Studio 60

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Buffymommy

I personally boycotted The Black Donnellys so I could get Studio 60 back. I LOVE Studio 60.

I've never seen it...even while unemployed I have only so much time and all these DVD's...

[GenuineRisk]

I started out watching it, but gave up halfway through the season. I love Aaron Sorkin, but I think that the stakes just weren't high enough for a one-hour drama. I think it would have worked much better as a half-hour comedy, where the stakes would have seemed appropriate- I mean, how much drama can you find in a bunch of very wealthy TV people putting on a show every week? Lots of comedy, yes, but drama?

And, as pretty as the actress playing Harriet is, she's clearly not a comedienne, which made her kind of unbelievable as Matthew Perry's muse.

And the sketches weren't funny or dangerous. They should have gotten Bob Odenkirk to write those parts of the show.

That said, I did stay for half the season because Aaron Sorkin's dialogue is always great and I thought Matthew Perry and what-his-name-I-can-never-remember were terrific in it.

(As you can see, I've had many discussions about this show before. I just wanted it to be better than it is. Well, I still have Sports Night reruns... )

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

I started out watching it, but gave up halfway through the season. I love Aaron Sorkin, but I think that the stakes just weren't high enough for a one-hour drama. I think it would have worked much better as a half-hour comedy, where the stakes would have seemed appropriate- I mean, how much drama can you find in a bunch of very wealthy TV people putting on a show every week? Lots of comedy, yes, but drama?

And, as pretty as the actress playing Harriet is, she's clearly not a comedienne, which made her kind of unbelievable as Matthew Perry's muse.

And the sketches weren't funny or dangerous. They should have gotten Bob Odenkirk to write those parts of the show.

That said, I did stay for half the season because Aaron Sorkin's dialogue is always great and I thought Matthew Perry and what-his-name-I-can-never-remember were terrific in it.

(As you can see, I've had many discussions about this show before. I just wanted it to be better than it is. Well, I still have Sports Night reruns... )

The sketches are funnier than anything SNL's been doing lately though. I figure the issues with drugs and sexual harassment that were there recently were getting into the grit. There is some stuff coming up in the next show that would've been more dramatic supposedly. I mean this is about a family really--the thing is I'm kinda frustrated that they don't have at least someone that's obnoxious and hard to deal with on the cast but is supposedly super talented. I mean they need to hire more writers besides Andy, Lucy, and Darius, the fact that they haven't been trying too hard is weird, and to have some breakthrough talent that's hard to handle backstage would be more believable. I still think there are things I enjoy a lot. Go back and watch old shows on iTunes or DVR. You'll like it better than maybe you did the first time. I just find it hard to believe some of these shows on tv either have a big following or are still getting support from networks when they're crap. Seriously Criminal Minds? Mandy Patinkin is a known jerk. CSI: Miami has Caruso-itis. What About Brian--yipes... They renewed Men in Trees which is likable fluff for me but c'mon why not renew this show too? The Save One Show campaign starts Friday on E!Online at Kristin's page in the gossip section. Check it out and vote for this show.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

The sketches are funnier than anything SNL's been doing lately though. I figure the issues with drugs and sexual harassment that were there recently were getting into the grit. There is some stuff coming up in the next show that would've been more dramatic supposedly. I mean this is about a family really--the thing is I'm kinda frustrated that they don't have at least someone that's obnoxious and hard to deal with on the cast but is supposedly super talented. I mean they need to hire more writers besides Andy, Lucy, and Darius, the fact that they haven't been trying too hard is weird, and to have some breakthrough talent that's hard to handle backstage would be more believable. I still think there are things I enjoy a lot. Go back and watch old shows on iTunes or DVR. You'll like it better than maybe you did the first time. I just find it hard to believe some of these shows on tv either have a big following or are still getting support from networks when they're crap. Seriously Criminal Minds? Mandy Patinkin is a known jerk. CSI: Miami has Caruso-itis. What About Brian--yipes... They renewed Men in Trees which is likable fluff for me but c'mon why not renew this show too? The Save One Show campaign starts Friday on E!Online at Kristin's page in the gossip section. Check it out and vote for this show.

Sorry but my vote will have to go to Veronica Mars! I think the best show currently on TV...although Bones is gaining rapidly!

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Sorry but my vote will have to go to Veronica Mars! I think the best show currently on TV...although Bones is gaining rapidly!

I honestly think Veronica's gonna get renewed. I know everybody's worried but I really think they'll save it so I don't see the point of wasting a vote when I think Studio 60 would benefit more by winning--I think VM can be saved without it much more easily. Gilmore Girls contract negotiations with Alexis Bledel have really gone south. She doesn't wanna stay and Lauren doesn't wanna stay without her so if they go, I just don't think Veronica would go too. The CW can't cancel everything and 7th Heaven's probably gone for good this time. And why all this talk of retooling the show to jump forward in time and have Veronica as an FBI agent (with all the high schoolish politics of a lower level newbie agent who's still really good at getting into mischief and solving stuff) if they're not gonna do it? I think it'll work. I've let Gilmore go after the successive shark jumping--I'll still watch but trying to save the show? Why bother, all the votes in the world won't convince Alexis.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

I honestly think Veronica's gonna get renewed. I know everybody's worried but I really think they'll save it so I don't see the point of wasting a vote when I think Studio 60 would benefit more by winning--I think VM can be saved without it much more easily. Gilmore Girls contract negotiations with Alexis Bledel have really gone south. She doesn't wanna stay and Lauren doesn't wanna stay without her so if they go, I just don't think Veronica would go too. The CW can't cancel everything and 7th Heaven's probably gone for good this time. And why all this talk of retooling the show to jump forward in time and have Veronica as an FBI agent (with all the high schoolish politics of a lower level newbie agent who's still really good at getting into mischief and solving stuff) if they're not gonna do it? I think it'll work. I've let Gilmore go after the successive shark jumping--I'll still watch but trying to save the show? Why bother, all the votes in the world won't convince Alexis.

I don't know, CW didn't order a full season of episodes this season (only 17 or so instead of 22 I believe) and ratings have been down...VM is a great show but hasn't obtained mainstream appeal...if they do go the FBI route, they must keep Veronica (duh, I know), her dad and Logan at the very least...losing any of those characters would be terrible!

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

The sketches are funnier than anything SNL's been doing lately though.

Yeah, but that's not exactly saying much. I just don't think the sketches on Studio 60 are funny, either. Admittedly, sketch is really, really hard to do well, but if the show's going to be about a sketch show that's finding its mojo again, they need the sketches to reflect that (or just not show them at all, which could work).

Again, my problem is that I don't think the premise works as an hour drama.

But yes, there are much crappier things on TV that do really well, and Studio 60 is still a lot better than most of what's out there. It just wasn't able to hold me.

Though I think I still have the most recent 10 episodes on my DVR. I just haven't watched them.