I caught this show last night, and I thought it was quite good both from a writing and a cast standpoint. The setting is quite unique, and there's certainly plenty of material to draw from to make a successful show. Given Aaron Sorkin's involvement, it is certainly quite reminiscent of The West Wing, right down to the onscreen font with the cast listing.
The only downside (for me) is that I can't remember Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford's character names-I keep thinking of them as "Chandler" and "Josh".
I thought it was good, which was a slight disappiontment from the Greatest Show Of The Season hype it was getting, so much that I was picking nits by the end, like
- hey, that's kinda a homage to Network - hey, that's everyone realizing it's a homage to Network - hey, that's everyong realizing everyone's realizing it's a homage to Network
and Matthew Perry talking about taking pills for back pain (shooty!) - it was kinda a Vince Russo restart show at points, and that's a mean comparision. Getting blitzkreiged with a billion characters and trying to figure out the relationships - like I was thinking Amanda Peet might be Steven Wright's boss until they explained otherwise (and if she's Head Of The Network, what exactly is his job?) was a bit much, but it's going to be that kind of show.
They really didn't need to put Sorkin's name on it, because as soon as people were walking and talking in hallways, it was all "oh, it's HIM." And probably a reason not to get attached to the show.
It's harder to explain why I like it than why I found fault with it. It's just interesting, you know? They gave me one impressive moment - the "700 Club's Host Is A Racist" bit, an obvious meta-counterpoint to the show's theme - some nice interaction and decently likable characters so far. I mean, I'm pretty sure I should've been sick of Amanda Peet by the end, since 35 minutes of the show was about how great a person she was (and ended with the characters noting how great she was), and I was fine with her, so that's a good sign.
I'm not sure this is everything I was promised it'd be, but I'm willing to give it a few weeks to see if it's sticking with, which is a few more weeks than I'm giving the Tina Fey show.
One more Amanda Peet thing - is Amanda Peet's character supposed to be in her mid 40s and aged great, or did she start her career ay 12? That was one long and impressive resume for someone who looked her age.
Wait, one more thing: is including a "smart, beautiful, wise, savvy, 99.999% perfect Head of Network" character on your pilot show the best way ever to make sure your show makes the schedule? Quite the way to suck up.
Perry's character name should be easy to remember: Its Matt.
As for Whitford... [scratches head]
I enjoyed the pilot. The dialogue was 100% Sorkin. Between Whitford and some of the interior sets (especially the scene where Amanda Peet confronted him in the hotel room), I would have sworn I was watching the West Wing at times. His delivery on the My Mother the Car line could have been lifted from an old tWW script.
Judd Hirsch's meltdown was fun.
I liked the Felicity Huffman cameo. I wonder how long before Josh Malina shows up to complete his trifecta.
I look forward to actually seeing some of the skits on the show.
Mild spoiler:
Spoiler Below: Highlight text to read
Lauren Graham is supposed to appear in an upcoming episode playing herself as that week's celebrity host. I can't wait to see how she does with the Sorkin dialogue!
Edit:
Originally posted by thecubsfanis Amanda Peet's character supposed to be in her mid 40s and aged great, or did she start her career ay 12? That was one long and impressive resume for someone who looked her age.
I was wondering the exact same thing!
(edited by EddieBurkett on 19.9.06 1125) You believe me, don't you? Please believe what I just said...
I liked the show, more than I was expecting to. I have never seen an episode of West Wing (not a fan of politics). What confuses me is, does NBC have 2 new shows on their fall schedule about a comedy sketch show? The other being, of course, 30 Rock. What is the deal with that? However, both shows look very promising to me, and I love Tina Fey. Nice to see Judd Hircsh again, I don't remember him in anything since playing Goldblum's father in Independence day.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
Peet's character is for the most part based on Jamie Tarses, the former NBC exec who ran comedy development in the mid 90s and was handed the ABC Entertainment President job before being quickly drummed out. Remember all those yellow-colored ads and the slogan "TV is good" back when Drew Carey was all the rage? Yeah, that was her. She rose up through the ranks VERY fast, so I don't think McDeere is too unbelievable. Plus, maybe NBS execs just saw "The Whole Nine Yards."
Oh, look who's a "consultant" on Studio 60. Jamie Tarses. (I believe she briefly dated Perry, too.)
The thing that struck me most about the awesome, awesome pilot was how much it reminded me of West Wing. Not that this shouldn't have been expected, what with Sorkin dialogue and the presence of Busfield and Whitford, but between the dark sets, the letterboxing and using the EXACT same font for the titles that were used on West Wing, if you'd tuned in during the dinner party scene while the crew was being listed you couldn't tell the difference.
Originally posted by PeterStorkThe thing that struck me most about the awesome, awesome pilot was how much it reminded me of West Wing. Not that this shouldn't have been expected, what with Sorkin dialogue and the presence of Busfield and Whitford, but between the dark sets, the letterboxing and using the EXACT same font for the titles that were used on West Wing, if you'd tuned in during the dinner party scene while the crew was being listed you couldn't tell the difference.
Steven Weber is the man.
(edited by PeterStork on 19.9.06 1227)
Not to mention the Tommy Schlamme walk-and-talk camera maneuver.
I'm a huge mark for Sorkin, especially as his shows get started -- He loses interest quickly, and then so do I.
I would have liked to see Judd Hirsch stay on in the Robert Guilliaume/John Spencer "Older guy who's seen it all" mentor role.
Please note also that Big Three Blondie is based on Sorkin's ex-girlfriend Kristen Chenoweth.
And this marks the first time in history that anyone referred to Steven Weber as "the man".
Josh Malina over/under is 7 episodes. And I'd bet my bottom dollar we see Timothy Davis-Reed before long. I'd love to see him in the control room as Chris, but again, Sorkin mark.
Disclaimer: I was not a Sports Night viewer, nor was I a West Wing viewer.
Buuut...
I really dug this. It was very pilot-y, but it'll find its footing and surely be appointment TV. Matthew Perry brought the awesome and should continue to do so.
I want to see more of the show-within-a-show. Because other than the fact that we're TOLD they're the "Big 3", we have no idea HOW Nate Corddry, DL Hughley, and Sarah Paulsen got to be the "Big 3".
Oh, and that heavy set guy (the one from a billion different commercials) was SO based on Horatio Sanz. ("You only had two lines tonight, and you stepped on one of them!")
I liked the show, but I'm not more enthusiastic about it after seeing the first episode than I was before I saw it, if that makes any sense.
What I liked most is that Perry and Whitford actually didn't seem at all like Chandler or Josh. I believe their characters are based on Sorkin and Schlamme themselves, with a dash of Franken & Davis thrown in for good measure.
Weber was good, but I hope his character is developed beyond "evil straw man network guy."
Scene: Mark DeRosa's brain. The year is 2005. Part of Mark DeRosa's brain: Come on, another position change? One day it's second base, the next day right field, now it's third? Why, I oughta go into Buck's office and throw his talking fish on the floor! Other part of Mark DeRosa's brain: Hold on, other part of the brain. We're making $500,000 this year. Last year we made $725,000. All for playing a damn kids' game. This is, as they say in Brainland, a no-"us"-er. We're not going to complain. Part of Mark DeRosa's brain: You're right, dude. Let's go back to looking at this crazy porn Teixeira gave us!
The show has a lot of promise, I think. I would agree with Brian PD. If Sorkin's interest stays with the show it will be very good. If his mind wanders to something else, something newer, I would not be sure where this ends up.
Originally posted by kentishNice to see Judd Hircsh again, I don't remember him in anything since playing Goldblum's father in Independence day.
He has been playing the father on Numb3rs for the last couple of years on CBS, which begs the question, can you be a regular on two different shows on two different networks at the same time???
Where the wild are strong, and the strong are the darkest ones, you're the Darkest One.
Is Numbers still on the air this season? I didn't think that he would be on Studio 60 beyond the pilot after he was fired and replaced. But I hope so, because he was quite good the other night.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
Originally posted by thecubsfanIt's harder to explain why I like it than why I found fault with it. It's just interesting, you know? They gave me one impressive moment - the "700 Club's Host Is A Racist" bit, an obvious meta-counterpoint to the show's theme ...
That bit and the revelation of the banned skit reminded me that the first "West Wing" episode dealt with Christian lobbyists calling for Josh's dismissal. It led to an argument in the mural room about the Ten Commandments and whether an anti-Jewish bias wass at the root of their efforts. The scene ended with the president's first appearance and his verbal destruction of the lobbyists.
Also similar to his character wiping the floor with the Dr. Laura analogue a few years later because of her Bible-based attacks on gays.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
I loved it. It was a little more serious than Sports Night and a little funnier than The West Wing. It was classic Sorkin and I LOVE classic Sorkin. I'm in for the long haul.
You'll get two more chances to catch the pilot - this Sunday on Bravo, and a week from Tuesday on USA. Doesn't look like any other episodes are getting this treatment, though, so it's Monday or nothing from here on out. I suppose I should give the show a try since so many people I love and respect seem to like it.....I dunno, though.
Originally posted by CRZYou'll get two more chances to catch the pilot - this Sunday on Bravo, and a week from Tuesday on USA. Doesn't look like any other episodes are getting this treatment, though, so it's Monday or nothing from here on out. I suppose I should give the show a try since so many people I love and respect seem to like it.....I dunno, though.
Man, I screwed up taping it Monday night, then didn't see it for the rest of the week in the TV Guide, so I thought I was SOL until I saw they were replaying it on NBC.com.
I never watched the West Wing, and hated Sports Night, but the premise of this show sounded good, so I wanted to give it a chance. I really liked it. I especially liked the first segment with Judd Hirsch's on-air blowup. Very well done. But there sure are a lot of characters to get to know....
and cubsfan: you're mistake of calling Steven Weber Steven WRIGHT actually made me laugh out loud thinking of Wright in there.
I was not paying total attention but I assumed that Peet was the head of the network and Weber is head of GE or Peet is head of the entertainment division and Weber is the head of the network.
I was a sports night watcher, but not a west wing watcher, so I'll watch for a while.
Amanda Peet is the president of the network (NBS). Steven Weber is the chairman of the network and her direct superior. Ed Asner was the chairman of whatever corporation is supposed to own NBS.
"That's my problem - I'm too frank. That's why my mother shoved me down the stairs. But then she is fat."
This episode felt like stalling and nothing major really happened. Like they are setting up for the next episode. Daenarys wants to free slaves and talks to the representative from the city with the slaves.