MovieChat Forums > Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006) Discussion > Had promise

Had promise

posted 14 years ago by dudemonkeydan
2 replies | jump to latest

Just watched the full series. After the first few episodes, I was lamenting that this show wasn't picked up after the 1st season. However, after completing the series I realized they should have done more with the premise.

So much was good about this show at the start. Unfortunately, they left the most interesting parts, namely the actual behind-the-scenes aspects, to soon. They raced through the whole mal-contented writers plots, the Darius plot-line went nowhere, and Danny's actual contributions to the show are completely glossed over. The plot involving the woman from reality TV had promise too, but they didn't chase it. Instead, they focused on outlandish and frankly boring plots involving Danny and Jordan's love/baby, anything to do with Matt and Harriet, and Jeter's brother in the Middle East. The whole last 4 episodes had nothing to do with the actual show.

Some of the casting, mostly of the performers, seemed off. Hughley was an inspired choice, and Corddry holds his own for the most part, but it's hard to imagine him as one of "the big three." Paulson had a couple nice impressions, but didn't seem to fit the mold of a comedian or sketch artist. In fact, the whole character of Harriet seemed misplaced. Her religion was way over-played and it was far too much of a focus throughout the show. Helberg did well but was only used to show off his spot-on Cage impression. The other female performers seemed to be cast more on their looks than on anything else. Couldn't they have actually put someone funny in those roles? Also, Timothy Busfield was under-utilized.

And it goes without saying that none of the sketches that they actually showed looked even remotely funny.

The way this show was headed, it deserved to not be renewed. The most interesting parts: the business politics, behind-the-scene dealings, creative process in making the show were completely left out as the show tried to take on too much in religion, politics, and current events.

Overall, a disappointment.

[–] colwood 14 years ago

As much as I wanted to love this show and as much as I defended it when it was on, looking back now (and have recently re-watched it) I still like it but realize it had a loads of promise that never panned out. The OP touched on two points that I think hurt the show the most: Harriet and Sorkin's social/political agenda.

I never heard of Sarah Paulson before this show but in hindsight she seems completely miscast. Harriet was desribed as this funny, incredibly beautiful, incredibly talented actress/singer who could make men fall for her on the spot. Nothing about Paulson or her interpretation of Harriet seemed to fit the bill. By the end I found myself wondering why Matt or any man would want her.

As for Sorkin, half his story ideas seemed like it was his attempt to rewrite his own history and the other half were as if nobody told him he was no longer writing the West Wing. I don't mind a spirited religious or political debate. But when a show's premise is described as 'behind-the-scenes-of-snl', I'm not looking for storylines that have more to do with politics than comedy.

[–] shortysi_uk 14 years ago

I agree that perhaps this show lost it's way some what towards the end of the season.
However I believe some of this comes down to the fact that a lot of content was crammed in to one season because Aaron Sorkin and the rest of his team knew they were getting canceled.
I think they actually did quite well wrapping it up. It doesn't come across that rushed.
But obviously plot points that perhaps the writers planned to take a bit of time over pushed other elements out of the show.
When I watched it again recently I noticed the last quarter of the season has a lot more going on than the beginning, although this isn't unusual for a show with 20 odd episodes you do feel like it looses a bit of the filler which I quite welcomed in this show.
For example the more back stage parts, which ironically get put completely back stage.