Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip

Television Forum

Created by: Aaron Sorkin

Plot Outline: A behind-the-scenes look at a fictional sketch-comedy TV show.


Matthew Perry .... Matt Albie
Amanda Peet .... Jordan McDeere
Bradley Whitford .... Danny Tripp
Steven Weber .... Jack Rudolph
D.L. Hughley .... Simon Stiles
Sarah Paulson .... Harriet Hayes
Nathan Corddry .... Tom Jeter
Timothy Busfield .... Cal Shanley

From Wiki: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is a dramatic television program airing on NBC for its debut season in 2006-2007. The series also airs in Canada on CTV, and in the UK on Channel 4. It was known as Studio 7 on the Sunset Strip during its development stage.

The show takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy show, similar to NBC's Saturday Night Live. It airs on Mondays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC, and reairs on Bravo Wednesday nights.

The show was created by Aaron Sorkin (Sports Night, A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing) and is produced by Thomas Schlamme (director and executive producer of many Sports Night and West Wing episodes) with thirteen episodes already ordered. Schlamme, along with Emmy Winner and West Wing veteran Christopher Misiano will also direct the series. It costs upwards of $2.5 million to $3 million per episode to produce

--------

-HECK!

From Wiki:

Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford) is a director who takes over show-running duties with Matt Albie, his longtime friend. He has a history of drug problems, and worked on the show four years prior before leaving with Matt Albie over disagreements with network executives.

Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) is a former writer for Studio 60 who is asked to return when executive producer Wes Mendell is fired. Matt has recently ended a relationship with Studio 60 star Harriet Hayes and won a major writing award.

Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet) is the recently-promoted president of Studio 60's fictional network NBS (National Broadcasting System). She is described in the pilot as an "instantly likable 30-something" and "someone whom every man's wife can find an irrational reason to hate". She is responsible for the hiring of Danny and Matt.

Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson) is an "effortlessly sexy", "multi-talented" performer and one of the "Big Three" main stars of Studio 60. Harriet is a committed Christian and has recently ended a romantic relationship with Matt. Hayes is reportedly based on West Wing alumna Kristin Chenoweth, whom Sorkin once dated.

Tom Jeter (Nate Corddry) is another of the show's main stars. According to the pilot, "when he's not crafting a joke in his head, he's not sure what he's supposed to be doing".

Simon Stiles (D. L. Hughley) is the final member of the "Big Three". He attended the Yale School of Drama. Tom and Simon are united by their "mutual respect, their dedication to their show and nothing else".

Jack Rudolph (Steven Weber) is the chairman of the fictional network NBS and Jordan's boss. He fired Matt and Danny from Studio 60 four years prior to their taking it back over again.

Cal Shanley (Timothy Busfield) is the control-room director of Studio 60. He has two kids whom he's putting through private school. In the pilot, he allows Wes to rant unscripted for fifty-three seconds on live television, despite threats from network executive Jerry. Busfield had a recurring guest role on The West Wing and will also serve as producing director on the show.

------

-HECK!

Did anyone watch the premier of this show last night? I didn't... but I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on this show.

Heck, I read a comment you made, elsewhere about this show. Will they reair the series episode, before next week?

Possibly. NBC does do that a lot. Maybe they'll show it on CNBC, I'll check it out.

If you have NetFlix you can get it from there, too.

-HECK!

Nope, I don't have net flix... but, I'm interested in seeing it, and could kick my own back side. We had actually talked about recording it, but decided not too.

Maybe I can get it through VCast (Verizon), or even iTunes.

I was so pleasantly surprised. Think I will re-post my other post about this show in here.

Okay, just found out the pilot is being shown again Wednesday on Bravo at 11pm. Check your local listings.

-HECK!

Oh, great... I will e mail myself, at home, so that I can set it to record. I did mention it to Shan, and she isn't interested in the show. Oh well, her choice.

That sucks, it's a killer show. Let me know what you think.

Read that originally Perry turned the show down, as did Peete.

And they have filmed 5 episodes only. That's all NBC has ordered I think. Hope they at least get a mid-season order.

-HECK!

Oh yeah, there was no hint of Chandlar Bing in there at all.

Bradly Whitford was dope too.

-HECK!

I love Bradley Whitford... the guy is a great actor.

I've got my dvr set to record the week one show, tonight, off of Bravo. (Thanks for the tip, Heck)

Yeah, he was funny in Billy Madison. That whole movie was a riot.

-HECK!

DANGIT I MISSED THIS SHOW!? when is it on again? on Bravo? when?

uggh i wanted to watch it too!

okay i just read the post that says it's on at 11. i must have skipped past it.

YAY!

Yeah, it's a replay, tonight on Bravo. That's not the "normal" channel... but, I'm just glad that they are showing it so that I can see if it's something that I want to watch in the future.

So, thoughts? Hope you all rememberd to watch it...

-HECK!

i dvr'd it but i haven't watched it yet. tonight for sure.

Well HURRY UP. Sucka.

-HECK!

Same here... I dvr'd it. I don't stay up that late, Heck. I will try to watch it tonight... but, I can't promise anything.

OKay... we watched this, last night, during dinner. At first, I was completely, and utterly, bored. I didn't think that I was going to make it through the show. But, we sat there, and finished it off. I'm going to give it another try... but, the last 15 were what saved the show... as it got more interesting. I like Matthew Perry's character. And Bradley too. We shall see if the show stays on my watch list.

Man, I thought it was great from the get-go. What about Judd Hirsch's speech? That was fantastic.

-HECK!

Yes, Judd has always been an AMAZING actor. I fell in love with his acting back in the early 80's in, Without A Trace, and have liked him since.

He was the man on Taxi. I even watched that Dear John crap. Dude is nails.

Except one day he was in Independence Day and was all old. I hate when that happens. You forget about an actor then the next thing you know they're ancient. It's probably because they hide their age with makeup and/or surgery, but it can only hide it for so long. Then it finally catches up with them and now they appear 20 years older in a few days.

What were we talking about again?

-HECK!

Yeah, I remember him on Taxi, and in Independence Day too. They made him so old on there. But, he looked good on this show.

yeah this show was alright. i don't know if i'll watch it for the entire season but i'll give it a few more shots. I have a feeling i'll end up getting up bored. i was never a west wing fan so that in itself gives this show a bleak future for me.

I totally skipped this thread, and didn't catch this show, but I'm gonna. Sorkin, Perry, Whitford and (wooooah mama) Peet? It's gotta be good.

You can catch the first ep, Grant, through the network website.

It's a bomb cast, to be sure. D.L. Hughley is in it too.

Dunno, I am a big TV guy and a big SNL fan. Maybe a pseudo behind-the-scenes look at such a show appeals to me a little more.

I never watched West Wing but heard good things.

I was just really impressed with this show. If there wasn't another sketch comedy dramody style show also on NBC I'd say this is super original.

-HECK!

West Wing was amazing for the first 4 seasons. It was just good for the rest of its run.

Yeah, NBC's got a similar show with it's ex SNL people, hasn't it? But can't be as good as this one. Sorkin's shows are actually smart and witty, ya know.

Kris, you know those website episodes don't work if you're overseas. It just gives you a "haha Americans only" message... I will catch it though

Both of the shows are on NBC, ironically.

And you bumped into a jerky IP block eh?

-HECK!

Happens all the time. Lately a lot of stations put their shows online for free after they air, but I've never been able to view them.

That sucks. There has to be a way to get them though.

-HECK!

Of course there are... I'll get it like I get every other show I want to watch... but I'm not really at liberty to talk about it here... they're... watching... me....

You should be getting a FedEx from me soon. It has a telephone in it. I can show you how to escape.

-HECK!

I heard that they are canceling this show. THAT IS SO STUPID! i love this show. I think it's smart, it's funny, the actors are great, the story is great. But noooooo it's not enough. I don't understand it.

And I think it's great that the last episode was talking about how networks are keeping all the stupid shows and letting go of the good ones... uh, yeah i'd say so. If they throw this one out and keep 30 - rock, i will boycott nbc completely.

From TVGuide.com:

In a statement to MediaPost, an NBC rep refutes talk — fueled by a recent Fox News report — that Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is thisclose to being axed. The missive reiterates that NBC recently ordered three more scripts for the struggling Monday series, and maintains that the show, at this point, still "is profitable." The buzz here in the TV Guide hallways is that NBC will wait to see the numbers for one more Studio 60 airing before making any major decisions, while MediaPost says that a time-slot change, not all-out cancellation, is a more likely first remedy.
---------

Leave it to FOX News...

-HECK!

Is Studio 60 getting the axe?

Is a show on NBC so bad, that you should be watching Fox instead?


Just asking

Hahaha.

Best show ever?

Hope it doesn't get cancelled but I wouldn't be surprised. I'm sure there's some fat person dating, dung eating mid-air stunt reality show that they're itching to do.

-HECK!