Is it too soon to start another “Studio 60″ pile-on?
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- January
- 5
Over the holidays, the LA Times ran a great article about Scarsdale native Aaron Sorkin’s show, basically summing up why comedy writers love mocking it. The lede says it all:
It is generally accepted that doctors hate shows about doctors, lawyers hate shows about lawyers, and so on. So perhaps it’s the order of things that many comedic writers appear to hate Aaron Sorkin’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” the dramatic series about a “Saturday Night Live”-like comedy show. But is it natural for them to take such pleasure in it?
Weighing in are comedy writers Ken Levine (“Frasier,” “The Simpsons”), Amelie Gillete (The Onion), and the group Employee of the Month. Remember them? They were the ones with the quixotic quest to create a real-life comedy show based entirely on the unseen sketches from “Studio 60” (“Nicholas Cage: Couples Counselor,” “Crazy Christians,” etc, etc).
Which of course begs the question: When the show returns on Jan.22, will we be treated to an episode about a comedy group mocking Matt Albie and Co.? A drama about a sketch comedy group impersonating a sketch comedy show set in a drama about sketch comedy. Probably not all that funny, but brilliant I tell you, just brilliant!
“Comedy writers aren’t laughing about ‘Studio 60’” [LA Times]
(NBC photo: Art Streiber)
This entry was posted
on Friday, January 5th, 2007 at 12:17 pm by Ted Mann.
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Huh? It’s actually coming back??? I thought it got cancelled as it just stopped airing abruptly. If they want to keep the show on the air, however, they’ll need to be a heck of a lot more inventive in the growth of their characters and plots. So far, for a show about a comedy show, the jokes create a dead silence. The romance is utterly confusing and, to be honest, I can almost see many of the West Wing characters molding through into this cast.
I love the cast line-up and I hope they can pull this one together.
In response to the previous post:
Yes, it is actually coming back, but no, it didn’t stop airing abruptly. After its Christmas episode on December 4, it was done for the month. If I’m not mistaken, that day marked the last new episode for “Heroes” until January 22, as well. Plus, the early December airing of the Christmas episode of “Studio 60” is far less “abrupt” than “Desperate Housewives,” at least. Wisteria Lane was decked out for Christmas on November 26 and hasn’t aired a new episode since; however, it will air a new one tomorrow night.
I have actually found many of the jokes on the show to be funny, and have laughed out loud multiple times… but that’s just me.
Admittedly, the show is no “The West Wing,” but it ain’t half bad. Yeah, there have been some truly cringe-worthy moments, but also some brilliant.
I too am hoping that “they can pull this one together,” but I think the real issue is going to be getting people to tune in—and I have no idea how that will get done.
I’m a conflicted fan, too. I think I’ve watched every episode, and I’ve found it to be just as, if not more engrossing than the West Wing.
Yet while Sorkin may be a master of dialogue, he’s not even remotely funny. So, the question it seems is: Is it possible to create a good dramatic show about the comedy business without being comedic? Thanks to Tina Fey, the folks behind “30 Rock” seem to get it—though, I admit, as funny as that show is, I don’t feel compelled to watch it week in and week out. In other words, while “Studio 60” may not be authentic, the serialized drama format does make up for a lot of that.
Anywho, fingers crossed that it will be better in ‘07.
We love this show and watch it every time it airs, but like many late nighters who detest commercials we watch it on time delay. Just can’t stand any interruptions, including work, kids and/or commercials! It’s not a comedy, so I don’t expect it to be funny. It’s great to watch, though and I love the characters. FYI, many people don’t think SNL is funny and it IS a comedy. I actually laugh more with Studio 60 than SNL. The comparisons with Tina Fey’s show are interesting, her show started off slower, but has grown on me largely because of Baldwin, his character is amazing, razor sharp and smart as hell. His timing is flawless.