Latest Studio 60Complications Ensue
Complications Ensue:
The Crafty Screenwriting, TV and Game Writing Blog




Archives

April 2004

May 2004

June 2004

July 2004

August 2004

September 2004

October 2004

November 2004

December 2004

January 2005

February 2005

March 2005

April 2005

May 2005

June 2005

July 2005

August 2005

September 2005

October 2005

November 2005

December 2005

January 2006

February 2006

March 2006

April 2006

May 2006

June 2006

July 2006

August 2006

September 2006

October 2006

November 2006

December 2006

January 2007

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

May 2007

June 2007

July 2007

August 2007

September 2007

October 2007

November 2007

December 2007

January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

October 2014

November 2014

December 2014

January 2015

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

June 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

September 2016

October 2016

November 2016

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

May 2017

June 2017

July 2017

August 2017

September 2017

October 2017

November 2017

December 2017

January 2018

March 2018

April 2018

June 2018

July 2018

October 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

November 2019

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

August 2020

September 2020

October 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

March 2021

May 2021

June 2021

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

August 2022

September 2022

November 2022

February 2023

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023

July 2023

September 2023

November 2023

January 2024

February 2024

 

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Some people have complained that this ep was mushy, but I liked this week's Studio 60 best of all. Instead of hearing a lot of gumph about how important sketch comedy is, or seeing sketches that weren't as funny as they were cracked up to be, the show was about what's important to sketch comedy people, and how they feel about it. That, I bought. And the two comedy sketches were for once interesting as story points. We see one black comedian kill with yet another racist sketch about the differences between white people and black people; and we're not meant to laugh, we're meant to think. And then we see another black comedian die onstage with an interesting but badly delivered bit. The sketches, and Matt and Simon's reaction to them, told us something about Matt and Simon, and about the state of comedy.

It also felt clearer that this is a drama about comedy people, rather than something that's trying to be a comedy about comedy people, and failing.

I hope Sorkin stays in this groove...

Labels: ,

6 Comments:

I love Steven Weber in this show, and I've loved him in everything I've ever seen. I'm having a real hard time seeing Bradley Whitford not be Josh, though. Him came into my mind as Josh and to be honest he's not playing his character significantly different. I feel like his character needs to do something that Josh would never do, and do it real soon or I'm going to wonder if Whitford accidentally walked onto the wrong set looking for West Wing.

Here's something, in the Pilot we saw the showdown with the network censor and that was a big part of the meltdown, but that guy has basically disappeared.

I bought that as what really happens, fighting with censors like that because I've read stories of EP's that fight just like that. It made it real from minute 1, and it hasn't been there since.

I get that Jordan is on their side, so for a while, they are going to get away with a lot of stuff, but at some point, the censor is the gun in Act 1, and it needs to go off *very soon*, or it'll be nothing but a cheap device to get the pilot going.

Thoughts?

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:20 AM  

Oh my...
You're going to analyse every single episode, won't you? Sorkin's doing the macarena right now, for old time's sake.

By Blogger kadgi, at 2:39 PM  

I thought this was their best episode to date. DL was great. And Matt Perry keeps getting better and better. I felt for Nate Corddry's guy ... I am that kid to my parents, so it hit home. I think most of us in TV are that kid, actually.

By Blogger ME, at 10:56 PM  

I didn't like it.
I felt like they were throwing a bunch of stuff against the wall to see what sticks, like they were floundering for a vision of the show. It was very "glurgy", IMO.
Ahh, non-showbiz mom and dad come for a visit? He sends body armor to the troops?
WWII man shows up, they have some Tuesdays With Morrie moments?
Jordan and Harriet are bonding?
I did like the DL/Matt going to the club and hiring that guy.
Whatever happened to the plagiarist writer thing? I must have missed the lawsuits, firings, and redfaced apologies.

By Blogger Milehimama @ Mama Says, at 2:49 PM  

Um, okay -- looks like a couple of people have wandered in here from the forums at Television Without Pity.

Thematic idea: Comedy is a force that can comment upon that which cannot be said directly, and that is why it is valuable.

Counter idea: Comedy is unimportant and therefore can easily be shunted aside.

Explorations of the theme:

Plot 1:

Tom Jeter shows his parents around the studio, trying to make the point that what he does has a value.

His father doesn't buy it because he's locked into the view that his other son risks life and limb for freedom. His son can't possibly measure up to that.

The son tries to meet his father halfway, and recognizes how important the other son's contribution was, which is why he sent armor -- the lack of which is a scandal revealed and explored in our world, partly through sketch comedy shows like Daily show and Studio 60.

The son finally -- going back to the theme above, tries to make a final halfway connect to his father by giving him a recording of "Who's on first." IF you get this, if you laugh, maybe you get me.

Plot 2:

The director finds a man whos disoriented and somehow drawn to the studio. Through the course of the episode, we discover that the man was once a writer on a show broadcast from the theater, which was decimated by the HUAC hearings, the blacklist, and the witchunt. He was shunted aside, because what he did was considered dangerous.

Plot 3:

Matt and Simon have a conflict over comedy where Simon tries to impress upon Matt that there are things that they could be saying about Race that Matt simply can't understand, because he's not black. (comedy is a force that can comment upon that which cannot be said directly, ie: racism in America)

through twists and turns, eventually Matt comes to see Simon's POV, and hires a diamond in the rough talent.

It's one thing to throw around clever made up words like gumph and glurgy. And it's one thing to say you didn't like the episode. But don't say that it didn't explore its theme, or resonate with certain people. If you don't want to think about it that hard, go and bitch on TWOP. I'm sure you'll find many there who'd agree with you.

By Blogger DMc, at 11:10 PM  

I really enjoyed this episode, particularly the bit between Matt and DL. Actually, the show as a whole, in my opinion, has exceeded the hype. Unfortunately, the ratings keep dropping every week. I hope NBC gives it a chance to find an audience.

By Blogger Mitch Klein, at 1:37 PM  

Post a Comment

Back to Complications Ensue main blog page.



This page is powered by Blogger.