Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

I've enjoyed Sorkin ever since I saw A Few Good Men. Sports Night gets regular repeats in my DVD player, and while I never quite got in to West Wing because of scheduling problems on my end, what I did see always impressed me. So I was waiting very eagerly for Studio 60 to premiere. It didn't disappoint.

Now, this show is probably not for everyone. Sorkin doesn't lob softballs at us. He wants us to think, he's not going to spell every little thing out for the audience. Some see him as being preachy, but I'm afraid they not seeing for the forest for the trees here. Some also accuse him of anti-whatever propaganda, but fail to acknowledge or account for the existence of counter balance in the show itself (IE anti-Christian sentiments in S60, although one of his main characters is a level headed and likable Christian woman).

The cast is sublime. Matthew Perry pretty much does what he does, but now he can be the edgier actor he wanted to be. Bradley Whitford has always been underrated and he doesn't fail to impress me here. All of the other members of the supporting cast (including Timothy Busfield, who was looking surprisingly John Ritter-esquire in profile) are worthy. I've seen tons of criticism for Amanda Peet as the newly named president of the network, but I honestly can say I'm buying it. She does have a tendency to make the same face for everything, but otherwise, she's playing the part as it's written. Sometimes it's not the actor, it is the character (see Holmes, Katie and Begins, Batman), and I think this is one of those times. She's playing a relatively young powerful female exec like I'd expect her to. Kinda wink wink like, with a poker face.

Overall, I think this show, only 2 episodes in, is already one of the best shows on the network channels today. Hopefully NBC will give it the due course it deserves, even while it openly mocks the network.

It is funny, smart, articulate, and touched the heart all at the same time. So of course word is that is has been canceled! It ran so briefly before getting pre-empted several times, that it barely got seen, yet NBC saw fit to shoot it down, and will be putting on several live game shows and other reality garbage of that ilk. Worse than that, they now torture us with the last new episodes, so that we might be bereft when it is gone. I wish there was a way to save the show, but networks rarely let shows live long enough to find their audience. NBC barely let it run long enough for anyone to find it. I think the best episode was the "Disaster Show," and watching Allison Janey and former "West Wing" lover Tim Busfield work together. What a hoot. What a waste that such a clever show will be lost to TV history.

There are (delightful) shades of Sports Night's Dan & Casey combo in this very well written series. Matthew Perry was right to wait for the perfect project to come along. From the looks of it, Studio 60 will let him do what he has seldom been afforded the opportunity to do, and that is subtle comedy with an edge. West Wing fans will have no problem accepting Bradley Whitford in this decidedly un-Josh Lyman role. Rounding out the core cast are some of Hollywood's most interesting and under-cast actors, including D.L. Hughley, Sarah Pauley (perhaps this will finally be the break out that she deserves) and Steven Webber. And Amanda Peete is magnetic in her return to both the small screen and to center stage, as a driven and enigmatic young television exec. Aaron Sorkin & Tommy Schlamme deliver once again.

After having seen the pilot episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, I am left with a sudden sense of excitement for the series to begin. The show hits the gate hard as a veteran executive producer of a late night comedy show (Judd Hirsch) goes on a verbal assault on live television, a moment straight out of Network (which the news media quickly catches onto). The studio is in complete disarray only minutes after the show ends, especially since the network's new president (Amanda Peet) as only been on the job for one day. How can they repair the damage done? Why not call in the two men who made the show a hit (Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford), and have since been fired two years prior. But things aren't going to be so easy to fix since there are execs just waiting to shred all three of them to pieces.

The show is pure Aaron Sorkin: it's witty, intelligent, and heart-felt about issues. It's also a blast to watch as a cast of incredibly talented actors and actresses work together to make Sorkin's words shine. But one thing Studio 60 isn't is a retread of either Sports Night or The West Wing. It's a completely different monster. This time, Sorkin's looking to dive deep into the worlds of Hollywood, Mass Media, and Big Business. With Perry and Whitford, we have televisions new odd couple, both incredibly funny both alone and together. Peet brings her A-game with her as she takes on her most ambitious part yet. And let's not forget some great contributions by D.L. Hughley, Timothy Busfield and Steven Webber. And this is coming straight from the pilot. Who knows where the show will go from here. But I know where I'm going to be on Monday nights.

I will not only be talking about Matthew Perry here, i promise, but i need to say this. I am a Friends fan. A can-quote-them-in-the-middle-of-the-night, know-and-own-every-episode kind of fan and i was worried about Mr. Perry, it's just the curse of playing a certain role for 10 years. I must admit, hands down, he is brilliant! Fantastic! Not once did i think of Chandler or Friends for that matter and i applaud him.

Now, Ms. Peet is wonderful too and i did not know she was this talented, i must admit. And Bradley Whitford - i loved him in West Wing, i love him here. I could in fact go on and on about the casting of this show, which is brilliant (Sarah Paulson - OMG), but i don't want to make this comment too long.

I was looking forward to this show and i am not disappointed! The writing is superb, engaging, the dialogues are quick and witty and intelligent! I am a sucker for shows that make me think, that make me watch open mouthed and leave me shell shocked and in not being able to believe the 45 minutes are gone. I re-watched it a couple of times just because i knew there were things i missed in the first run.

To Mr. Sorkin and everybody who is creating this show: you're doing an amazing job! I am hooked. And i so hope this show is here to stay!