Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

[cordscords]

The Series wrapped up last night. Not a very strong finale, but I'm glad that the few fans that stuck around got a real ending.

[mweir145]

I watched it, and I'm disappointed that it's gone now.

[dracovonborax]

I too am saddened at the loss of Studio 60. it was extremely nice of NBC to allow us true fans to see the finished product of the 1st season...rather than never air them. it will be missed.

[Art Vandelay]

I'll never understand how a quality, well-written show with a great cast like Sudio 60 can't make it when 95% of the stuff on network televsion is crap. The ending was a little "disney," but not too bad I suppose.

[Coppermine]

OK, here goes...

I love smart television. I have HBO. I have it so I can watch smart television. I love The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rome, Entourage, Carnivale (RIP) and The Wire.

I like that many basic cable shows are breaking out and making a name for themselves, like The Shield.

I like that network programming is bucking their FCC and advertising prudes and airing challenging shows like LOST, 24, Heroes and yes, even House.

I like that edgy, laugh-track-free comedies like The Office and Scrubs (although I'm not a fan) have worked their way into the mainstream (RIP Arrested Development).

I don't deny Aaron Sorkin's genius in The West Wing or the hype created by his involvement in a new show. But I have to face the facts... Studio 60 sucked. What started out as a witty-dialog driven dramedy about sketch comedy turned into a boring, parallel love story between Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford's character. I thought the likability they built up in the first several episodes died over and over as they chased their respective love interests and ignored series-saving characters like DL Hughley and the guy whose brother was on The Daily Show. Sketch comedy is difficult to be funny in real life, let alone as part of a drama. Yeah, everyone criticized the crappiness of the sketches (supposedly brilliant as the brain-child of Matthew Perry alone on the show) but it was the characters, to me, that turned out unlikable. The conservative/liberal angle just didn't seem realistic enough (at least less real than James Carville and Mary Mataline or Bill Mahar and Ann Coulter) the production of the show itself took a backseat to the boring drama of the most boring characters.

In other words,, clever, witty, high-brow dialog can only get you so far. Nice try Sorkin. I'll be waiting on your next effort.