Watching Studio60

Five questions that popped into my head while re-viewing the sixth Studio 60 episode, “The Wrap Party”:

1. Is it really likely that Tom’s mother and father both had never even heard of “Who’s on First?” It seems more like the sort of thing that his dad would hold up as an example of good comedy, as opposed to what Tom does. I guess it works as an example of the fact that Tom and his parents live in severely different worlds, with little common language. It’s a little unsettling to think that this probably gives the Jeters something in common with the three bimbettes Danny rounded up for Matt, though.

2. Speaking of those youngsters, is Danny trying to get Matt and Harriet back together? Because he couldn’t really have chosen worse women to distract Matt with than that trio of airheads. Surely there were pretty women at the party who would actually know who Matt is and be impressed. If he really thinks upwardly mobile groupies are what Matt needs, then Danny’s shallower than I thought; if he just wants to make Harriet look good by comparison, he’s doing a great job. Maybe he set Harry up with Darren Wells, too.

3. And speaking of Darren, do baseball players really travel with a box of baseballs? I guess it comes in handy when you’re trying to pick up women, and it would be lighter than a box of bats.

4. How short are the sets at the Improv? They seemed to be bringing those comics on to tell the one or two jokes that Matt and Simon listened to, then whisk them off. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a comedy club, but it seems to me they got a little longer on stage than that, even if they were bombing.

5. Would a show like this have a wrap party every week? I can understand a wrap party after a movie shoot, but after the taping of a weekly show? Every week? Seems like a lot of expense and trouble and impetus for bad behavior. I have no problem with Sorkin making it up for this show, since parties are such a great place to mix the characters up and add alcohol. But I wonder if, in the real world, this would be considered an unnecessary expense, or just the cost of doing business.

Studio 60, NBC, The Wrap Party, commentary