I like Studio 60 for a lot of the reasons you don't, and if it became what you want it to become, I'd probably stop watching. If you want that - I think that is 30 Rock. Lots of people online don't get that - there's two series. One is about the zany goings on behind the scenes of a sketch comedy series - in a way is a lampoon of it = 30 Rock, a situation comedy. The other is about the politics involved in creating a tv show that just happens to be a late-night sketch comedy. It's not about the writing process so much as the process involved in getting those sketchs on air. One is about the writing - the comedy, the other about the business. And there's no one better in the industry to write about the inner political maneuverings of the TV biz than Sorkin.
So - you are going into Studio 60 expecting what you stated above "the behind scenes zany goings on at a sketch comedy series" - like what Sports Night tried to be - and you are of course disappointed. But that's not what the show is about.
Note - it is called "Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip" - the main characters are a TV Network President, a network executive, a writer, a director, then the "supporting" or "bit players" are the actors and you have a major character who runs the control booth. If it were about the zany goings on behind a sketch comedy or focused merely on how you put together this type of series, they probably wouldn't have the Steven Webber character, much like you said above and Amanda Peet would be in a smaller role. But it is not about that - it is a "dramedy" not a "comedy" (note the length and time slot) and it is focused on network politics. So, hate to say this, but if you continue to watch it with the idea its about writing a zany sketch comedy series, you won't like it. That's my difficulty with a great deal of my flist's criticism - they are criticizing the show for things it has no interest or desire to do. They want it to be SNL or 30 Rock or Sports Night. When that's not the intent. Be like me criticizing Heroes for not being like X-men or 4400.
Of the two shows, I think Studio 60 achieves what it sets out to. Whether you want to watch that or not, is another matter. Heroes isn't there yet.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-09-27 08:15 pm (UTC)For a lot of reasons.
I like Studio 60 for a lot of the reasons you don't, and if it became what you want it to become, I'd probably stop watching. If you want that - I think that is 30 Rock. Lots of people online don't get that - there's two series. One is about the zany goings on behind the scenes of a sketch comedy series - in a way is a lampoon of it = 30 Rock, a situation comedy. The other is about the politics involved in creating a tv show that just happens to be a late-night sketch comedy. It's not about the writing process so much as the process involved in getting those sketchs on air. One is about the writing - the comedy, the other about the business. And there's no one better in the industry to write about the inner political maneuverings of the TV biz than Sorkin.
So - you are going into Studio 60 expecting what you stated above "the behind scenes zany goings on at a sketch comedy series" - like what Sports Night tried to be - and you are of course disappointed.
But that's not what the show is about.
Note - it is called "Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip" - the main characters are a TV Network President, a network executive, a writer, a director, then the "supporting" or "bit players" are the actors and you have a major character who runs the control booth. If it were about the zany goings on behind a sketch comedy or focused merely on how you put together this type of series, they probably wouldn't have the Steven Webber character, much like you said above and Amanda Peet would be in a smaller role. But it is not about that - it is a "dramedy" not a "comedy" (note the length and time slot) and it is focused on network politics. So, hate to say this, but if you continue to watch it with the idea its about writing a zany sketch comedy series, you won't like it. That's my difficulty with a great deal of my flist's criticism - they are criticizing the show for things it has no interest or desire to do. They want it to be SNL or 30 Rock or Sports Night. When that's not the intent. Be like me criticizing Heroes for not being like X-men or 4400.
Of the two shows, I think Studio 60 achieves what it sets out to. Whether you want to watch that or not, is another matter. Heroes isn't there yet.