Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Last night I watched my first full episode of Aaron Sorkin’s new show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and I have to tell you that I think it’s a total winner. I know it’s a bit early to make such a judgment but I honestly believe it has all the ingredients to make NBC a must-see network again. First off, it’s got a great writer in Aaron Sorkin, best known for The West Wing and although I have never seen the show I have it on good authority that was an well-written drama. Now, I know you might be thinking to yourselves that I can’t really make a judgment on Sorkin’s writing based on a one episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip but alas, I have seen another of his shows and that was the critically-acclaimed but little seen Sportsnight. It was a quality show and if you want my opinion as to why it sunk I would have to put the blame on the network. Now, I won’t name said network for fear of being sued for defamation by The Man but I will give you a hint: It’s the first three letters of the alphabet. So, the unnamed network screwed the show by promoting it as a comedy, when, in fact, it was not. My guess is that the correct term for such a show is “dramedy”, although I think it would be pushing it to call it so. In essence, it was a drama with comedic elements. It also had some awesome acting thanks to the talents of Peter Krause (Six Feet Under), Josh Charles (Dead Poets Society), Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) and William H. Macy (I can’t actually think of any movies he’s been right now but I am sure he rocked them all). I know I’m rambling but my point was that Aaron Sorkin is an excellent writer and despite the fact that I never saw The West Wing doesn’t mean I am not familiar with his work.
Anyhoo, tonight CTV aired Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip one night ahead of it’s NBC premiere and I decided to tune in to see if it lived up to its hype and I have to say, I was not disappointed. It was well written, well acted and well put-together. What more could a viewer ask for? The basic premise is this: It’s behind-the-scenes account of what goes on backstage of a late-night comedy skit show a-la Saturday Night Live. I guess it’s basically going to shed light on the politics that go on within the television industry. Since it’s sort of an ensemble cast it’s hard to say who the main characters are but if I were a betting woman I would put my money on the characters played by Matthew Perry (Friends) and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing). They play two writers who are brought back to the aforementioned comedy sketch show that is on a downward spiral. The rest of the cast are people that you will definitely recognize but don’t necessarily know what their names are.
My final verdict? Nine angry garden gnomes out of ten. I honestly think this already great show is going to get better and better as the season progresses. Also, I am glad to see that scripted dramas are making a comeback after a reality-t.v. craze that has gripped the networks for the last few years.
Take my word for it, tune into CTV on Sundays or NBC on Mondays at 10pm and you will not be disappointed. (Or, if you’re like some people that I know that go to bed early, learn to set your VCR).