Running Studio 60 thread (spoilers)

[Jackie Treehorn]

Yeah, I'm not so sure I'm going to stick with this one.

Pregnant Jordan is hungry ALL THE TIME! Hilarious!
Next week: Jordan wants pickles AND ice cream!

 

[Killick]

Jackie, that's akin to saying "Kramer busts in the door, looking hassled! Hilarious!" It's not the focus of the show. That's a very minor part of the show.

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

Again, I'm not complaining that Sorkin's characters share his political views. I'm complaining that the show often seems to be ALL ABOUT Sorkin's political views.

And again, it's just axe-grinding. Sorkin doesn't like the FCC? Cue long, pointless, unrealistic subplot, complete with self-serving monologues. Sorkin doesn't like that his ex-girlfriend posed for Maxim? Cue entire episode devoted to how that's not cool (with self-serving monologues).

The show could be great, if Sorkin didn't insist on making the characters who agree with him into lovable human beings and the characters who disagree with him into two-dimensional villians. It's Studio 60 on the Straw Man Strip, and it's downright tiresome.

 

[Killick]

Ugh. Fine. Turn the channel. I'll be watching 'til the end. (One more item: "self-serving monologues" -- I defy you to point out a single monologue in the run of the whole show.)

 

[Ellis Redding]

Ugh. Fine. Turn the channel. I'll be watching 'til the end. (One more item: "self-serving monologues" -- I defy you to point out a single monologue in the run of the whole show.)

Judd Hirsch's in the first five minutes of the show.

 

[zeke12]

Wing --

I honestly didn't know that Sorkin's girlfriend posed for Maxim, and that's where that subplot came from.

I generally don't follow the gossip and coverage about Sorkin, just watch the shows. And I enjoy them.

I can see, though, where this season feels like it might have been better left of the hard drive or the therapist's couch, if you trace all the ideas out.

That's likely the danger of today's post-modern metatextualism. I mean, it's a show about a guy who writes a show. You're going to encounter the problem, especially if you follow the guy writing the show about a guy writing a show's actual life.

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

Ugh. Fine. Turn the channel. I'll be watching 'til the end. (One more item: "self-serving monologues" -- I defy you to point out a single monologue in the run of the whole show.)

Also, Ed Asner's rant in the Christmas episode.

But you're right. Sorkin's style is more "mini-monologues."

But if you don't think the show is preachy, you're entitled to your opinion. And I don't need your permission to watch or not watch a television show. So lighten up, Francis.

And Zeke, you're right about the meta-narrative thing. But with a lighter touch, a show-within-a-show doesn't have to be a non-stop axe-grinding session. Unfortunately, for all Sorkin's many talents, a light touch ain't exactly his speed.

 

[Dedo]

I have a theory that may or may not have merit, so I might as well put it to the test here. It seems to me that people who loved The West Wing -- and I'm referring to the hardcore, faithful fans from the Sorkin days -- are less likely to love Studio 60 than those who either didn't watch TWW or were only casual viewers. The biggest reason for this? Many of the themes and plot devices used in S60 come directly from TWW, and they were executed much better the first time.

So for the people who are on here singing Studio 60's praises, did you consider yourselves big West Wing fans? I might be way off-base here, but I'm curious to see the breakdown on this.

 

[zeke12]

I agree, but that's also part of his charm.

In such a post-modern era, very few people are willing to openly embrace anything.

Sorkin, love him or hate him, does not hide behind any veil of ironic detachment. He adresses things head on, which means he is cheesy at times, "Because I'm coming for you, Jordan," springs immediately to mind, and heavy-handed at other times.

But you have to give him points for coming right out and saying what he's trying to.

After all, a man got to have a code.

 

[shockey]

I have a theory that may or may not have merit, so I might as well put it to the test here. It seems to me that people who loved The West Wing -- and I'm referring to the hardcore, faithful fans from the Sorkin days -- are less likely to love Studio 60 than those who either didn't watch TWW or were only casual viewers. The biggest reason for this? Many of the themes and plot devices used in S60 come directly from TWW, and they were executed much better the first time.

So for the people who are on here singing Studio 60's praises, did you consider yourselves big West Wing fans? I might be way off-base here, but I'm curious to see the breakdown on this.

i'm a huge "west wing" devotee. i greatly admire sorkin's writing -- going back to "a few good men," "sportsnight" -- and like "studio 60" very much. the fact that some themes and lines are repititive bother me not at all.

"studio 60" isn't "ww," but i didn't expect it to be. i'm fine with that. "ww" was network tv at its greatest in years 1-3..

for me "studio 60" is still higher-calibre writing than just about anywhere else on network tv. 8) 8) 8)

 

[zeke12]

Dedo --

I really like Studio 60, and I was as big a fan of the West Wing as there was.

I still like TWW better, but I accept this show for what it is. Sure, Sorkin steals from himself. I don't care. If it was good five years ago, it's good again.

I think what MANY TWW devotees are missing is the sense of importance and urgency that TWW delivered.

It could legitimately deal in life and death situations week in and week out. This show can't do that without reeking of deus ex machina.

 

[Killick]

Folks, look up the definition of "monologue." I'll give you Hirsch's. Can't deny that. Other than that, nope. Asner's "rant" in the Christmas episode may not have been your cup of tea, but it was not a monologue.

And if you read closely, nobody was denying you the right to watch Wingman, just saying you can turn the channel. Or ladeling out "permission."