What Kind Of Day Has It Been?

Posted Rick O'Shea

Tomorrow night is a sad night for me, and I don’t say that often when it comes to a mere TV show. Tomorrow night TV3 airs the last episode of Aaron Sorkin’s next series after West Wing, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. Smart, funny, complex, well played and with characters than have wormed their way into my head in a way mere telly isn’t supposed to.

Anything that started this way by referencing Paddy Chayefsky and with one of the most explosive speeches I’ve ever seen on a TV show

And ended the first episode with this, referencing Gilbert & Sullivan, had me from hello.

This wouldn’t be such a big deal had NBC not cancelled the show after 1 series. They replaced it in its slot, in a way the fictional Wes Mendell would have found deliciously ironic, with The Real Wedding Crashers; a reality show based on the movie.

Tomorrow night is the last episode. Catch it when the inevitably re-run it – it’s well worth your while.

13 thoughts on “What Kind Of Day Has It Been?”

  2. They’re going to start showing Studio 60 on More 4… starts Thursday July 26th at 10pm. If you haven’t seen it on TV3 then check it out – well worth it.

  3. I’m afraid I have to disagree with you Richard.

    I loved West Wing and liked Sports Night, and during the opening sequence of Studio 60 I had hairs standing up on the back of my neck. But I think it went downhill after that first 20 minutes.

    Throughout the series, I kept waiting for a moment to equal the brilliance of Wes’s rant, but nothing in the subsequent episodes even came close, which was a massive pity.

    Also, I know the West Wing and Sports Night were guilty of it to an extent, but S60 was just waaay too preachy for me, and I found I didn’t really care about the characters like I did in the other shows.

    Except Danny, but only because to me, he will always be Josh Lyman.

  4. To be fair head you’re right. It was patchy but I did engage with the characters which it made it worthwhile..

    Amazing the rocks you cling to cause everything else on TV is so shite 🙂

    Have liked this so much that I’m actually considering starting West Wing (which I never watched) from series one.

    Worth it?

  5. *Has a heart attack*
    Never watched it? What’s wrong with you?

    Click here and buy it.

    Comes with a load of extras that weren’t included in the individual boxsets at the low, low price of €232.49!

  6. I really liked Studio 60 too, but I agree that it was a little preachey and there was a little bit too much of an in joke about it.

    If you haven’t watched the West Wing you are in for a treat, with the kind of weather we are having it’s perfect for rainy Sunday DVD marathons.

    Perfect antidote to shite TV too!

  7. You can borrow mine – I have all 7 seasons.

    We moved our bed into the living room one weekend and watched the first three seasons back to back.

  9. Really liked Studio 60. 🙁 Never watched the West Wing. Must rent a few of em.

  10. Oh. My. God. For anyone who has never watched the West Wing – sort it out. It is fantastic for the first four seasons when Aaron Sorkin was behind it – went rapidly downhill after that but the first four seasons are superb. Got Series One for Xmas a few years ago and spent two days watching twenty two episodes… it IS that good.

  11. It’s a sad night in my house too as we say goodbye to Studio 60. Overly dramatic? Maybe…but totally justified in my opinion. This was a great show that never really was given a chance. Cancelling it after 1 season was just an insult. Sure, it was patchy at times, but every show has its ups and downs. This was a show with great writing, great ideas and a fantastic cast. Aaron Sorkin is a genius. Bradley Whitford gets me everytime. As Josh Lyman, he grabbed my attention and refused to let it go. As Danny Tripp, he showed his versatility and talent. That scene with Danny, Jordan and baby Rebecca? And then the final scene with Matt & Danny?

    *sighs*

    complete perfection.

    The ending of the show was so poignant and touching, so very well done.

    I think this show may have been too honest for its own good. Any show that deals with showbiz and its problems and conflicts is inevitably going to cause problems.

    It was great TV with the potential of being brilliant TV, in an era of shows that make me want to throw the remote control out the window. There are too few good shows out there anymore…shows that you look forward to and genuinely can’t wait to see. There were so many more stories to tell in the ‘Studio 60’ world, and it’s a shame they’ll never be told.
    Go see ‘West Wing’! Go! Now!
    A truely spectacular show!

    …may have taken too much coffee…

    Good bye Studio 60.

  12. Am I the only one slightly disappointed by the last episode. It’s obvious Sorkin knew the jig was up and all of the endings are too pat. Particularly Matt and Harry, the one relationship we actually care about, just wasn’t given the proper emotional punch it needed.

    *sigh*

    Foley’s West Wing here I come.

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