Watching Studio60

We’re taking a second look at “The Option Period, the ninth episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which originally aired on November 20, 2006. Following up on yesterday’s review, here’s a recap of the episode. Tune in tomorrow for some memorable lines.

We start with the show ending. The show with Jessica Simpson guest-hosting. The show that would have gone out with a skeleton cast if Tom and Simon hadn’t gotten back from their Pahrump adventure in time. That show. On that same day.

(And by the way, this picture at right? Is more than we see of the alleged guest host in the entire episode, although her name is certainly taken in vain many, many times.)

It may have been a long day for most of our principles, but it was a short show, thirty-seven seconds short according to Cal. And he’s wondering just why the heck that was. So he confronts Ricky and Ron in the writer’s room and notices that … well, hey, the script for the show was formatted wrong. Come to think of it, the way you’d format a half-hour sit-com. Wonder why that is? Apparently R&R knows why, because after Cal leaves, they’re all: “We forgot to change formats!”

Matt is concerned about the show running short, too. And he’s concerned about the fact that some sub FX guy didn’t deliver enough blood to make a Tarantino take-off work, and that the guy can’t be fired because he’s a sub. He’s concerned that they blew a card in the VISA sketch. And he’s concerned that he tanked tonight. Danny’s not concerned about any of that, though. He’s concerned about Jordan, with whom he has been playing phone tag. Jordan’s at the studio now, though, and there will be no going to the wrap party until they’ve had their discussion.

Wanting to have a discussion with Harriet are Simon and Tom, in full-on big brother mode, determined to discourage their friend from posing in her underwear for a men’s magazine. They burst into her dressing room while she’s disrobed, and could probably have made more of a point that if you don’t want your best friends to see you nearly naked, why would you want strangers to? They stick with their argument, though, after Harriet yells at them and yells at Jeannie and pretty much invites everybody not to mind her business.

Also arguing, in a bantery sort of way, are Danny and Jordan. The network president’s got the job of gathering money for the now-happening Macao deal, and that involves Danny either cutting fifteen jobs at Studio 60 or agreeing to product placement. Neither of those are acceptable to Danny, but the two volley the options back and forth fetchingly.

After Cal comes in and reveals, reluctantly, that the show came in early because Ricky and Ron forgot to change formats, Matt figures out that the terrible twosome are working on a pilot — and attention in his office bounces between that, Jordan and Danny’s negotiating, and a basketball game on TV in the control room. Jordan mentions along the way that the option period is up on “Peripheral Vision Man,” and eventually Matt figures out that’s what R&R are making a pilot of.

As Tom and Simon continue to confront Harriet about the magazine layout — Harriet lost a movie because she’s not perceived as sexy, but her pals argue that the spread isn’t about making her look sexy, but trashing the church girl — Matt confronts Ricky and Ron. They admit they have a series set up at Fox, if only NBS releases the rights. As we all did, the two assumed Matt’d be glad to get rid of them, but Matt is worried about something with the Studio 60 stamp on it stinking up the tube. He’s not making any promises about releasing the rights.

Jordan and Danny eventually get around to what Danny was wanting to talk to her about, which is: She’s about to get fired. Or so Jack warned him to warn her. Danny thinks she ought to put on a “charm offensive” to win over the press and calm down the stockholders, but she’ll have none of it. She took the job with the intention of doing it like she only had a year to live, and even though it’s looking like she may have less than that, professionally speaking, she’s not going to change her ways.

There’s one person who can get Harriet to change her mind about the photo shoot, and that’s Matt, who’s wandering the building trying to figure out what to do about Ricky and Ron when Harriet happens upon him. He knows why she’s reconsidering a shoot she previously laughed off: She wants to get back at Women United Through Faith, the group that helped raise her, then dumped her over the gay marriage quote in “Nevada Day.” For once, their conversation isn’t loud and confrontational, but quiet and affectionate. Can I just say, I love this scene?

As Harriet gives up her bad idea to pose barely clothed, Matt gives up his idea to hold on to “Peripheral Vision Man” and Ricky and Ron. His attempted conversation with them is not quiet and affectionate, as Ricky leaves with the same bitterness and spite as he’s showed since Matt and Danny returned. Ron’s a little sheepish about it, but sticks by his partner. Still, he and Matt leave things on a cordial note, with Matt, who’s pretty sure the series is going to tank, giving Ron some creative advice.

It turns out Matt’s not just losing two not-very-much-appreciated writers, but the whole not-very-much-appreciated writing staff. That’s going to make it hard on him and the newbies left behind, Lucy and Darius. But it solves, for the moment, Danny’s need to cut the budget by fifteen or so jobs. Also pitching in with budget help is Cal, who designs a stage set that cleverly employs product placement by replicating a sign-laden stretch of the Sunset Strip.

The only remaining problem, then, is the small matter of Jordan keeping her job. She’s determined to use the prospect of imminent firing as an excuse to be untethered and do whatever she darn well pleases as quickly as she can, so even if she’s out the network will have to live with the results of her work for a long time. Danny would like for Jordan to work the press and show everybody how likeable she is, but admits that he wouldn’t do the same thing if he was her. Even if she’s not up for a full-scale charm offensive, though, she’s sure worked one on him.

Studio 60, NBC, The Option Period, recap