MovieChat Forums > The Newsroom (2012) Discussion > Sports Night anyone?

Sports Night anyone?

posted 9 years ago by horsenbuggy
5 replies | jump to latest

So I'm the kind of fan who could probably teach a class about Sports Night. I've just started watching The Newsroom, having finished the episode titled "5/1."

There are so many similarities between this and Sports Night. And I get that. I mean, if you include TWW and S60, there are so many familiar patterns.

I think it struck me most during the episode where Charlie has to protect Will from Fonda's character. That really felt like Isaac going to bat with JJ to protect Dana. I really like Waterston as Isaac Jaffe, but I do miss Robert Guillaume. I particularly liked the relationship he had with Danny and others on the staff beyond Dana. I hope we see Charlie interact like that with more than just Will (and yelling at "the girl" isn't what I mean).

[–] Doom 9 years ago

I completely agree, especially about Robert Guillaume.

No offense to Waterson - he's great, but I really liked what Guillaume brought to the table.

And, like you said, so many similarities between the 2 shows...

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

[–] mortenh-1 9 years ago

"Sports night", "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and "The Newsroom" are meant as a trilogy, looking behind the scenes at TV shows, so it makes sense :-)

[–] MissEFierro 9 years ago

Except a trilogy tells an extended story. Not just a retelling of the same stories in different ways. There's so many similarities between the three of them, all three have blackout episodes, where the characters have a huge breakthrough, that is burst as soon as the lights miraculously turn on after a rousing speech given by Dana/MatthewPerry/Mac. There's the two characters who squabble over insignificant details. The I meant this word but said this word mix-up. The super smart showrunner, who's completely adorkable in real life.

I love Sports Night, I love The Newsroom, and The West Wing. (I've only seen a few episodes of Studio 60.) But it is frustrating watching the same old story over and over. When I watch these shows I can't help but think of the characters from other shows doing and saying the words also.

That said, if Sorkin does another show, I'll watch it.

[–] captjc 8 years ago

Yep, I'm guessing that The Newsroom is basically just a modern remake of Sports Night. I makes sense, in a way. Keith Olbermann is a good friend of Aaron Sorkin, and his time at SportsCenter provided the inspiration for Sports Night. I wouldn't be surprised if Olbermann's time at MSNBC and Current TV was the inspiration behind The Newsroom as well.

I also get the feeling that Sorkin wasn't happy with the way the network was treating him and Sports Night which is why he quickly jumped ship to do the West Wing (taking many of his people with him). I assume that he still liked the concept enough to re-implement his ideas at HBO who are known for letting creators do their own thing.

[–] writegirl1-2 8 years ago

It also makes sense - I mean, the plaints make sense - if and when we look at the plaints in the light of Sorkin saying he's done with television for good. Maybe he thinks he's said all it's possible to say about any workplace milieu at length, as the focal point of a series.