July 30, 2006
[pilot round-up: studio 60 on the sunset strip] 11:33 AM
Just finished the pilot for Studio 60, which is ... a lot better on paper.
Its not that it's bad, its that the words aren't flowing like they do on the page. Some have wondered if Sorkin still had it after all these years, and I'm pretty sure he does. The script for 60 is pure Sorkin in the best of ways; my unease is with director/co-exec Tommy Schlamme. One can only hope we hit his Sports Night/West Wing season one pacing ASAP.
On the acting side of things, I was happy to see Judd Hirsch, Ed Asner and Donna Murphy pop in, not to mention "show host" Felicity Huffman. If nothing else, Studio 60 will become a much more organic Will & Grace, which is to say a delightful rotating roster of high profile guest stars.
The only real weak link here, and I love her, I do, is Amanda Peet as the new network president. Maybe she just needs some time to work it out, but right now it feels like Donna Moss playing Abby Bartlet.
With expectations (and budgets) so high for this show, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's a backlash and Tina Fey's 30 Rock (which I still need to see) hogs all the fall NBC glory. Thankfully, Studio 60 is one show that will, contractually, be allowed to grow.
as someone who hasn't seen the pilot yet, I'm just hoping that the commercials are a bit misleading and bradley whitford isn't playing josh lyman as a tv writer.
Posted by: dan at July 31, 2006 9:43 PM
