Watching Studio60

We’re taking a second look at “The Christmas Show,” the eleventh episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which originally aired on December 4, 2006. Following up on yesterday’s review, here’s a recap of the festive holiday episode. Tune in later this week for memorable lines and questions.

Danny is accompanying Jordan to her obstetrician’s appointment, which is a little weird, but also entirely adorable. It’s clear that Danny’s already taking ownership, and clear that Jordan’s not quite sure why. Aside from the fact that he’s in love with her, it turns out he’s also kind of responsible, in a roundabout way — the pregnancy resulted from her encounter with the boyfriend from the insurance agency who gave her the information about Danny’s drug test.

Back at the studio, Matt is carrying with him the true meaning of Christmas. Also, a scraggly little tree. Though he’s Jewish and generally contemptuous of Christianity in all other contexts, he’s determined to do a Christmas show. Lucy and Darius seem to have acquired a little spine and sass since their first week’s writing experience, and join with Andy to banter against the idea. But Matt’s determined, and Cal’s right there with him, although any attempt to create snow will be problematic since an earthquake has collapsed the set-dressing warehouses.

Danny’s on board with the Christmas idea too, though, so Cal’s on it. Maybe coconuts for snow! Yeah, that’ll work! Danny explains his reason for being late to work that morning, telling Cal and Matt about Jordan’s pregnancy. But why, they wonder, was Danny at the doctor too? Why, indeed.

Jordan’s got some telling of her own to do, and when she gets to Jack’s office and hears him yelling, it looks like a bad time. Turns out he’s ballistic over the fact that the FCC is fining the network for an obscenity uttered in a live newscast, by a soldier who narrowly missed being blown up by a grenade. Seems like a pretty good time to utter an obscenity, but the FCC isn’t sympathetic to it being, like, real live news. Jack’s so steamed about it that Jordan can kind of slip her pregnancy news in, and he’s really sort of gentlemanly about it. She advises him to “lawyer up” and fight the FCC, despite his fears that the agency could end the network if NBS loses the fight.

Matt’s still fighting the good fight for Christmas, and although Cal’s cooperating by loading up on coconuts, Suzanne’s playing beach music and getting sand on the floor, and Tom and Simon are like a compendium of Santa spoilers. Nonetheless, Matt sends them to the writer’s room to help, and Tom is happy ’cause it’s a chance to get close to Lucy. Awww.

His Christmas obsession would seem like a good way for Matt to get close to Harriet, but she’s off at lunch with Luke, another anti-Matt who’s kinda slimy but also directing a movie. He offers Harriet a large and promising role. She seems genuinely surprised and pleased. He seems … well, again, slimy.

Simon and Tom are busy in the writer’s room, debunking Christmas and flirting with Lucy. No enthusiasm for a cheery holiday show here … except from Cal, who comes bearing a coconut. He thinks he can break it open by smashing it against the table, but — nope, he mostly breaks the table open, sending computers and notes crashing to the center.

Matt and Danny are chatting about the show and Matt sort of casually asks about Jordan’s due date, and what she’s going to do about the upfronts, and Danny pursues the question way more than casually. Matt, no stranger to screwed up love stories, notices that Danny is much more interested in Jordan’s fate than he oughta be, and figures out the reason pretty quick, too. Say it! he advises, just say it! But all Danny can do is groan and put his head down on his desk.

Speaking of screwed-up love stories, Harriet comes in all happy after her lunch with Luke, and expects that Matt will try to rain on her parade. He’s super supportive and congratulatory, though, about her big part, and almost manages to be a good friend to her, but … he just has to snipe a little at Luke, and tip that jealousy hand. Harriet goes to talk to Danny instead, but he’s still got his head on his desk.

Jordan’s got several take-out meals on her desk, and is eating for at least two. Danny stops by solely to ask her about the upfronts, which seems a bit strange to her, as does the fact that he knows where her hometown is and where she went to school. A little obsessed with her is he, even sneaking a look back after he leaves, when she’s back to chowing down.

A title card tells us it’s Wednesday, and now there are Santa props and wreaths to counteract the anti-Christmas snark. There are also ever so many coconuts, being disassembled in a complicated process. The shredded coconut does look like snow, though. The Santa statue doing what looksl like a Nazi salute, though, not so much, and Matt orders it gone. Suzanne’s got a Santa hat on, which is promising, but Tom and Simon have brought the writing staff all over to the dark side, and Suzanne’s drying her socks on his Christmas tree.

They’re all down on Christmas, and in the NBS executive offices, lawyers are all down on Jack’s desire to take on the FCC. Jordan joins the meeting and offers moral support, but it’s pretty clear that doing anything but negotiation for a softer fine will be an extremely risky proposition.

On a brighter note, the trumpeter who’s subbing for a Studio 60 band member is playing pretty tremendously. Appreciating the performance is Kevin Eubanks from The Tonight Show, who mentions that he has a substitute trombone player in his band. Danny talks to his sub, who won’t discuss a regular gig because the person he’s subbing for was doing him a favor. Danny figures out that L.A. musicians are calling in sick to give visiting New Orleans musicians a job, some money, and maybe a union card, and gets an idea of his own for something to replace one of the really bad-sounding Christmas sketches. And Matt’s got a pretty good idea that Danny’s after Jordan, particularly after Danny admits to driving by her house a few times.

It’s pre-showtime, and Wilson White and family are settling in to the upper box seats. Jordan’s there, and from the conversation it sounds like White and his wife know about her pregnancy and are fine with that. Jack’s missing, though, so maybe he’s going to be the one in the hotseat.

Luke’s at the theater, too, bringing flowers to Harriet. She mentions that Matt thought Luke just wanted to date her, and Luke admits that it’s true, but not the reason he gave her the part in the movie. She agrees to go out, but you can tell that her heart’s not entirely in it, and she’s not entirely trusting of him.

One Christmas sketch that made it out of the writer’s room is a “To Catch a Predator” parody with Tom grilling Santa Claus over why he’s breaking into homes to visit young children. It’s supposed to have some snow with it, but Cal tells Danny that the lights cooked the coconut, and they’re working on a solution. “News 60″ is next, and Matt pulls Harriet into a side hallway to give her a note on it, except it’s really more like a kiss. That leaves the girl so rattled that she says his name when she’s supposed to be saying her own at the start of the news. That’s got Matt feeling pretty smug.

Not feeling smug at all is Jack, who turns up at the Whites’ box without his tie or his usual cockiness. He explains the FCC situation to Wilson and offers to resign, because he doesn’t want to endanger the Macau deal but can’t bear to give in on this. Wilson, though, knows all about it and is actually spoiling for the fight. Looks like the two of them are going to replace Jordan as the NBS troublemakers for the moment.

And now there’s just one thing left: a stirring performance of “O Holy Night” by the New Orleans musicians, and a stirring declaration of love by Danny, who tells Jordan — in a way that’s either sweet or threatening, depending on what you think of the storyline — that he’s coming for her. Me, I’m on the side of sweet.

Studio 60, NBC, The Christmas Show, recap