"The Wrap Party," indeed

Here is an excellent analysis about why "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" is moments away from cancellation.

Now my take, having seen what might be the last episode of "Studio 60" the general public gets to see before the DVD comes out.

It is not the Christian right that tuned out this show, any more than Bill O'Reilly aficionados are the reason David Letterman is in second place. (By that logic, Dave should shoot to the No. 1 spot after playing kissy-face with old Bill on Friday's show.)

No, the people who tuned out this show are the people who grew weary of "Studio 60's" plodding pace and endless recycling of less-than-dynamic story lines, such as the hire-a-brotha subplot from last week's episode and, yes, the ongoing Kristen Chenoweth/Victoria Jackson-alluding saga about how Matt doesn't want to be with a Christian.

It's not that the storyline is offensive. But the idea that viewers are expected to live off "Lost"-sized nibbles of development of this storyline week after week, while the rest of "Studio 60" moves along at a turgid pace that belies its frantic camera motion -- that's what started to offend even the show's hardcore viewers.

And now? It's 2000 all over again, only instead of Friday nights on CBS, it's Monday nights on NBC where the 9 o'clock show is doubling up the 10 o'clock show. (You'll recall CBS was all hot for a remake of "The Fugitive" starring Tim Daly, and shoehorned a little something called "CSI" behind it at 9 ... but not for long.)

With each passing week, it became more and more obvious that Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme were not going to recreate the magic of "The West Wing," and that they should've gone to NBC last spring and begged the network to continue that show for another season, with them at the helm.

But I will conclude with these words from Jack Rudolph's exchange with Danny Tripp at the end of last week's episode, aptly named "The Wrap Party." (The photo above shows the two of them in a scene that may never air; it's from next week's scheduled episode.) Picture these parts as two sides of Aaron Sorkin's brain -- the Aaron Sorkin who has digested a slew of early reviews, and early ratings, from his overhyped show with the unlikely premise -- and it allllllll makes sense:

JACK: (inebriated) I'm looking for a fight and it's going to be you.
DANNY: Really?
JACK: Yeah. But before I reach down your throat and squeeze your kidneys with my hand, I want to thank you for helping Jordan acquire for NBS the television series about the United Nations. Cuz that's got "smash hit" written all over it. I'm thinking of premiering it against the Super Bowl.
DANNY: Jack....
JACK: America's been waiting for a show about negotiating lasting peace in the Sudan.
DANNY: Jack....
JACK: I hope we'll hold off on the debate  over humanitarian aid to Darfur until sweeps!
DANNY: Jack!
JACK: An episode will be a winner as long as it's about the U ... N.  Cuz Americans are just c-razy about the UN.  We just can't get enough of their freewheeling, sexy, buccaneer style!   I foresee a couple of problems ... like nobody at the UN speaks a second language. But that's OK. Because if there's one thing every teenager loves, it's subtitles!! (menacingly, in Danny's face) You see it as part of your job to screw with my company, don't you?
DANNY: No, I do not. That's just one of the perks.

 

Comments

[rhonda]

Thanks for the additional analysis. I probably haven't been bothered as much as you by the tedious sub-plots, but to me the worst part of the show is that the comedy is never funny.

Last night my husband and I re-watched the movie "My Favorite Year" with Peter O'Toole. It's a hilarious movie that takes place on the set of a comedy show based on "Your Show of Shows". The movie was good and the sketches within the movie were actually funny.

[Aaron]

Peter O'Toole ... whose sitcom would probably be in syndication right now if NBC had greenlighted it (see my piece about Phil Rosenthal's book).

[Soonerthought]

I am a little too pleased with myself, as I watched one and one half episodes and knew this show would never make it. It was trying so hard to be clever, relevant and interesting. Sometimes trying isn't enough.

[Soonerthought]

P.S....My Favorite Year is one of my all-time favorite films. "Rocky Karoka!"

[ML]

As I watch "Studio 60," I keep hoping Josh, at some point, swivels around and says to someone "I need to see the President now!" and we actually leave the folly of this hapless show and return to the glory days of the "West Wing."

ML

[The Judge]

Oh ye of little faith. If they pull the plug on 60, what are they going to fill the void with? All the un-aired episodes of "20 good years"?

The fact of the matter is that Studio 60 drives income for NBC, albeit not as well as they would like, but income nonetheless.

It may be getting poor ratings, but I dont think its the end of the road. Read my analysis of it on it on my site.