(popular there is loosely defined as "1 person")
Despite my self-description as a TV-junkie, there's really only one or two writer's work I can identify w/o looking at the credits (Aaron Sorkin, David E. Kelley, Joss Whedon, maybe David Milch)--Whedon's moved to the big screen, Milch is focusing on cable, leaving Sorkin and Kelley as the 2 distinctive voices. And only one of them doesn't spiral into self-parody and a series being out-of-control within a season or two. Which is why I'm very excited that Sorkin is back.
I first got into Sorkin's style via the summer promos for Sports Night on ABC, which convinced me I was gonna love the show before it premiered. Then it did. And I did. ABC has yet to atone for the way they treated that show. Then he moved on to the West Wing, and I didn't follow--just wasn't up for the politics. A couple years ago I stubmeld into a marathon on Bravo, and have made up for that error. Still hate the politics, but love the writing.
So you can imagine my excitement when I heard about his new gig, Sudio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Yeah, sure, Sorkin is using Whitford and Perry as stand-ins for himself and Schlamme. Who cares? Whitford and Perry were great (and I'd watch them do pretty much anything, anyway). 
Not sure that Amanda Peet totally sold me with her performance, but she was good enough; Steven Weber played an excellent network jerk; it was good to see D.L. Hughley get some work; ditto for Timothy Busfield (who has made up for his involvement in thirtysomething by his work as Lloyd Stevens on Ed and Danny on West Wing). Need to see more of the rest of the cast before I really decide about them.
Okay, so I really didn't come to this thing unbiased. But what about the story? Did it work? I think so. Will have a better idea next week--once we're past the whole pilot thing--but I can see myself in for the long haul with this one. Good news: from the "next week on ..." clips, it looks like someone found the lightswitch on the set. Pilot was just too dark (not in tone, but in lighting).
So, Katy, review? Not sure I have enough info for one right now. But I'll tell you this: as the show ended, I found myself smiling. That's just not something I do a lot of.
Now I'm just waiting for Joshua Malina to be written in...
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
By Popular Demand
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4 comments:
We are one person.
I liked it too, though I can't really discern why. It was so unlike everything else, so effective in its subtlety, that I felt totally at ease. I didn't know exactly what I was watching, but I thought it was something good.
Is Matt's ex-girlfriend's Sorkin's projection of Kristin Chenoweth?
yeah, she's Chenowith. And Matt = Schlamme. Danny = Sorkin
We are genius.
(PS: Bring back the orange.)
You can redefine "popular demand" to mean two people, my friend.
I don't always agree with Sorkin's politics(OK, make that most of the time), but I do appreciate his writing. Most of his critics concentrate on the self-righteous nature of his characters, or how they behave as if the decisions they make will determine the fate of the entire world. I don't know, maybe they're just jealous.
I am curious to see where he takes this series. The inclusion of a Christian character, who's neither a villain nor a comic scapegoat, has great potential. If Sorkin can handle this character with the kind of respect he used in establishing Ainsley Hayes on The West Wing, then we could be in for something special.
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