29 Comments Add your own

• 1. Curt  |  February 15th, 2007 at 10:11 am

  Well that’s too damned bad. It was a smart show and I liked the characters. The only problem was the skits they produced in the show-within-a-show were even worse than SNL’s actual skits.

• 2. Don  |  February 15th, 2007 at 10:21 am

  I think the show had potential but was too schizophrenic.

  Some of the characters were well developed and interesting while others were flat or outright lame parodies. Some episodes were brillant and others were slow and boring.

  IMHO, I think this show really had potential and may have been o.k. if it had time to find it’s way.

  But in the end it’s lack of consistancy killed it.

• 3. Greg  |  February 15th, 2007 at 10:54 am

  Like “Arrested Development”, this is another excellent show but cancelled due to low ratings

• 4. Alyssa  |  February 15th, 2007 at 11:06 am

  I want to like that show more than I think I actually do…

  … but frankly, I find many of the characters too irritating to care very much about (especially the women). Having worked for NBC, I do enjoy the jabs at the NBC/GE relationship (which are still not as amusing as the ones on 30 Rock) and the West Wing/Sports Night roster of guest stars (John Goodman, Felicity Huffman, etc…)

• 5. Randall  |  February 15th, 2007 at 11:08 am

  Sorkin tried to be funny, but in the end just couldn’t come down off the political soapbox. He couldn’t resist pounding us over the head with the culture wars that are oh so important to him and the rest of Hollywood. Most of us just wanted to chuckle on Monday, but rarely got the opportunity as the characters turned dialogue into speeches at every turn.

• 6. G Man  |  February 15th, 2007 at 11:11 am

  I wasn’t into watching another episodic show. That and the one time I did watch it, it felt like West Wing rehashed.

• 7. Darrien  |  February 15th, 2007 at 11:31 am

  I really liked this show, and never missed an episode. It’s sad if they take it off the air, I was invested in it.

• 8. Rich  |  February 15th, 2007 at 11:40 am

  I tried and wanted to like this show but in the end, it was impossible for me to buy into the concept that most - if not all - of the characters were so damn deep/dark/serious.

  If the atmosphere behind the scenes at SNL is anywhere near as serious and dreary - no wonder they can’t produce funny skits.

• 9. theTVaddict  |  February 15th, 2007 at 12:00 pm

  Yet the Train Wreck that is AMERICAN IDOL lives on…

• 10. SJ  |  February 15th, 2007 at 12:32 pm

  I like the show, but not as much as I thought I would. Sorkin did a better job of developing the characters on Sports Night. It was also full of dark/depressed characters. One of them even ended up in therapy. But in the end, they all came together to put together a sports news show that often made them feel triumphant. Who feels triumphant about a sketch comedy show?

  The other thing is, all those Sorkin monologues worked great when the characters reciting them were working in the West Wing and running the country. But when you’re preaching about writing a good comedy show and trying to win the 18-34 demo, it really doesn’t work.

• 11. Mitch  |  February 15th, 2007 at 12:49 pm

  This show before the New Year was a totally different show than when they came back in early January.

  Before, it was interesting and well-written, showed me the TV business and had me watching on Mondays. After, it was just some romantic storylines that I couldn’t care about. They forgot that they worked on a TV show and did plots that you could get anywhere. I started watching them delayed on Tuesday, then Wednesday. I just wasn’t rushing to see them anymore.

• 12. Rob  |  February 15th, 2007 at 1:31 pm

  I agree with G Man. It had an interesting premise but came off too much like West Wing: Hollywood.

• 13. adm  |  February 15th, 2007 at 1:51 pm

  sorry, pretentiorati. (and rex.)

• 14. marykat  |  February 15th, 2007 at 2:38 pm

  I agree with most of the comments. I loved the show from the beginning…something actually intelligent! However, the last couple weeks have lost me a little when it went really really dark and, as someone mentioned, they forgot they were producing a TV show on the show. I hope it lives long enough to get sorted out, because it has the potential to be fabulous. However, I am quickly running out of hope on that front.

• 15. hotchick nj  |  February 15th, 2007 at 2:45 pm

  They did funny on Sports Night, but they couldn’t pull this off. I wanted to love it but usually fell asleep — booooring.

• 16. Patrick  |  February 15th, 2007 at 6:37 pm

  I understand that Sorkin is a smart guy and leads a smart writing team. While that level of character intelligence was easy to swallow in the White House, you want to believe that the people running the country are the brightest minds out there. It is simply impossible to believe that a bunch of late night comedy type actors are that smart. Moreover, if fanatical left wing Sorkin could of checked just a bit of his political leanings at the door I think it would of had a better chance of going. I know he hates Christians I get it. Although, its been my experience that the devout ones dont run from fing one dude in a relationship to another and still run around high and mighty.

• 17. Mike  |  February 16th, 2007 at 7:28 am

  Noooooo! I loved the show and it was one of my few appointment television programs. However that said, Mitch nailed it when he said it jumped the shark around New Years. Amanda Peet’s character became pregnant and they thought we cared about it, Danny Tripp does a 180 and acts like a school girl in love, and the China theme went on 4 episodes too long. It used to be about TV. Over all, I loved that they tackled the religion issue so hardily but, my god, it doesn’t have to be the theme of every damn show. Move on. And by the way, why was it a month later and they hadn’t hired even one new writer to replace the staff that left?

• 18. Alyssa  |  February 16th, 2007 at 8:00 am

  And if you’re a West Wing fan, it’s hard to top the 8 years of funny, frustrating, simmering romantic tension between Josh and Donna… That longing was a key for the long-term success — people were rooting for those characters to get together.
  Studio 60 is kind of romantically rushing things… and too many at once…

• 19. Michael Gorman  |  February 16th, 2007 at 8:21 am

  I think NBC dropped the ball a bit in promoting it. Every week the second half of the tease was “And two old flames…” I think they even did that in the Nevada episodes, or am I mistaken?

  The soapbox grew tiresome. So much so that he really made “his” views seem petty, and cast the other in a better light. And just like he killed Sports Night (which I absolutely loved) by centering the second season around “the plan,” he put waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many romantic backstories (3) into one season.

• 20. Curt  |  February 16th, 2007 at 10:19 am

  Mike said, “Danny Tripp does a 180 and acts like a school girl in love.” That was my other problem with the show, though it was less a schoolgirl and more like someone with a future in court-ordered anger management classes. Genuinely gave me the creeps and my affection for the character went potty-ward in a hurry.

• 21. Alyssa  |  February 16th, 2007 at 1:06 pm

  Kind of feels like it’s too soon after West Wing went off the air to do another show with many familiar actors, speeches, pacing, and etc… It was always going to be compared to WW, but now WW is still relatively fresh in the minds of viewers.

  However, it is nice to see that Matthew Perry can do something more than Chandler Bing (also demonstrated duing his guest appearences on WW).

• 22. Justin  |  February 16th, 2007 at 1:27 pm

  I agree too many romances too quickly and too much religion. It seems like the entire show was about the Matthew Perry love story with some side narratives. It should’ve been about the comedy show! I want to see more crazy characters.

  Do you think Will Ferrell acting like anyone on Studio 60 behind closed doors on SNL? No.

• 23. Bob  |  February 17th, 2007 at 10:55 am

  The first episode was awesome! I was a disciple. I told everyone I know that Sorkin had finally managed to leave his politics behind and concentrate on entertaining me. But by the third episode I loathed the show. It went from fast-paced fun to left wing BS. I’m glad it’s gone. It was death warmed over as a lead-in to our 10pm newscast.

• 24. DruMatthias  |  February 26th, 2007 at 2:18 pm

  I’ve watched all but 1 episode of this show since it’s inception, dragging my eyes and ears out for another hour of TV almost solely based on the stunning cast. After all this time, I was half way through last week’s episode and just turned the channel.
  The character development is piss-poor, and focuses on the no-names as much as the famed actors being paid too much to state leftist lines in a near constant state of confrontation.
  I am a fan of nearly all types of humor, besides that of the dark British variety (though the original Office is good) and at best, I crack a smile once an episode as I watch this dreadful show. These actors are really good at selling scripted lines that have nothing to do with them, everything to do with Sorkin’s viewpoints, and nothing all but a small, small group of cult fans would ever want to be blasted with every freaking episode.
  Bottom line, No one, I repeat NO ONE should EVER compare this show to “Arrested Development” one of the wittiest, funniest fast-humor shows I’ve ever witnessed, as all I see between these two is contrast.
  The Black Donelleys is most likely a poor substitute from what I’ve read, but regardless, Studio 60 has more than run it’s course & it’s time to go.

• 25. KB  |  February 26th, 2007 at 2:48 pm

  The cast was likeable even if the show was annoying sometimes. I will miss them.

• 26. carolyn delia  |  February 26th, 2007 at 7:42 pm

  Well well now maybe we can get monkeys to do a fashion show and vote on the one who has the worse makeup!!! I can’t beleive that we the public have to be reduced to so many stupid shows. When a good one, one that takes talent and a few brains, gets cancelled its pretty annoying.
  We LIKED Studio 60….enjoyed the quick beat, great cast and look into the back stage. I wonder who is the one choosing what we now have to watch…..I know its not Jordon…….NBC use to be my favorite broadcaster but its going down hill quickly.

• 27. K  |  March 1st, 2007 at 10:55 pm

  Although Sorkin pushes too hard, and the themes of the show were rushed and redundant, it is deplorable that the show cannot find an intelligence audience willing to accept anything beyond effortless sitcoms and unrealistic reality TV shows that allow us to sit in front of a television set like mindless vegetables. Studio 60 simply needs some time to develop into a controlled impressively clever show. In a couple seasons it may compare to Sports Night or even West Wing. It can’t hurt for viewers to attempt to watch some intelligent TV that challenges with a plot a little further than ‘who is the most suitable bachelor.’ Maybe Sorkin would be better off on HBO where people can stand smarter shows. Either way, the fact that ratings are so low just shows the pathetic taste of the Average American.

• 28. Victorya Rogers  |  March 2nd, 2007 at 5:57 pm

  I think Studio 60 was one of the smarted shows on television in a LONG time and I am EXTREMELY bummed that NBC didn’t allow the show to build. Quite frankly I’m surprised the studio didn’t keep it on the air for a full 22 episodes just to appease Sorkin. Hopefully it isn’t really over. AFTERALL NBC cancelled JAG after low ratings and it was picked up by CBS and became a smash hit and stayed on the air for TEN sessions.

  Victorya Michaels Rogers

• 29. Kenny Le May  |  March 6th, 2007 at 12:02 am

  NBC made a HUGE mistake. This was the smartest show on tv. If NBC had scheduled this at a more appropriate time slot they would have had a smash hit. With so many mindless shows on television this is a real shame.

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