"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" Pilot (2006)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Thomas Schlamme

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator)
Aaron Sorkin (written by)

TV Series:

"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (2006)

Original Air Date:

26 August 2006 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

When the Executive Producer of sketch show 'Studio 60' has an on-air meltdown, new network president Jordan McDeere hires Danny Tripp and Matt Albie to replace him and save the show. |

Plot Keywords:

Marijuana | Awards Dinner | Drug Testing | Bong | Dinner Party

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

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 (as Nate Corddry)
Timothy Busfield	...	Cal Shanley
Edward Asner	...	Wilson White (as Ed Asner)
Judd Hirsch	...	Wes Mendell
Jayma Mays	...	Daphne
Donna Murphy	...	Blair
Wendy Phillips	...	Shelley Green
Michael Stuhlbarg	...	Jerry
Three 6 Mafia	...	Themselves

Filming Locations:

Sowden House - 5121 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Shoe Money Productions

Trivia:

The exterior of the Studio 60 building is actually the Palladium with a second story digitally inserted, which is where the Writers' Guild Awards scene was also filmed.

Goofs:

Continuity: Danny remarks that his cocaine relapse occurred over a long weekend and that he now has only 8 days of sobriety under his belt. However, as the Pilot takes place on a Friday that would put the 3rd day of his long weekend at Thursday of the proceeding week.

Quotes:

Harriet Hayes: I was great, by the way. I got a standing ovation.
Matt Albie: Harry, I'm sure you were great, but it's the national anthem. They were standing already.

Movie Connections:

References "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Under Pressure

Good But If You Are Looking For "Friends", Watch TBS!

I enjoyed the "Pilot" pretty well. I will not lie, I am a huge fan of Mathew Perry and tuned in just for that fact. I have enjoyed just about everything he has ever been in (except of course for "The Whole 10 Yards")

I won't lie, I'm not a huge fan of Anti-Christian television which the whole first episode seemed to revolve around. But I have resigned to the fact that if I am going to watch any new prime time dramas, I can count on 3 of 3 things. 1) If you are a Christian, take EVERY word with a grain of salt, 2) If you are a Red state, anything is fair game, and 3) If you have ANY conservative views, you are stupid.

That being said, the show hopefully will eventually turn toward the interaction between the characters (which is what all the promos showed) instead of turning into a "West Wing Part Duex". That show (The West Wing) was a good show, especially for the first few seasons, but it has run its course and I didn't tune in for that. I tuned in for a funny drama without any obvious political/religious prejudices as a main story line. I'll be watching to see, but only time will tell if this is a true "new" show, or if it follows the same pattern as most all of Sorkin's other shows.