Yet Another Review on Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60

Studio 60 is about the (hopeful) return to greatness that a late night variety show on the fictional station NBS once had. When the show begins, we are lead to believe that Studio 60 has become a harmless, thick and often flaccid environment. On the night of a new network President's welcome dinner the creator of the sketch comedy show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Wes Mendel (played brilliantly by Judd Hirsch), is told by a Network Standards Manager a sketch that could be offensive must be cut and replaced with a sketch nobody finds funny. This is the last straw for Wes who, unexpectedly, goes on air during a live broadcast and airs a personal diatribe against the network. According to Wes, the network has gotten soft and Art is losing in its battle against Commerce. His rant is finally cut from the airwaves when he calls the network "Unpatriotic." The show's Director, played by Timothy Busfield, cuts to the opening credits and the credits for the NBC version of Studio 60 begin.

Jordan McDeere, the new network President, decides that in the event of Wes's firing (which is inevitable due to his on-air diatribe) she is going to bring back two of the show's former golden boys, Danny Tripp and Matt Albie. Matt and Danny have had a tumultuous relationship with Studio 60 and its various players and executives, but decide to come back to their roots and hopefully save the show from eminent destruction.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is a look at not just how a television show gets produced but how the teamwork behind a show effects both the team members and the "show" (in this case, the fictional one) itself

Leading the cast are Bradley Whitford (Danny Tripp) and Matthew Perry (Matt Albie). Whitford and Perry have shared screen time before, during Perry's guest stint on The West Wing. The actors have (or can brilliantly fake) an easy camaraderie. Whitford takes the "straight man" route this time around, a refreshing change from his wild and reactive West Wing character, Josh Lyman. Also in a refreshing contrast to former shtick is Perry's Matt Albie. Matt Albie's got a smooth, dry delivery to his often hot tempered reactions. It is a welcome departure from Friends' Chandler Bing, who is Perry's most popular character to date. The cast is rounded out with Sara Paulson, D.L. Hughley and Nathan Coddry who are the show within a show's "Big Three" The "Big Three" are Harriet Hayes, an openly and extroverted Christian who is the show's leading comedic actress; Simon Stiles, a Yale educated thespian and Tom Jeter, who never seems to go home and spends a lot of time reading reviews on the internet. The show also prominently features Amanda Peet and Steven Weber, who play the new President and CEO of NBS, respectively. Timothy Busfield inhabits the role of Cal Shanley, the show's Director. Busfield is also an alumnus of West Wing and, like Bradley Whitford, completely changes it up for his role on Studio 60.

It isn't a surprise that many cast members (and crew for that matter) are familiar from other Aaron Sorkin vehicles. Sorkin is known for surrounding himself with the familiar. There are already jokes on forums and fan sites for the writer/producer asking when we'll see Joshua Malina, Janel Maloney, and Lisa Edelstein!

So far, Studio 60 is off to a strong start and already art is imitating life (or is it the other way around?) a la The West Wing. Many of the political situations in The West Wing were issues before and after the episodes aired. Already Christian Right's advocates are encouraging a boycott of the show, which is discussed in the second episode. The advocate groups cry foul and accuse Sorkin of "hating Christians" and always painting Christians in a bad light. While Studio 60 and West Wing do "smack down" some religious zealots (and every religion, political party and high school clique has a few), they only defame those who are extremists and overly violent in their tactics. He mainly paints Christians in an extremely positive light. Harriet Hayes, a main character on Studio 60 is a Christian and is very outspoken about her faith. The character, while possibly a little too "wide eyed", is treated with dignity and respect. And have we forgotten (or possibly overlooked) the fact that The West Wing's beloved President Bartlett was an extremely Catholic man who went to Notre Dame aspiring to become a Priest, only trading Priesthood for Politics when he met the woman who would become his wife?

It makes for interesting television when the episodes are immediately relevant, and that could be what makes Studio 60 stand out among the crowd of other shows this fall, and hopefully what will carry it to a multiple season run. I haven't heard other shows speaking so forthrightly about the "patriotism factor" or the effect 9/11 had on
Hollywood
politics. While at times the dialogue that invokes 9/11 feels a little bit soap boxy, that doesn't mean that it isn't relevant. Also in play are the relationships the media has with the Right Wing, the current administration in
Washington
, Affiliate marketing and how big a part Advertising plays in whether or not a show succeeds. Jordan McDeere talks about charging a "coward's fee" in the ad buy for the fictional Studio for all of the affiliates who pulled their sponsorship because of bullying only to come back a week later.

Studio 60 is a smart, well written drama about the goings on of a Comedy show and its parent network. It's taking its time hitting its stride, but when it does, it will be one of the best shows on network television.