Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

[Binky]

He just screams Josh to me...

Sorry to hear that. For me, watching Whitford be so non-Josh is part of the fun. Same with watching Perry be non-Chandler. In fact, when I wrote that sentence, I couldn't remember the actor's name and thought "Chandler be non-Chandler".

That said, I think I liked Josh better than I like Danny.

[Deleted]

I wish Allison Janney had Amanda Peeete's job. I wish the writers weren't portrayed as uniformly lame (though it leaves open the possibility of exploring the truth that good writers are often hidden underneath mountains of lame) and I hope Evan Handler's character Ricky is either notatool or areallybigtool; I like Evan Handler.

I have a weakness for talented actors, hired for that reason and not merely their looks, unspooling massive amounts of dialogue in which there are gems of insight, half-hidden insider secrets and ideas which have crossed my mind while watching the lesser fare referenced in S60. I have a weakness for cleverness, even when it's wrapped in pompous self-importance and is both derivative and self-referential. Which sounds like damning with faint praise, but... I'll be back for more.

[huntergrayson]

See, I agree with almost all of those points.

It was a long night but SNL was on my TiVo*. Uh, SNAP!?

*When I'm drunk - and I'm not saying that I am or have ever been - I start at Update and work from there. Which is, oddly enough, where all the "good" sketches are now.

Uh, yeah, I think they just called them on it - "Oh, it's okay, they're just going to use the funny parts word for word....and cut out whatever's not funny...(total deadpan) which ended a long time ago." Kudos for burying in it an absurdist sketch as well.

Sarah Paulson's character is on EW's "Must List" this week for some reason. I think they say something like she could end up being the most complex and interesting character. Yeah, "could be" being the key part of that sentence because at the moment? Nope.

[Dr. Freude]

I agree with Caribou--me and mine like the show. I recognize it has flaws (Sarah Paulson's character seems bitchy/irrational, Amanda Peet's just seems too young to be network prez and I would like to see more sketches), but it just started. I think it will find its stride. And I never watched "The West Wing" or "Friends", so this isn't fangirl love carrying over.

[memememe76]

Bradley Whitford is like, 10 years older than MP, AND has I think, 4 kids (which will age you up good!) and still looks better than Matthew. In fact, I was thinking about how attractive he was while watching, and wondering why I never thought that on TWW.

Aaron Sorkin is lucky to have Matthew Perry. Bradley Whitford needs to leave, pronto. Hate his character.

[Deleted]

I think the main problem is that Sorkin still thinks he's writing for a political show. The enviroment he created bears no semblance to a real sketch comedy show. Why would anyone want to see Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry sit around and talk about the same issues the same way when anyone can rent West Wing DVDs and see it done better?

People need to check out the book Live From New York if they really want a behind-the-scenes take on SNL that's not, you know, boring. The biggest thing you come away from that book with is a sense that - no matter the year - the SNL enviroment has always been populated with people who are talented but also bat-shit insane. That's why there were so many stars to come out of the show: stars are bigger than life. The book is full of the drug addictions, petty jealousies, rivalries, alliances and love affairs. It's ripe ground for drama, and S60 just shows that Sorkin doesn't know anything about that enviroment - all his characters are uptight leftover WW characters, not anyone believable as a comedy writer or improv star. Even the part of Live From New York that dealt with network politics felt gripping.

On S60, where are the overgrown frat boys, the egomaniacal writers? Where are the asshole pretty boys (like Chevy Chase), the downward spiral stars (Belushi, Farley), the rebel geniuses (like Bill Murray)? Where are the gifted but screwed-up actresses (Gilda Radner), the crazy musicians (like Paul Schafer), the quietly tortured geniuses (Phil Hartman)? Where's the fighting, the affairs, the battles between the women and the men, the veterans and the newcomers, the fight to get sketches on air, the racial conflict?

[indygirl]

"She wants us to make fun of her."

"Your teeth are too big."

Heh.

[Binky]

I wish Allison Janney had Amanda Peeete's job.

Me too. I can't stand her. I LIKE the character. I think Jordan is actually really funny - funnier than the alleged comedians. But Peet's acting is awful. She's ruining the show for me.

[indygirl]

She's actually continuing to grow on me. And I'm really loving Steven Weber. But I now cannot stand Sarah Paulson's character. She. Isn't. Funny. Not a bit. Those skit snippets were flat. Pimp my Trike? Just no. The game show clip was mildly amusing. But overall--flat. The show only works for me when we are talking about the sketches and the shwo within a show. Showing the broadcast of Studio 60 doesn't work like showing the broadcast on Sports Night did.

poorfrances said:

On S60, where are the overgrown frat boys, the egomaniacal writers? Where are the asshole pretty boys (like Chevy Chase), the downward spiral stars (Belushi, Farley), the rebel geniuses (like Bill Murray)? Where are the gifted but screwed-up actresses (Gilda Radner), the crazy musicians (like Paul Schafer), the quietly tortured geniuses (Phil Hartman)? Where's the fighting, the affairs, the battles between the women and the men, the veterans and the newcomers, the fight to get sketches on air, the racial conflict?

Excellent questions. I agree that the show is lacking this kind of depth. Hopefully, it will develop as we go along. I really want to like this show.

[Binky]

Hopefully, it will develop as we go along. I really want to like this show.

Everything listed by poorfrances would be a really great show. But, I don't think that's the show Sorkin is writing. It's very auto-biographical, which means drug addiction and politics. And not so much with the trials and tribulations of these comedians. Moreso with the issues of the writer and director, Danny and Matt.

I don't even know the names of anyone besides them, Jordan, Jeannie, Harriet, and Jack.

It'd be better if they dropped the Jordan character and had interesting things happening within the cast. But, if Sorkin is going on his experiences, the show is going to be about Matt and Danny, and Jordan and Jack.

I want to watch PoorFrances' idea of the show, more.