Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

POSTED BY: reginaroadie
UPDATED: Tuesday, October 3, 2006 06:47
VIEWED: 6658
PAGE 1 of 3

1 2 3 NEXT PAGE

REGINAROADIE

Monday, September 18, 2006 5:27 AM

Hey All

I don't know if anyone here on the site has an interest in any of the upcoming shows for the fall season, but I just saw the pilot for Aaron Sorkin's new show STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP. It was broadcast a day earlier on CTV. And I gotta say I was really reeled in.

I've only seen maybe two episodes of THE WEST WING, but I did see all of SPORT'S NIGHT, which whenever I see a list of "unjustly cancelled shows", it's usually between FIREFLY and FREAKS AND GEEKS. So I was intrigued by the premise and all.

Everything about it was just stellar. The cast, the writing, the energy, the emotional content and the satire were just perfect. I know that since we're all desciples of Joss that we must turn our backs on any "grown-up" shows and only talk about fantasy/sci-fi series, but in a way, I kinda think that this is a show Joss would love. With all the behind the scenes drama that Joss has faced on all three shows of his, I think he'd identify with the backstage politics that's the engine of this show.

Oh, and if you only watch shows that have a FIREFLY/SERENITY connection to them, Sarah Paulson, who played Dr. Caron (the holographic doc on the Miranda recording) is one of the cast members on the show.

Anyone else intrigued by this show and like to talk about it?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"There's only one "Return" ok, and it ain't "of the King", it's "of the Jedi."

"Maybe we should start calling your friend 'Padme' because he loves 'Mannequin Skywalker' so much, Right? (imitating robot) Danger...danger...my name is Anakin...my shitty acting is ruining saga."

Excerpt of internet teaser for CLERKS 2.

HELL'S KITTEN

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 1:33 AM

I'm looking forward to the premiere, which airs tonight, in my corner of the world.

Yeah, that says pretty much nothing, but I couldn't seem to stop myself from posting.

************************************************
Not captioned for the sarcasm impaired.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sara013

FELLOWTRAVELER

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:08 PM

I caught the pilot last night and really enjoyed it. I couldn't agree more with you regarding the quality of the show. It was great. Sorkin, again, has hit one outta' the park. The name, however, is really bad! "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" conjures up images of Studio 64... But, they set the hook well with Judd Hirsch's on target rant at the beginning, so hopefully people will give it a chance.

It actually seemed, to me, a little ballsy for a network pilot. With several drug references and an overt shot at the Christian Right right out of the gate. Although, the latter was not an altogether unfrequent target on the "West Wing". It's like they're shooting for a Disneyesque boycot of their own. And I loved Three 6 Mafia's (didn't they just do an arc on "Entourage", as well) dressing room being filled with smoke and bongs. It looked the mini-bus from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (or my dormroom from college). Was that the bell?

The cast was great. I'm happy to see Whitford and Perry have found new jobs and was pleasantly surprised by Amanda Peet's performance. Huh, she can act... Who knew?

But why does NBC have to put it up against MNF? That sucks!

REGINAROADIE

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:21 PM

I loved Judd Hirsch's NETWORK like rant that kicked off the show. Even though the character is based off of Lorne Michaels, you can tell that it's basically Sorkin himself venting. I wonder what a Joss tirade would sound like. If he decided halfway through an ep of BUFFY or ANGEL or FIREFLY (assuming he decided to do a live ep of one of them), he just told them to stop everything and go on a 53 second rant against FOX and Gail Berman and the WB and everyone who has cut him down. As for the rant itself, I'm gonna look for it online so that I can transcribe it and have it as my new signature.

Another thing about the show that intrigues me is that for the actual comedy sketches that you see, that Mark McKinney was tapped by Sorkin to oversee that aspect of the show. Personally, I could care less about McKinney (Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald in my mind was what made THE KIDS IN THE HALL worthwhile), but if this opens the gate for past sketch comedy personalities of the past, then I'm all for it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"There's only one "Return" ok, and it ain't "of the King", it's "of the Jedi."

"Maybe we should start calling your friend 'Padme' because he loves 'Mannequin Skywalker' so much, Right? (imitating robot) Danger...danger...my name is Anakin...my shitty acting is ruining saga."

Excerpt of internet teaser for CLERKS 2.

STORYMARK

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:22 PM

If anyone missed the premier last night, you can Netflix the pilot episode. The disk also has the pilot for Kidnapped, which premiers tomorrow, but I havn't watched it yet.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

EMBERS

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:36 PM

I caught it last night and I was completely underwhelmed...
it is a show about an unfunny comedy show with no humor in it what-so-ever...
it took itself SO seriously, like anything about TV has to be so self important.

I was really disappointed, it has this amazing cast, but I really expected something witty...

MONKSDAD

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:42 PM

I wasnt so impressed with it, I will however give it another try next week.

"And I think calling him that is an insult to the psychotic lowlife community."

DIAVO

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 4:02 PM

I saw the pilot online last week. I liked it a lot, good writing & good acting.
If I watched TV I would definitely watch this show regularly (which is says A LOT).

CIOCCOLATA

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 4:36 PM

I watched it on Sunday night and have to say I really liked it.
I watched 'West Wing', and even though half the time I did not know what the heck they were talking about, I enjoyed the dialogue and banter between characters.
I hated that they dropped 'Sports Night', another show I absolutely loved and watched with devotion from episode #1.
This show has much potential, and I hope they keep the wit and charm and personality of all his previous shows in this show.
Maybe they can get Joss to write an episode parodying..uhm, is that a word?...'Firefly'...just a thought.

Cioccolata

REGINAROADIE

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 5:26 PM

I just saw the rant again on YouTube, and managed to transcribe the whole thing, for our enjoyment. It's not the full rant, since I couldn't hear him over whenever we were in the control room, but for the most part, here it is.

“Uhh, it’s not going to be a very good show tonight. I think you should change the channel. Change the channel. Go ahead, right now. Turn off the TV. No, no, I know that it seems like it’s supposed to be funny, but tomorrow you’re gonna find out that it wasn’t and by that time I’ll have been fired. No this…this not…this is not a sketch. This show used to be cutting edge political and social satire, but it’s gotten lobotomized by a candy-assed broadcast network. Hell bent on doing nothing that might challenge their audience. We were about to do a sketch that you’ve seen five hundred times already. Yeah, no one is going to confuse George Bush with George Plimpton, now we get it. We’re all being lobotomized by this country’s most influential industry, that’s just thrown in the towel on any endeavour to do anything that doesn’t include the courting of twelve year old boys. And not even the smart twelve year olds, the stupid ones, the idiots, which there are plenty thanks to no small measure to this network, so why don’t you just change the channel. Turn off your TV’s. Do it right now, go ahead….Well there’s always been a struggle between art and commerce. Well now I’m telling you, art is getting its ass kicked. And it’s making us mean, and it’s making us bitchy, and it’s making us cheap punks. That’s not who we are. People are having contests to see how much they can be like Donald Trump…we’re eating worms for money, who want’s to screw my sister. Guys are getting killed in a war that’s got theme music and a logo. That remote in your hand is a crack pipe. Oh yeah, every once in a while we pretend to be appalled…pornographers. It’s not even good pornography, it’s just this side of snuff films. And friends, that’s what’s next, because that’s all that’s left. And the two things that make them scared gutless are the FCC and every psycho religious cult that gets positively horny at the very mention of a boycott. These are the people they are afraid of. These prissy, feckless, off the charts, greed filled whorehouse that is this network you’re watching. This thoroughly unpatriotic-“

I tried to fit it into my signature, but I couldn't fit the whole thing in.

**************************************************
"I have no reason to believe you and every reason not to."
"Why's that?"
"You work in television."

STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP

1 2 3 NEXT PAGE