Watching Studio60

I watched “The Friday Night Slaughter” again last night, and two things are clear: Matt and Harriet have always been ideologically ill-suited, and Luke has always been insufferably sure of himself.

Watching Matt and Harriet’s theological debates previously, it’s been possible to think that they’re the result of intolerance built up over time and proximity. But nope, Matt was pretty much attacking Harriet’s faith from the first day he knew her, accidentally at first, but sticking with it. If she’s been able to overlook that and be in this on-and-off relationship, and he’s been nuts about her despite the fact that she’s a honey-crusted nut bar, then there’s got to be some sort of destiny about their relationship. They were made for each other, and somewhere angels are having a good laugh.

Luke’s been in the way from the first day, too, and although there’s nothing so specific to dislike about the guy in the early days, he’s just so “the anti-Matt,” even then, that I can’t stand him. He shouldn’t be the one getting the girl, then or now. Too bad he couldn’t be a figment of Matt’s imagination, the embodiment of his jealousy, maybe, at the thought of Harriet being with anyone else.

As for Tim, Matt’s actual phantom self, I was surprised how affected I was by that final scene, where Tim’s wearing the baseball cap and Matt’s starting to realize that something’s not right. Nice twist there, with Matt suddenly looking more like present-day Matt, and then present-day Matt looking at the picture and realizing who he’d been thinking of all that time. I’m not sure if this is supposed to mean that Matt was having drug problems back then, or that he’s losing his grip now, but the latter is certainly true.

I’d have been happy if that singer had been a figment of Matt’s imagination; it was just strange, given the known musical guests they’ve had, to have some unknown chesty girl warbling and dispensing medications. I suppose they might have had trouble getting an actual celebrity to want to be the one helping Matt get druggy, but it would have been a nice self-deprecating turn for some poor famous tabloid victim.

At least that chick was good for some cute bantering between Danny and Jordan about where the camera should be aimed. They’ve just segued right into adorable couplehood over the past week since they got off the roof, haven’t they? Wonder if they ever actually went out to dinner in there somewhere.

Speaking of people who should be figments of imagination, could Hallie just disappear in a puff of smoke now? We could call her a symbol of Jordan’s insecurity, or of the career-minded shark Jordan once was but can’t be again. I’d like Jordan to blink now and have that little weasel be gone, and her trashy reality show with her. At least, lock her on the roof.

Come back later this week for a recap, memorable lines, and five questions about “The Friday Night Slaughter.”

Studio 60, NBC, The Friday Night Slaughter, review