the end.
Grade: B-
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2 comments:
I have a friend that suggested that West Wing had a subject that demanded gravitas, but the subject of Studio 60 does not demand that same level of seriousness.
I can see that too. I think the show tried to reach that same level as The West Wing, but kind of got side-tracked with that mid-season lull. I'll give show points for that.
It would have been interesting to see where they took the show in a second season.
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