Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
 

Someone explain to me how Aaron Sorkin can be SO AWESOME that he can make a show whose central plot revolves around SNL (well, the fictitious Studio 60) sucking, and put it on the same network as SNL.

And then you can explain to me how it's possible that Matthew Perry was able to shed the role of Chandler for this show.

Anyways, if you didn't see it, the show centers around the fictitious Studio 60, a sketch comedy show on Friday nights. The studio cuts a sketch that the producer wanted to perform because it would get the religious right up in arms. The producer then storms the stage and delivers a rant. Here are two exerpts:

"This show used to be cutting-edge political and social satire... but it's gotten lobotomized by a candy-assed broadcast network hellbent on not doing anything that might challenge their audience."

"We’re eating worms for money... Guys are getting killed in a war that’s got theme music and a logo. That remote in your hand is a crack pipe [that profits] this prissy, feckless, off-the-charts greed-filled whorehouse of a network you’re watching."

He's fired as the tech director finally cuts to credits, so the new network president (Amanda Peet) hires two former writers (Matt Perry and Brad Whitford) to run the show.

I enjoyed it immensely. It's quite possibly the finest hour on television. And that's the point.

I just can't believe NBC is finally gonna have a monday night lineup that is made of win...

Heroes and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip...

And for the record, I am suprised they ever let the line "No, Jack, I'm saying that pointing the camera at two men masterbauting would be better than a lot of what is on television." be aired...

Still, it had to be the awesomest thing I have seen in a while..
My only quarrel is that Perry is just playing a more evolved version of what he has played before...
But he does manage to do it well!
I am really looking foward to where this goes...

They can allow lines like that to be aired thanks to the 10 PM EST time slot, where the FCC is a bit more linient.

And it is a great show. It's good to see that he decided to learn from his mistakes with Sports Night, and from his success with The West Wing. It looks to be the best new show in a while. That speech at the beginning was pure awesome.

Could he Be?! a better actor?

I only saw snippets at work, seemed funny enough.

I don't think it's the FCC Kroze was talking about. NBC allowed one of their writers to claim on air that two men masturbating is better than alot of what "NBS" has to offer.

And I think the only proper response from SNL would be Lorne Michaels storming the cold open on the next SNL and totally lampooning the Wes Mandell Rant. It won't happen, 'cause SNL is a bit more like the fictitious S60 than anyone would like to admit.

Precisely, NBC is really pulling something very risky here by fully trusting Sorkin here...
I fully agreed with everything in that opening speech and I am sure most NBC execs did as well more then they would like to admit...
Suffice to say that I am really looking foward what Sorkin plans for the show...

Well, it may be (deservedly) mocking SNL, and other skit shows on today (they've all pretty much gone to crap), but they're kinda safe because they established the network as being different than NBC, as the new President of NBS (I think she was the president) came from NBC. So, it may become a model to point out the failings of all the major networks, and TV in general, not just NBC.

I'm just pointing out that so much of the rant was directed AT NBC. We have SNL (NBC), naturally. "We're eating worms for money..." is Fear Factor (NBC). "Who Wants To Screw My Sister" is I guess a blast at most reality shows, but probably specifically "Who Wants to Marry My Dad? (NBC). I understand it's a blast at television in general, all I'm saying is that there were a couple of really specific barbs aimed at NBC.

Oh man,
I just read episode 2 and Sorkin is REALLY having too much fun at writing for this..
He blasts "Liberal" media and then he turns around and blasts "Non-Liberal" media...
Heh heh...

I just hope they really don't go the direction I think they are taking the Matt Harriet relationship...
West Wing comes to mind immedately...

You mean Josh and Donna? Seven years of unrequited love and bad flings before they realize their feelings for one another?