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[bryant]

If you look around a little on the Internet, you can find copies of the pilot episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Aaron Sorkin's new one hour TV drama. It's about a weekly sketch comedy show unsurprisingly like Saturday Night Live, with the expected Sorkin-load of interpersonal drama and principles and so on. No Joshua Malina yet, although I expect him to show up in the second season as the remarkably bright yet socially slightly inept wunderkind. (It's a fair prediction. Come on.)

Anyway, me and S. watched the pilot the other night. Try and avoid the download that claims to be for an iPod; the sound is not quite synced perfectly with the video. Y'know, it's Sorkin -- there are principled monologues and two of the cast members used to be in a relationship with each other but now have to work together. I don't think, one show in, you can really know if he's breaking new ground, but the same old ground is still pretty good.

In particular I like that Sarah Paulson plays a devout fundamentalist Christian who happens to be one of the big three cast members on the show within the show. Sorkin likes discussing religion, and President Bartlet's Catholicism was always taken seriously. If he can keep that up here, I'll be intrigued.

The cast has the chance to grow on me. Matthew Perry was really good; Bradley Whitford was pretty good. Timothy Busfield has a regular role as the guy who runs the control room, and he easily distinguishes it from his West Wing role -- Whitford had more trouble doing that, which may wind up being a minus. Steven Weber was good as the network chairman, but he's playing the role a little too young. I kept forgetting he's supposed to be as important as he is. Amanda Peet has the potential to be the weak link in the cast. Maybe she'll surprise me.

But yeah, it's Sorkin, it's fun. I'll watch it.

Comments

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

"In particular I like that Sarah Paulson plays a devout fundamentalist Christian who happens to be one of the big three cast members on the show within the show. Sorkin likes discussing religion, and President Bartlet's Catholicism was always taken seriously. If he can keep that up here, I'll be intrigued."

Oh, the usual fundie Christian media watchdog suspects are going to hate that Paulson is 'representing' them. The very idea of it must crack Sorkin up.

[head58.livejournal.com]

Wait a sec - Sarah Paulson as in "Someone's at the door"? Oh, awesome. She hasn't been in enough stuff lately. And it makes me realy need to go back and watch my AG dvds now.

Why would they hate Paulson specifically, though?

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, she's good. She had a fun role on Deadwood too.

The fundies won't like her because she's gay.

[head58.livejournal.com]

Huh. News to me. Although I should have been able to peg that one (puts a check next to her name on my "Media Crushes" list).

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

Yeah, isn't it always the way? So far as I know she's involved with Cherry Jones, who also kicks ass, though more in theater maybe.

[kirbyk.livejournal.com]

You can get Studio 60 in higher quality and completely legally from Netflix. It's a special promo deal they've got going. I rented it from them, really liked it. I always liked Sports Night more than the West Wing in tone, and this is a lot more like that, but still with the ability to work in more social satire and commentary. It's a great framework for someone like Sorkin to work with.

The first episode does have to do a fair amount of setting up, as these things do. Greatly looking forward to seeing them get running on this.

And I loved the first five minutes.