Running Studio 60 thread (spoilers)

Reaction from my educator friend who likes the show: If we don’t want entertainment driving the news, why should believability be a criterion for entertainment? She asked this after I told her about the Abbott and Costello thing.

 

I'd rather watch a quality scripted show that Howie Mandel, yeah, sure. But anything that pierces Les "I Invented Prime-Time Television" Moonves' air of superiority, I'll applaud.

Again, I look at CBS (Jim Nantz, you have to say, "America's Most Watched Network!" every 30 seconds!) and -- as the CSI brand starts to show its age -- see it making the same mistakes NBC did before its free-fall.

We've got another crime drama? Get it on the schedule!

Quick, what's the big new CBS hit this season? Jericho's done OK, but it's nothing to build a night around. And yeah, Shark got ordered for a full season, but it can't even beat Marcus Welby M.D., I mean, ER.

 

Michael, I'd like to read that, but all I get is Page Not Found ... can you link?

 

Seriously, if you are going to use a famous gag in that context, what else are you gonna use that most of your audience is familiar with? You may not think it's the funniest bit ever, but it doesn't work if people don't know it.

 

Worst of the season so far. Too many plot threads that went nowhere, too incoherent. Only remotely interesting plot line was the Friends dude and Hugley (sp). Hate -- repeat, hate -- the running non-romance, puppy-dog bullshit with Friends dude and the gay chick; kills the show.

 

I would think that it's now reached the point that people who aren't satisfied with the show should ... stop watching it. There's been enough time. If you don't like it, you're not going to.

 

I dunno. It's setting up the rest of the season so nicely.

 

Yeah, and it may not be the funniest, but I can't think of a more well-known and recognizable one.

 

At this point, the show is the equivalent of the highly touted first-round draft pick pitcher who gets to the majors with a ton of expectations and right now is 3-9 with a 5.43 ERA. You can see some of the flashes that made scouts drool when he sometimes strikes a guy out with a 98 mph heater and you really, really, really don't want to admit that he isn't the guy you want him to be, so you keep sending him to the mound in the hope that it will click........

 

where's crash davis when sorkin needs him?

 

A good thought, Pope, that almost works. There's just one thing which knocks it off its blocks. From the sounds of this thread, there's quite a few people who think the show is everything it was supposed to be.

 

So are they like UT fans when it comes to Peyton Manning?