David Kronke was appointed Mayor of Television after a bloodless coup in 2000. Since then, he has improved infrastructure, championed greater educational opportunities and fought for reforms that have utterly erased corruption and incompetence from the television industry. Since Mr. Kronke has ascended to power, Television is a far better place. "Studio 60's" unquestioned answers
Aaron Sorkin did it, um, again. For what it's worth.
Another "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" episode, another solid two-out single that likely won't result in much in the end. More melodrama that betrays the fact that although Sorkin really does live in L.A., he hasn't seemed to have absorbed all that much (a 4.1 earthquake that no one feels results in that much damage?). Then again, remember: This is a show that last week forced us to accept that an anarchic, cutting-edge sketch-comedy show would have Howie Mandel as a guest host (vaguely unsuccessful cross-promotion for NBC; meaningless for fictional network NBS).
So, Matt decides to make the Christmas episode about Christmas (cue: all sorts of irrelevant minutiae about the historical underpinnings of the holiday). So, Harriet is offered a movie role that sounds interesting only to aging Baby Boomers (whom Hollywood largely holds in contempt), and for scale (does Middle America really understand that term?), at that, from a guy who wants to steal her from Matt, who only seems to be most interested in her when another guy is. So, the big question about Jordan's impending status as a single parent is how she'll deal with the May upfronts (which pretty much no one in the free world cares about unless s/he's an advertiser, but at least we now know what Sorkin's May-sweeps stunt will be: breaking water at the upfronts). So, the FCC wants to go after the network because it aired a live news report in which a soldier dropped the F-bomb when insurgents were dropping real, actually deadly, bombs upon him (what broadcast network airs such live news reports? And, really, would such an incident actually trigger complaints, or would it become the most-viewed viral video in the history of the Internets ever, thereby discrediting any argument that the incident violated "community standards?").
Oh, well: At least we saw the germ of what might've been the first genuinely amusing idea for a sketch "Studio 60" has managed yet: Santa caught on "Dateline NBC's" "To Catch a Predator." And while the homage to New Orleans musicians would've been more resonant last season, "Studio 60" wasn't on then and no one else lifted such a finger, so the finale was kind of emotional.
Still: Why do I persist in watching this show? Because the show's producers have cattle-prodded me into believing that Jordan and Danny are a damn cute couple (if only because Christine Lahti isn't a regular on the show) and, by golly, I want to see them make it work!
You do have to wonder, though: If the show's promos are uniformly more compelling than the actual episodes, why aren't the people editing the promos writing the show?
Comments
Actually, the threat of fines from the FCC - even for live programming, like the newscast on last night's episode - is very real. PBS news programs on the war in Iraq, Saving Private Ryan, and even attempts to televise the funeral of Pat Tillman have all been either edited or cancelled out of fear of major fines.
For more information on how the threat of government fines is putting a real damper on everything from newscasts to live sports programming, go to www.televisionwatch.org
Posted by: TV Watch | December 5, 2006 1:57 PM
Actually, the threat of fines from the FCC - even for live programming, like the newscast on last night's episode - is very real. PBS news programs on the war in Iraq, Saving Private Ryan, and even attempts to televise the funeral of Pat Tillman have all been either edited or cancelled out of fear of major fines.
For more information on how the threat of government fines is putting a real damper on everything from newscasts to live sports programming, go to www.televisionwatch.org
Posted by: TV Watch | December 5, 2006 1:58 PM
I'm still watching it, too. I liked last night's episode, especially the Santa Predator sketch and, of course, the New Orleans musicians. That last part was really good.
I also like the fact that at least one woman on television eats. Of course, she had to be pregnant before it happened, but still. Maybe another one will follow suit.
Posted by: Suzy Q | December 5, 2006 2:50 PM
Also, if someone hadn't explained to me what "upfronts" are, I would have been lost with that dialogue. Same thing with "below-the-line" employees of a few episodes back. Does Sorkin really expect the Little People to know such insider terms?
Posted by: Suzy Q | December 5, 2006 2:53 PM
Are you having Ross-and-Rachel withdrawal? I think there's a pill for that.
>Still: Why do I persist >in watching this show? >Because the show's >producers have cattle->prodded me into believing >that Jordan and Danny are >a damn cute couple (if >only because Christine >Lahti isn't a regular on >the show) and, by golly, >I want to see them make >it work!
Posted by: Steven Rosenberg | December 5, 2006 4:39 PM
Three phrases should be among the most common in our daily usage. They are: Thank you, I am grateful and I appreciate.
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