Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

[Deleted]

Well, I rented it on Netflix so I saw it a while ago and I think part of the fault of people not liking it (with the amount of gusto that they don't like it) is NBC's fault.

NBC has this habit of picking one of their shows and going crazy promoting it as the SAVIOR of the fall season for their channel. This year they picked Studio 60. It's hard for anything to live up to that much attention. I remember a few seasons ago they promoted the heck out of that Law & Order: Trial By Jury show. You couldn't open up an entertainment magazine for weeks without seeing glossy ads or interviews with Bebe Neuwirth. I loved that show but it was quickly cancelled because there's no way to live up to the hype.

I think people generally resent the hype. Is Studio 60 any better than Kidnapped? Friday Night Lights? Heroes? Nope. Not really. And even though I'm not a fan of Studio 60, it's probably not any worse than those shows either.

I am not a Sorkin fan in general (hated Sports Night, was bored to tears by West Wing) so the chances of me liking this show aren't very good to begin with.

But I found the actors boring as heck (It's Chandler Bing, working in TV) and the pilot seemed to be too ripped off from Network for me to enjoy. It's hard to say though how much of my opinions were molded by the fact that I got really tired of having this show pushed down my throat as the Best New Show This Fall for the entire summer.

[huntergrayson]

Plus, not to mention that if you keep having the thinly veiled versions of yourself constantly mentioning how they're going to save TV and save the network, then people might start viewing your show with a more critical eye.

Meanwhile, that oh-so-brilliant "cold open?" Basically was on SNL - it was David Hyde Pierce's monologue. If you guessed that the story editor for the show within the show Mark McKinney was there on SNL when it happened, you're absolutely right!

Sorkin's bad enough when it comes to recycling but this strikes me as really lazy, even if he does have a Gilbert & Sullivan obsession.

[topher]

Team Caribou!!

[Deleted]

I enjoy it. It's not the greatest show ever but it's entertaining, I like the actors (including ::gasp:: Amanda Peet,) I thought the cold open thing was funny, and I love the dialogue. Although with my luck with new shows it'll get cancelled after this season.

[twodollars]

jensational said:

Well, I rented it on Netflix so I saw it a while ago and I think part of the fault of people not liking it (with the amount of gusto that they don't like it) is NBC's fault.

NBC has this habit of picking one of their shows and going crazy promoting it as the SAVIOR of the fall season for their channel. This year they picked Studio 60. It's hard for anything to live up to that much attention. I remember a few seasons ago they promoted the heck out of that Law & Order: Trial By Jury show. You couldn't open up an entertainment magazine for weeks without seeing glossy ads or interviews with Bebe Neuwirth. I loved that show but it was quickly cancelled because there's no way to live up to the hype.

I think people generally resent the hype. Is Studio 60 any better than Kidnapped? Friday Night Lights? Heroes? Nope. Not really. And even though I'm not a fan of Studio 60, it's probably not any worse than those shows either.

I agree that the hype is one reason for the backlash and another is the too-cool-for-school vibe that a lot of the internet has especially TWOP.

On the other hand, this show is WAY better than Kidnapped and Heroes IMO. The writing on Heroes is awful, the acting isn't much better and the special effects are laughable. But, it's sci-fi/comic book related, so it will be worshipped on-line. And Kidnapped is ok so far, but nothing special. I haven't seen Friday Night Lights, but it is supposed to be amazing. It just doesn't interest me at though.

[eveschmeve]

huntergrayson, you are a great detective. I hadn't seen that David Hyde Pierce thing before- very interesting.

I'm not part of a secret club of organized people who hate Studio 60. I've given it a chance (and will probably watch it for a few more weeks) and I don't like it. It's really as plain as that. I don't particularly like any of the characters, I don't like the writing, I don't like how self-important the show is. I don't like how it's a drama, and it's a comedy, and it's not particularly good at either thing.

I will tell you one thing I like about the show- Nate Corddry! I did giggle when he was dressed as Jack White. If they featured more of him, I would probably keep watching.

[huntergrayson]

Eh, My "detecting" consisted of looking at Defamer and having other people do the work for me, so...not that great.

I don't like how it's a drama, and it's a comedy, and it's not particularly good at either thing.

True indeed. It seems like it just doesn't know what it *is* yet, which is fine for a new show but seems odd coming from such hugely mainstream veteran TV guys like Sorkin and Schlaemme. It almost seems better suited for cable where it can go off and be it's own little hybrid bastard child. The Salon critic thought that if it had a darker tone - like the Comeback or Nip/Tuck, say - then the self-importance could be more tolerable and I'm inclined to agree. At the moment, despite all the talk of biting the hand that feeds them, it doesn't feel that viciously satirical.

I don't hate it but it definitely has major problems and the praise from every critic needs to be taken down a dozen notches. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how it develops.

Oh, I actually liked Harriet's prayer.

[Peggy Lane]

I glanced through some of the postings on TWOP. There was a lot of "Why Matthew Perry?", "I hate Amanda", "they should fire Steven Webber to save money!" "Bradley Whitford is God."

I think Matthew Perry is the best part of the show, I can take or leave Amanda Peet, Steven Webber brings a necessary element to the show, and casting Bradley Whitford was a huge mistake. Casting a Sorkin actor in another Sorkin role mere months after such a well known role ended...it just begs comparision, and Bradley Whitford is a bit of a one note actor. He just screams Josh to me, and I was quite sick of Josh on TWW. I don't think the show is the second coming, and they need to quit believing in their own saviour-ness but I'm still watching.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the backup Topher! And thanks to the rest of you for explaining the hate origins.

I guess the thing is, we don't watch much tv to begin with, because it seems there is so much garbage on tv. We never watched the West Wing, I know I saw Network years ago but don't remember it at all, and haven't watched SNL really since Church Chat days. So to me, this show is a breath of fresh air.

The Defamer posts really surprised me and so I came here to see the general concensus. How surprising to see the hate! But now I understand. If I was as tuned into everything, it would probably grate on me. As it stands now, it's all new to me and we find it entertaining.

I'm praying it stays. There are only a handful of shows I can stand to watch. If this doesn't make it, I'll be crushed

[pamster]

caribou said:

I guess the thing is, we don't watch much tv to begin with, because it seems there is so much garbage on tv.

If I was as tuned into everything, it would probably grate on me. As it stands now, it's all new to me and we find it entertaining.

I'm praying it stays. There are only a handful of shows I can stand to watch. If this doesn't make it, I'll be crushed

ITA with you, caribou. This is the only thing (besides the local news & weather) that I watch on network TV.