Studio 60: "I think we have Weiner" ~Andrew

Andrew and I watched the premiere episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip last night. Boasting the longest name on TV and the most talk value on the web, I must say I was skeptical. NBC is spending something crazy like $3MM an episode on the 60 minute drama. In actuality, that's what got me to watch it--Someone at NBC has their career riding on the success of this show and I either wanted to see what a decent $3MM show looks like or watch it go down in flames.

And I commend NBC for doing something a bit different [it's not drastically different, but I'll give it a teensy step in the right direction]. First off, they make fun of themselves. It's about TV executives running SNL [or in TV Land it's Studio 60] and they make a lot of cracks about how TV execs can't be trusted, are just doing it for the money blah blah [we could go on and on about the stupidity in TV--I'm a bit biased since 3 of my favorite shows got cancelled last year]. They start the show with one TV executive "hijacking" Studio 60 because a skit that's controversial gets cut. He goes on to say that TV has lobotimized America and that we can't think for ourselves, nothing's cutting edge, etc. The main character [Jordan--played by Amanda Peet] in the midst of everyone freaking out basically says he was right and that they shouldn't start a campaign disagreeing with him. She's a real "mover and shaker" as my mother would say.

*Spoiler Alert* [It's not that big of a spoiler though. . .] And by the way, the name of the skit that cut and sets off this guy's crazy tirade? Crazy Christians. And it seems like they may air it, which depending on the skit, is in itself "cutting edge." [P.S. NBC--if you need some real life "Crazy Christians" to model in your skit please visit Brentwood, TN. We have quite a few.]

As for the characters, none were particularly likeable or memorable--but it was only one episode. Amanda Peet's okay [but I'm a big Peet fan ever since Jack & Jill--I think I'm the only person that watched the show, however.] The blond girl who plays Hariett Hays was also on J&J, she's okay but her lisp is kind of annoying. Matthew Perry was mildly funny [he was on vicadin after back surgery. . .] and the guy from the west wing was pretty much playing the guy from the west wing. Except he does cocaine [would the president approve?]

Either way, I'll be tuning in next Tuesday.