Some kind words for Studio 60
It’s hard to find anybody saying anything nice about Studio 60 in the media these days, with even cast members acknowledging fault. So I was cheered to see this assessment from Grace Dent on the Guardian Unlimited site, regarding the program’s current showing in the U.K. Under a headline calling Studio 60 the best kept secret on TV, she writes:
Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip, Aaron Sorkin’s take on the world of television, still has me hooked. It’s not had much hype, or a whole lot of viewers, which is sad as it’s the most relevant piece of satire on TV right now.
Studio 60 is about ego-maniac writers versus profit-obsessed studio execs. It’s about slack-jawed focus groups awarding “percentages of funny” and how the pressure of live TV makes producers do very silly things. It’s about TV “dumbing down”, religious groups pressurising advertisers and how ultimately the public gets the TV it deserves. It’s funny, clever and complex. No wonder no one’s watching it.
Of course, in the same column, she also trashes Brothers & Sisters, a show I also enjoy and write about. But I’ll take Studio 60 appreciation however I can get it.
Studio 60, NBC, Guardian Unlimited
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