Newsgasm: Curtains for Studio 60?

Industry

By Tabloid Baby | Sunday, October 29, 2006 | 9:00 am | 13 Comments

studio%2060.jpg

There’s word that Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip is about to get the axe, despite NBC’s announcement Friday that it ordered up a whopping three extra episodes of the portentious drama about the serious folk behind a weekly comedy show.

(But what if the show’s creator and writer Aaron Sorkin turned his attention to baseball? Keep reading.)Roger Friedman at Fox says cast members are spreading word that they’ll soon be available for work. Friedman’s story is spreading through the industry. And these prophecies have a habit of becoming self-fulfilling. Besides, last week, Sorkin’s earnest drama about a weekly comedy show lost half of the 14 million viewers the surprise hit Heroes delivered as a lead-in. Tomorrow’s episode is being bumped for Friday Night Lights.

One good thing: Tabloid Baby’s pal DL Hughley, star of the cult motion picture comedy, Cloud 9, showed off his dramatic chops to good effect and will probably move a step or two up the star chain.

Another good thing to emerge from the Studio 60 mess? Sorkin’s earnest, message-filled and very expensive series inspired Ken Levine to offer a lesson in comedy. The legendary Cheers writer has come up with a mini-classic: “If Aaron Sorkin wrote a show about baseball…”

–Tabloid Baby

13 Comments

  1. 1
    pupkick
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 12:31 pm

    Probably one of the best 5 shows on tv right now. My second favorite after the office. Very well done. Heroes is.. well… horrid.

  2. 2
    dumbanddumber
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 1:03 pm

    Good ridance to a pretentious snoozefest.

  3. 3
    sheldonkeller
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 1:05 pm

    The Ken Levine link is genius.

  4. 4
    pupkick
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 5:46 pm

    After watching just 5 minutes of tonight’s NFL game on NBC, I see why Heroes has big ratings. I think people are watching it just so NBC stops running the god damn commercials every other commercial. Jesus.

  5. 5
    g3
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 6:00 pm

    I like the show. Too bad.

  6. 6
    suebee
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 6:54 pm

    This show is not convincing with Amanda Peet as the network president and her high level of involvement in Studio 60. Would she not have other matters to attend to?

  7. 7
    tvtvtv
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 7:11 pm

    These posts are incomprehensible. Seriously.

  8. 8
    watcher
    Posted October 29, 2006 at 7:43 pm

    Then don’t read them, there’s plenty of other stuff .

  9. 9
    Tony A.
    Posted October 30, 2006 at 5:15 am

    Damn. I wish I could have written what Ken Levine did. I stopped watching “The West Wing” for the very same reason and I’m souring on “Studio 60″ as well. I can suspend probability to see Steven Weber and Amanda Peet in those positions, but, seriously, how could she ever get any respect after last week, begging for friends? And the condescending way “Harry” treated her? Puh-leeze.

    The dialog in Sorkin’s shows, as pointed by Mr. Levine, is tortuous and meanders all over the landscape.

    On the other hand, you can only like “Heroes” if you’re into comic books.

  10. 10
    YouWannaBMe
    Posted October 30, 2006 at 6:20 am

    First off, Tony A. – If you’ve ever even bothered to catch ONE episode of Heroes you would be hooked, and you don’t need to be into comic books just to like it either. I’m not and I think it’s the BEST show on TV!! Studio 60 is a huge flop in comparison and with the amount of people watching Heroes, it really shows that the quality of 60 is HORRIBLE if millions of people are changing the channel as soon as it comes on. And yes, it’s completely unrealistic that Amanda Peet would be so involved in the show and be begging for friends from the cast members… What a retarded show – glad to see they’re possibly canceling.

  11. 11
    may1
    Posted October 30, 2006 at 7:54 am

    Tony A., have you ever watched Heroes? I haven’t read a comic book in more than 40 years, and I LOVE the show Heroes.
    Studio 60 had the potential to be a good show, but the whole walking/talking thing that disturbed me about West Wing is happening here also. I loved Sports Night, so I know Aaron can do comedy. But for some reason this show isn’t working for me. As far as things being unrealistic, this is tv, right? Almost everything is unrealistic. Politicans can’t fly (although I’m sure many wished they could).

  12. 12
    Ceri
    Posted October 30, 2006 at 11:37 am

    But I like Studio 60! Why do they always mess with the good stuff? Why do I like Studio 60? Cause I like Saturday Night Live. I guess I am not looking too much in to how real it is because hey it’s TV!! But hey I also like 30 Rock; it’s kind of the same concept but completely different. I like both! Also, I Like Hero’s too! Again however it is completely different than Studio 60. Here is a suggestion though¦How about they put Medium back on its rightful place on Monday nights. Kicking CSI Miami’s butt? (Oh I how I hate CSI Miami)

  13. 13
    boolaw
    Posted November 1, 2006 at 2:22 pm

    This is basically the only new show this season that is worth my time, and of course it is getting canceled. The dialog is amazing, as is everyone starring in it. Sorkin may not have the vocabulary of the average guy on the street, but to me that’s a good thing. It’s like a real conversation, only better. I am sure it will be replaced by some reality show, which will make me support sterilization. TV gets worse everyday.

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