Randy Cassingham's Blog

As an old West Wing fan, I made sure that I developed a Studio 60 addiction as quickly as I could, and I absolutely agree - intelligent TV is all too rare these day, so Aaron Sorkin's shows are always a delight.

I love the way Sorkin writes for John Goodman, who did all too brief parts on both series. It reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw on the Eastern Shore of VA: "We're rural, we're not stupid." He can show real respect for the purple middle of America.

I agree that Studio 60 is better than many shows on TV, but overall I find it disappointing. It's still not quite hit its stride, and interactions between characters are often stilted. It lacks subtlety when it deals with issues. It also gets a little tedious when Sorkin turns it into one big soapbox. Nearly every week Sorkin seems to set up a straw man so that he can then demolish it.

I have problems with Harriet Hayes: She does *not* dress like the devout Christians I know. And it was hard to take Matt Albie seriously with his ridiculous hairstyle. Am I the only woman who thinks that men who have their hair sticking straight up look silly?

I'm still following Studio 60 in hopes that it will all come together, but I'm not sure that that will happen.

I agree with Pippa somewhat, but I don't think Sorkin had the luxury of a slow buildup and development like he did with West Wing. The expectations were already set too high for this one. I do hope the show makes it for a while as there are only about two other shows I like on regular TV. (Lost, Heros, and sometimes the original CSI... would somebody PLEEEEASE kill the Miami one!)

To spin the conversation a bit, I think our days of depending on the networks is coming to an end. Gov. Schwartzenegger recently signed a bill allowing the telecoms to compete fairly with the cable companies for television content delivery. I think the time is coming when we will be able to choose the content we want MUCH more selectively. I still can't say that I enjoy advertisements, but I do enjoy observing changes and experimentation that advertisers are going through to deal with the advent of DVRs and Content on Demand.

I absolutely agree with you -- it's a fantastic show and keeps getting better with every episode. I wish people would give it a chance and the credit it deserves.

For once a show that does not have to rely on killing a character every week to keep the ratings up, and of course what I love about the show is the banter. Matt and Danny (played brilliantly by Mr. Perry and Mr. Whitford) are just brilliant characters to write about and keep pushing each other's buttons in a remarkable way. As for the "shippy" relationships they are great also. It's a breath of fresh air to see a show where those kind of relationships are not based on sexual tention for a change.

I like Mr Sorkin's show cause it's unpredictable among other things, and I am thinking because of the nature of the show it is very difficult for him to write himself into a corner. Something that happens easily on other shows.

I hope the show does not get cancelled. We need something different and fresh on TV and I have to say Studio 60 is it.

I didn't realise us Christians have a "specific" dress code...at least when we are not in Church. I have absolutely no problems with Harry. Sarah Paulson does a remarkable job.

Exuse my English please. English is not my first language.

I was just thinking while watching this show last night that for as much as I like it, I'd better not get attached to it or the characters, 'cause it will probably get cancelled -- for the very reason that it is a little more intelligent than the average show . . . (I agree with Jeremy, someone, PLEASE cancel CSI Miami!)

I am a fan of Aaron Sorkin and his turn of phrase. Like West Wing before it, the play between the characters is intriguing -- and while their lives bear no resemblance to mine or most people I know, they are believable.

Sorkin is a fan of the soapbox (as noted by Pippa), which can at times (I find mostly when I don't agree) get tedious . . . but none of that deters me from watching (or taping) the show every Monday night.

I hope that Randy's blurb in This is True gets more viewers to the show -- I was sorry to see West Wing leave the air (I especially enjoyed the last half of the last season and would have loved to see it carry on with Smits and Alda for at least another 13 episodes).

Oh, good -- I was beginning to think I was the only person who likes Studio 60. The 2-parter domino effect with John Goodman as a judge in Pahrump, NV almost made me wet my pants. More Studio 60...less CSI Miami.

Excellent show, and for a different take on the same subject give Tina Fey's 30 Rock a try. It's made me regard Alec Baldwin as human again and has almost convinced me that I should give SNL another try after perhaps 10 years -- Fey is a former SNL writer.

Thanks for flagging Studio 60 Randy. We gotta support smart TV on the rare occasions that it happens.

Look at what happened to "Firefly." Lotsa smart people love it - I've heard that the box set has sold 600,000 copies - but nobody knew it existed until after it was canceled.

Pippa and Penandra don't like the soap-boxing. I'd like to point out that Sorkin is one of the only writer/producers on TV willing to challenge PC orthodoxy by letting non-PC characters actually make their points. Eloquently. They never win the day, but they get to be heard! Isn't it strange to be calling that a victory?

Remember the Christmas show? All of that carping by the writers about holes in the Christmas legend, then Sorkin rips your heart out with that beautiful not PC ending.

---

It was spectacular, and a reminder that the petty squabbling about Christmas is getting in the way of the much-more-important concepts of "Peace on Earth" and "Good Will Toward Men". -rc

Thanks so much for calling people to watch this show! I love it, but only know one other person (besides myself) who watches it.

I loved "Sports Night". Now I love "Studio 60" and Sorkin's willingness to explore stereotypes, including his own biases and struggles, in a thought-provoking and hilarious manner.