Well, things are sorting to shake out in TV land. Here's what's going on:
-"Heroes" was picked up for a full order.
-Monday's "Studio 60" was absolutely horrible. I have no idea what Sorkin was thinking with this episode, it was just garbage. If I wasn't such a fan of Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet, I'd be done after that fiasco. But I'm going to stick with it, especially because having worked on a couple shows at their inception, I know that shows need time to find their rhythm and usually get better - "Joey" not included. HOWEVER, for some unknown reason, the ratings for "Studio 60" spiked up on Monday. Okay, this pisses me off - who is to say that the ratings for "Smith" wouldn't have done the same? You have to give these things time! I'm still bitter.
-Are you guys watching "Friday Night Lights"? This is the most depressing show on television. While I watch it, I'm not sure if I like it or if I want to kill myself. It's so fricking somber. And it's not just the paralyzed kid. It's the music, the coach, the fullback, everybody seems so unhappy. Well, except for wild and crazy loud talking black guy, of course. But still, there is something about the show. I have to give it props for being unlike anything else on TV. Let's compare it to the OC for a second. They're both shows about high school. They both have teenage characters and adult characters. And yet they could not be farther apart. I think "Friday Night Lights" could use a little more of the "fun" that the "OC" has, and and "the OC" could use a little more of the slow drama/realism "Friday" has, and of course a lot less Mischa. Yey!
-So how about "30 Rock"? To be honest, I was a little disappointed in the pilot. It had some funny lines, but was very uneven. Also, there was a strange "soulless" to it all. It seemed like Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan had some kind of "hey, we're doing a sitcom!" vibe to them. It just felt like fucking around, whereas "The Office" feels a tiny bit sincere. But again, I think it will get better. We'll see. On a side note, I love Alec Baldwin. Love, LOVE, Alec Baldwin. He's been my boy ever since the "I am God" speech in "Malice". And I'm glad he's on TV, but seeing him on this show felt too small for him. He's a rock star, why is he second fiddle in this?
-One last thing, did anyone see the commercial for that new Taye Diggs show? It has the same premise as "Groundhog Day". I saw the ad and the first that came to my mind was "Fuck, another show? Can't do it." Seriously, is this some kind of record for new dramas? Enough already. I got an idea, how about trying to make one funny sitcom?
8 comments:
Problem is Irwin that there ARE no funny shows on television (save the Office). The few and far between shows like oh, let's say, Monk, Curb, Seinfeld, and The Office don't come around too often and there just aren't good writers out there. Or they aren't working. Dramas are great but they can get to be too much drama. Kinda like a senior in high school dating a freshman...oh wait...nevermind.
uh...do i know you? or maybe the better question is, do you know me?
Secondly, no offense, but you are WRONG. There are good writers are out there, but there are lots of dumb networks.
It's easy to say there aren't good writers because of the state of TV right now, but 10, 15 years ago, the situation was completely reversed. So all of the comedy writers have disappeared and a million great drama writers have appeared? I don't think so. It's cyclical, and things will change. At least I pray they do, cause I need to work.
What about Nine? Have you been watching, i saw the first two episodes and loved it!
I have to say, I really liked Studio 60 this week. I thought it was the best one yet. What about it did you not like?
Also, you don't know me, but I came over here from Pamie a few months ago, and enjoy your writing. I cannot agree with you on Studio 60 though. I am loving it so far.
I actually really liked 30 Rock, but I think it's because I had such low expectations--I hate Tina Fey (then why did I watch? Well, because I heard Alec Baldwin was awesome. Which he was!).
I have to agree with you about Studio 60 though...hoo boy. The fact they keep shoving this Harriet/Matt thing down our throats isn't helping. IMO, they have zero chemistry.
for a variety of reasons i won't go into here, i haven't watched "the nine" yet, though both episodes are waiting for me on my tivo. I did see the cold open of the pilot, which i thought was great.
perhaps my "insider knowledge" of working on shows affected how i felt about that last "studio" episode, because the whole premise would just never happen, and it bugged.
What's up with Taye Diggs, anyway? Last year he had that show (which I never watched) that seemed to be a rip-off of the movie Baby Boom, and now he's ripping off Groundhog Day?
I am really liking "Studio 60", and yeah I do laugh when I watch it. I also like the curveball of having an actual born again Christian as a main player. Gives us some different roads to go down. That actress has been in just about *everything* -- she even had her own [really crappy] sitcom. She just keeps trying to crack that fame egg. Wonder if this will do it for her.
You know what I didn't like -- the Christine Lahti speech about how pop culture is important blah blah. Could Sorkin be any more self aggrandizing to stick that in there? It's bc he made this a "West Wing" about TV production, and any thinking person would be going, "um... hey... let's not take ourselves and our jobs all so SERIOUSLY here, we are not leading the free world, or curing AIDS, or whatever -- we are producing a TV show. Right? So get over yourselves." And Sorkin had to address that. Hence the "Pop culture is important" crapola.
Kudos to Christine Lahtti for committing to that crap and actually selling it.
This past week's ep was so so soooooo completely over the top and ludicrous. I could not take it seriously. However, at least it was interesting and I want to know how bad it's gonna get.
--michelle
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