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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

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17:05 / 24.10.06

I want to follow that up by saying that I believe DL Hughley to be funny in real life. And his acting makes me believe that the person that he plays on the show is funny (even if we have not seen it). That Simon on Studio 60 is not only a comedian, but funny. Nate Cordry's character (whose name escapes me), seems to be the one that does impressions, fine. But Harriet still seems like a shockingly unfunny person on the show. I dunno, maybe all the sketches we don't see have the audience rolling in the aisles, but what we do see is as somber as a tomb. Somewhere I read the suggestion that Amanda Peet should have gotten Sarah Paulsen's part, and that is an idea that I can stand behind.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

17:14 / 28.10.06

Does Aaron Sorkin hate poor people or is he writing a show in which all the characters are conceited arseholes that hate poor people? The teenage girls who are apparently so stupid they don't understand the meaning of the word 'writer'?

18:49 / 28.10.06

I don't get the connection. How is their ignorance related to poverty?

19:01 / 28.10.06

So I think there's one thing we're all agreed on - for the most part, the bloody scripts of the show within a show appear to be resolutely excruiciatingly bad. Sorkin can write observational comedy through witty banter and character, but he's not so good at sketches that don't come across as being patronising, clumsy and unfunny. I can't help thinking that there are missed opportunities here - that they could have the last two minutes of the show each week - or over the credits maybe - be a bit of super awesome topical comedy assembled separately by actual comedy writers like the people from the Daily Show.

W/R/T the race issue, I don't know what I think. It seemed like he'd decided to take on a relatively large issue and represent it from a variety of perspectives - ie. he'd decided to talk about an environment in which shows are accused of being unrepresentative, which of course they are, but where also a large number of minority comedians (and I look towards my own gay people here as well) either tend towards satirisation of the stereotypes of their own culture in sort of reverse uncle tomish circumstances or only talk towards their own communities. Or maybe it's more specific than that, in that the only comedians who make it onto television in the US appear to fit into these niches. That is to say that there is a problem here that is more varied and multifarious than it might appear, one specifically in which through the episode the chief writer is revealed as not really exploring comedy from different parts of the population, where the audience is exposed as only really wanting certain types of comedy that reinforces rather than challenges their stereotypes and where comedians of all colours and backgrounds are seen to be quite comfortable to play to those prejudices rather than trying to find a way to self-represent that challenges them.

Which is not to say it's not a clumsy episode - I found it difficult viewing and surprisingly unnuanced in its depiction of these issues. But I'd rather he was trying to engage with issues like that one rather than avoid them, and you don't see a lot of engagement with this kind of question elsewhere.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

20:15 / 28.10.06

Jack Fear Is Harsh But Fair I don't get the connection. How is their ignorance related to poverty?

Because the most ignorant people in any scene in S60 tend to be those that are the poorest. Or the poorest people in a scene tend to be the most ignorant. Take your pick.

11:47 / 30.10.06

So how do people feel about the show in question apparently being on its way towards cancellation before the end of the season?

Keith, like a scientist

12:14 / 30.10.06

I don't think that's certain, but I wouldn't be surprised. It's failed to live up to it's own hype and 'purpose,' although I enjoyed the last two episodes quite a bit. They felt fairly WW...a little more comfortable in terms of interaction.

It's not on tonight, but it's back next week with a new episode. Seems like "Friday Night Lights" is the show on it's way out...and they are trying to give another chance in another slot tonight.

From what I've read of the network, they don't seem to be troubled by S60's ratings, because it's scoring high in high income households, the niche market they expected to watch it.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

13:49 / 30.10.06

Is anyone able to compare and contrast what's been broadcast so far opposite the same first few episodes of 'West Wing'?

Our Lady Has Left the Building

05:59 / 02.11.06

Yotsuba & Benjamin!

21:06 / 02.11.06

No, I don't think I will. Aaron needs to learn a lesson here.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

14:01 / 03.11.06

Hmmm. I'm not sure that's enough. I suggest you find his personal email address and then send him a long email detailing all the flaws with the series and then end with "worst series set in a fictional TV show ever!" to complete the zing.

14:59 / 08.11.06

Maybe if they had plotlines other than that involved something other than the religious right the show'd be more enjoyable.

15:35 / 08.11.06

I actually enjoyed this week's episode. I even thought the sketch was funny, which frankly amazed me.

Not sure how I feel about the gay thugs....

Keith, like a scientist

03:08 / 10.11.06

Full season order, apparently.

I'm shocked, but perhaps the last few weeks have softened the show in viewer's eyes. They've certainly been less caustic than "The Focus Group" episode, which nearly made my ears bleed. Since then it's seemed like more of an ensemble show that is starting to work.

Yotsuba & Benjamin!

13:47 / 10.11.06

Maybe if they had plotlines other than that involved something other than the religious right the show'd be more enjoyable.

Fucking A. I've never seen a show kick itself in the balls so hard and so repeatedly after such a promising pilot. Nevada Day Part 1 was excruciating on every level. And it's kind of hard to grasp. There's such enormous talent on every level of production here and yet at every turn they're stuffing themselves into such horrific Preaching To The Converted hamhanded bullshit. I wanted to see a season of creative conflict with Ricky and Ron, behind the scenes drama, not all this Red State/Blue State starcrossed America nonsense. Maybe it's the fact that they still use The West Wing font, but the subject matter and the gravitas devoted to it is so out of place that it is literally not even funny.

In several ways more difficult to subject myself to than The War At fucking Home. That garbage I can just turn off but, seriously, this was supposed to replace Deadwood. Ugh, this show is fucking terrible and makes me sad.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

07:22 / 13.11.06

Well Nevada Day 1 is a slightly different take in that it starts with Token Christian Woman being the victim for once due to her Christian utterings, drawing Token Slightly Cute Dorky Guy and Almost Token Black Guy in to the mess (I'm fairly confident that two relaxed cops wouldn't insist on dragging TSCDG out in his shepherd costume but never mind) but I'm having real problems remembering characters names and, six or seven episodes in, that's not good.

It's as though, a bit like Matt Perry's character, there were all these other big plotlines that Sorkin intended to do, they've been delayed so he's having to extemporise a show around Christianity.

17:37 / 18.11.06

No, I don't think I will save Studio 60. Not only do I think it is a show wildly undeserving of a second chance, but unlike shows such as Arrested Development, Firefly, and even Sports Night, it has received the full support of the network. Arrested, Firefly, and Sports Night all received meager advertising, constantly changing nights, and times, and a network schedule that seemed positively apathetic towards the product. On the other hand, Studio 60 has received a massive push by the network and is still floundering. This is due to it being dreck.

I just finished watching Nevada Part 2 (I can't stop watching the show, despite myself I still hold out hope that something good will happen). I don't think I have ever seen human emotion displayed so poorly. I wonder if Sorkin has ever interacted with a human being at this point. And his concept of debate and discussion just freaking kills me. I don't know if he needs to cut back on the psychoactive mushrooms or take more, because the current dose isn't working.

30 Rock is a show that despite its flaws is able to make fun of itself, the culture it comes from, and be genuinely funny.

16:05 / 05.02.07

NBC announces that Studio 60 is going on hiatus; does not mention when—or if—it will be returning.

Keith, like a scientist

16:59 / 05.02.07

Jack, I'm curious if you are still watching and what you think?

I think some of the early issues have been addressed in these later episodes, but it's still preachy, still not as funny as it could be, and not quite firing on all cylinders all the time... that said, there have been some bright points.

17:29 / 05.02.07

I'm still watching, though not as attentively as I once did, and my opinion hasn't really changed; I think it's a wittily-written show predicated on some awful, reactionary ideas. Its convoluted racial politics (exemplified by the conflict between Simon and Darius) have started eating their own tail; its sexual politics, with Matt reinvented as a dickless yearner and Danny as a terrifying stalker, have become increasingly queasy; its pop culture riffs have become both more comfortable (Boomer-friendly Rolling Stones references) and more credulity-straining (Sarah Paulson/Harriet Hayes as Anita Pallenberg? Getouttahere); and the A-list cast are sitting back helplessly as Timothy Busfield and Steven Webber steal the goddam show right out from under them.

Worst of all, the pacing has gotten painfully slack. Tonight's the third of a three-part episode, the storytelling beats of which—A, B, and C plots all—could be covered in a single 22-minute episode of Three's Company. It's self-indulgent, and its inexcusable.

It's train-wreck fascinating.

Keith, like a scientist

18:37 / 05.02.07

I really have no idea what the deal is with the Simon and Darius conflict...I can't tell how Sorkin is speaking through and/or against or even what the hell his point is meant to be.

I'm a bit of a sucker for the Danny/Jordan thing, even though it did get crazy stalker story. I can only guess that this is an event from Sorkin's life that he is exorcising. I think it's mostly just that I like Whitford and Peet as those characters.

Highlight of the season since the premiere? 'The Wrap Party," wherein Jordan is drunk and says that Studio 60 is like her "Superman's Dome of Pleasure."

Our Lady Has Left the Building

19:44 / 05.02.07

Hoom, I was planning to wait until the end of the season and drop it, now it looks like I won't need to. What the fuck is going on? This show is now terrible with a bucketful of talented actors wandering around looking bewildered at the lines they are forced to say.

Part of the problem is that the characters are kept too separate. In West Wing it often seemed that everyone, be they Donna or guest-star-of-the-week, could hardly move for tripping over POTUS. In this show we have stories that involve Danny, Jordan and Jack on their own, we have stories that involve Matt and Harriet, or Harriet, Tom and Simon. How often has Harriet talked to Jack? Or Jordan to Simon? This is why we have the awful Danny-stalking-Jordan storyline, because there is no interest in having him talk to Lucy or Suzanne.

20:25 / 05.02.07

I really have no idea what the deal is with the Simon and Darius conflict...I can't tell how Sorkin is speaking through and/or against or even what the hell his point is meant to be.

They haven't developed it enough to tell what's going on - i.e. Darius hasn't actually told anyone what his motivation for passing on the sketch was. Maybe he didn't think it was funny, maybe he didn't want to write "black". I thought it would be (yes, train wreck) interesting to see what happens with that.

Keith, ditto on Danny/Jordan. In fact, I want to see where a lot of these plot lines go. But it has slowed considerably since they dropped the starting format - the build up to each friday night used set the pace much faster.

02:08 / 06.02.07

OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME

Our Lady Has Left the Building

05:43 / 06.02.07

Jack?

Regrettable Juvenilia

10:35 / 06.02.07

This summary of the latest episode suggests that Mr Fear could be exclaiming about a number of different elements to the show (racial politics, heterosexual interpersonal relationships, a coyote), and his incredulity would be justified in each case.

11:06 / 06.02.07

As one TWoP commenter put it:

It's the propaganda film of the Asshole Bully Society, where all the Asshole Bullies always turn out to be right in the end. What a warm, wonderful lesson for us all.

PRECISELY.

11:08 / 06.02.07

Seriously; this show has been blowing its promise so consistently that one can hardly pin down a moment when it "jumped the shark"—but last night's episode was more like "diving headfirst into the shark tank, wearing a life vest made of raw steaks."

Yotsuba & Benjamin!

06:47 / 07.02.07

I don't even DVR this anymore. It's just Sorkin talking about his day now.

"I was in some board meeting the other day and it struck me there was no Arts & Leisure section around. How profound. How telling."

I'm so proud of wee Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan for trouncing this garbage week after week.

19:11 / 07.02.07

Flyboy, now that I've seen the episode, I think that summary is pretty vicious. Now I know the show has shortcomings, and I've no idea who this Aaron Sorkin guy is, and I don't care enough to look into why everyone hates him so much, but that reviewer has a bee in their bonnet, and I can only think that a few viewers on the board do as well... As someone so clueless it seems ironic to me, given that the style, delivery, wit and humour of Studio 60 is so similar to that I see every day on Barbelith. Umm.. and some of the plotlines too.

19:53 / 07.02.07

OH FUCK KILL US ALL NOW PLEASE

22:42 / 07.02.07

Well... keep watching, your head will probably explode.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

06:02 / 12.02.07

I am officially giving up after part one of 'The Harriet Dinner', although I may read the TwoP summary to see how worse part two got. Part One just seemed like a badly telegraphed farce, Danny hates snakes, so do we think a snake will escape? Tom has to go to the dinner with someone else, so do we think he'll decide not to take the sensible route and explain to Lucy what is going on but instead lie to her? Do we think there's any possibility she's not turning up to the dinner herself? Isn't the Simon/Darius thing just weird?

And while 'she can't act' is too often used rather than 'I don't like that character' in complaints, there did seem to be several times in that episode where Sarah Paulson looked like she was standing aimlessly waiting for someone to give her her next cue.

23:14 / 12.02.07

I'd kept up with it til last week's episode, when I realised that there was not a single character on the show I actually cared about. Quite why the writers decided to make them all essentially loathsome is beyond me.

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