Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

[Jonah Weiland]

Has anyone had a chance to check out the pilot for "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" yet? It found its way to a variety of BitTorrent sites a few weeks back and I believe it can now be rented from NetFlix in advance of the premier.

I watched it last week and can say I'm seriously looking forward to this show in the fall season. For those of you turned off by "The West Wing's" political leanings but were intrigued by the quality of the writing and acting, then "Studio 60" may fit the bill for you better.

The show is expertly produced. Comparing the pilots of the two previous Sorkin shows -- "The West Wing" and "Sports Night" -- "Studio 60" is a very polished, slick and tight pilot. Rarely is a pilot this flawless, but I can find absolutely nothing to complain about here. The characters are appealing and engrossing, the direction and set design is on par or (if possible) better than we saw on "The West Wing."

Matthew Perry really gets to spread his wings as an actor here. We all knew he could do comedy and we've seen him attempt the dramatic actor thing here and there (notably in episodes of "The West Wing"), but finally with "Studio 60" we get to see there's a real depth to his talent. The character he plays is terribly flawed and fights a battle with addiciton, of which Perry has had some unfortunate experience with, but that helps inform the emotion he brings to the part, making his the most convincing role on the series.

I can't wait for this show. It's nice to know Aaron Sorkin's back on television. I just hope he's here to stay.

[Shade]

I haven't seen it but it's the show I'm most looking forward to. "Sports Night" is still one of, if not my favorite shows of all time and West Wing under Sorkin was brilliant. I'm a big fan of his writting and am stoked about this how.

[borateen]

I've been looking forward to this since seeing the first commercials a few months ago. And I almost can't believe the new season is upon us!

[SnowTrooper]

Matthew Perry really gets to spread his wings as an actor here. We all knew he could do comedy and we've seen him attempt the dramatic actor thing here and there (notably in episodes of "The West Wing"), but finally with "Studio 60" we get to see there's a real depth to his talent. The character he plays is terribly flawed and fights a battle with addiciton, of which Perry has had some unfortunate experience with, but that helps inform the emotion he brings to the part, making his the most convincing role on the series.

Matthew Perry is good at doing comedy and drama. I watched him in the Ron Clark story last night on TNT and I thought he did a great job. In most of his acting all of his characters are alot like Chandler but in this movie you really get to see him be different, which is good.

[CaptainAwesome]

I am looking forward to this show. I dont know if I will like it, but I do want to see something that is not a serialized drama like Lost and The OC. I havent ever watched the West Wing, but that is mainly because of the politics.

[borateen]

I havent ever watched the West Wing, but that is mainly because of the politics.

I didn't watch the West Wing because I'm not a political person, but when my friends started buying the DVDs, I borrowed them and loved them. Heck with politics, it's just some wonderful writing and acting.

[david r]

I'm definitely going to try this show, which is saying a lot because I watch 0% of network programs.

[Patman]

Just watched "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and it's got a lot of potential, like the cast, like the chemistry between Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford. Amanda Peet seems a little young for her role, but she's got the devilish "I know more than you think I know" smile down to an art. Steven Weber is perfectly cast as the jackass head honcho for NBS.

[Ontir]

When Don Ohlmeyer circumvented Saturday Night Live Creator/Executive Producer Lorne Michaels and fired Norm MacDonald, he removed the last legitimately and dependable funny element from the show. He also effectively neutered the show, in terms of the subversive base upon which the show was built. Since then, it's continued to limp along, like a lame animal which has somehow not been found by its predator. Why do I mention this? Because that's exactly where Aaron Sorkin begins his next great TV show!

Studio 60 is a lame-duck of a former comedy show, which has been limping along, until... YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH IT FOR YOURSELF! Thank God there's still someone in TV who knows who Paddy Chayefsky was! Re-teamed with Tommy Schlamme, and working with an absolutely amazing cast which includes Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford, Timothy Busfield, Judd Hirsch, Steven Weber, Amanda Peet, Ed Asner, Wendy Philips, and Sarah Paulson, to name (and I mean this) but a few! If this show were on cable, it would be bold, the fact that it's on broadcast is amazing, the fact that it's on NBC is an absolute miracle. Set your VTR/DVR, or cancel your plans, but do not miss this show. It's so good, it probably won't last!

[Doom Hammer]

I've been watching a bunch of West Wing DVDs, and it has quickly become one of my favorite shows. I can't stop watching it.

So I'm really looking forward to Studio 60. Hopefully there's more of the signature fast-paced dialogue and, uh, Bradley Whitford, too. :D

It's funny to see Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford on the same show again, I just finished the first Season Four episode of the West Wing they shared.

[Doom Hammer]

I didn't watch the West Wing because I'm not a political person, but when my friends started buying the DVDs, I borrowed them and loved them. Heck with politics, it's just some wonderful writing and acting.

I don't think it's the presence of politics that bothers some viewers, but the obviously and clearly liberal tendencies of the show. I don't mind because I have the some of the same inclinations myself, and I think the bias is reasonable since the show portrays a very Democratic White House, but I can definitely see how it could annoy more conservative viewers.

[StoneGold]

All I know is the LA Times wrote an article about it saying that some people on the Internet were giving the show serious crap, despite it not being due out for months. Although it will be interesting seeing how it does as compared to 30 Rock.

[Conn Seanery]

That was a kick-arse pilot/first-ep. Perry and Whitford work really, really well together. SNL zombies like myself are gonna get a real kick out of this.

[Donald M.]

I managed to get my hands on a DVD of this and a bunch of other NBC fall pilots a few months back. Studio 60 has me anxious to see more whereas the pilot for Heroes failed to excite me.

[SPAfreak]

That was easily one of the best pilot episodes that I've ever seen and I am dearly looking forward to the show. The only worry that I have is that I've heard production costs are astronomical (think millions) and the show is going to have to pull in a huge audience week after week.