Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip - Season One

[TGC]

Me and Beawesome agree that NBC will regret this decision when the Emmy's are announced. We both have no doubt that S60 is going to be nominated like crazy. I think they will wish they had renewed it, at least for a partial season.

[ACCBiggz]

I think there is still a .00000001% chance. If by some off-chance the new timeslot garners it miraculous ratings and then DVD sales go through the blazing roof of the heavens... then maybe.

[TGC]

As has been said a lot of places, when a show has the sets torn down, they never come back. But we can dream. And what IS the new timeslot?

I am quite happy, however, that nothing that was put in the S60 timeslot following Heroes did well. Not BD and not The Real Wedding Crashers. It's not the show, it's the timeslot. None of them work well with Heroes, and nothing right now can topple the monday night juggernaught that is CSI Miami.

[ACCBiggz]

They'll take ER's timeslot after their season finale.

[TGC]

Indeed I remember reading that now.

And they have at least ONE purchase of the S60 DVD set when it is released.

[ACCBiggz]

TWO.

[livid]

I wouldn't be surprised if they do end up regretting it at the Emmy's like you said TGC. That may be enough to give the show another shot and they could re-instate it later on if Sorkin and the rest of the crew don't move onto new things. It's a long shot, but if they do garner a lot of Emmy attention, NBC would be stupid not to try and capitalize on it even if they do cancel it now.

[Ananas]

This is, I think, an irrational but understandable move by NBC. For all the buzz it had coming out of last year's upfronts, this season has been a DISASTER for the network outside of "Heroes". A lot of really good shows just went up in flames, and as easy as it is to point the finger and say they didn't promote it (which is silly because they did, and at the same time it was a very difficult show to promote) this is a show whose price tag did not fit the potential audience. It would be different if they were FOX, and had a couple juggernauts returning every January to bail them out during sweeps, but they aren't. There's no time for slow-burn when you're dead last. The argument for renewal is as follows: the show does excellent Tivo numbers and may likely lead to big DVD sales, a DVD release may lead new viewers to discover the show, an inevitable windfall of Emmy nominations (although not necessarily wins) could bolster interest, and as low as the ratings may have been they're still the strongest NBC has garnered in that timeslot during the year (of 3 different shows given the chance with some kind of regularity). The argument against: the show is obscenely expensive by conventional standards, Tivo viewers don't watch commercials, DVD's are expensive and there is evidence that the market is falling out, the Emmy's did little to help the case of Arrested Development (another show that ended its first season in such a predicament), and although S60's numbers were better than the shows that replaced it, they still fall well below the watershed numbers required to give the network any hope of getting out of the Big 4 cellar. I honestly thought that the argument for was enough to warrant a renewal contingent on some cost cutting (and I suppose we'll find out in the coming weeks if such offers were made) and a 12 episode "limp in" commitment, but I suppose the desperate network is hardly a rational one. NBC is holding a weak hand, and the safest strategy for a network in this situation is to get out and hope for some better cards next time. Studio 60 just happens to be the victim of numbers.

[TGC]

I agree Beawesome. However 30 Rock and Friday night Lights had numbers just as shitty if not shittier than S60, and both got renewed. So in the end, it comes down to the network, I think, expecting S60 to be a fucking juggernaught, and when it wasn't, and when it was so expensive to make, they said to hell with it.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Agreed. As good as its numbers were relative to FNL or Black Donnelly's, Studio 60 was far more expensive to create, and not worth it. Sorkin can't work well with a tiny budget, and the show wouldn't work with a smaller cast. NBC doesn't want to invest in keeping the show going for a couple more years in the hopes it gains an audience, so this is likely the end.

Don't get me wrong - Studio 60 and Corner Gas (which will NEVER be in danger of cancellation) were the only two shows I would go out of my way to watch, all year, and I HATE to see S60 going down the crapper.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

Sorkin blew it, he created a show about a comedy that was not funny. He kept trying to make this The West Wing.

[ACCBiggz]

Studio 60 was hilarious.

I still think they should have just cut the salaries of Peet & Hughley. Wouldn't have been huge losses to the show.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Bump to remind everybody that the show comes back tomorrow night at 10 on NBC...and apparently never on CTV.

[Ananas]

I remember reading somewhere (although exactly where now evades me) someone saying that last night's episode was an excellent example of how well they could do the show without Danny, Matt or Jordan. I couldn't disagree more. If anything, this show was an example of exactly why everyone (viewers and critics) turned on the show: it's just way too smug for network television. It's usually anchored by Perry and Whitford's sharp work, but this week's 10 minutes of Simon trolling for a date and the ridiculous bomb plotline (apart from drunken Jack; he's like Jeff Zucker only talented and not a whale with 5 chins). The sketches were, as usual, completely unfunny and probably would have been unfunny even if it weren't the "disaster show". They did nothing to explain Matt and Danny's absence (unless I missed something in the last episode before the hiatus) which is just silly, and the only good stuff was Harriet doing her whole reflection on Matt and everything Cal did (even if he'll always be the doubting brother from Field of Dreams to me). Disappointing, and hopefully better next week.

[ACCBiggz]

As I stated, people mentioned the cost... They could easily cut DL & Peet. Who I'm sure cost more than the guy who plays Tom Jeter & Harriett. All you need in my opinion is Perry, Whitford, Busfield. Those two playing off each other and Tim as that third character.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Have to agree with Beatnik...after watching the episode, I imagined the following exchange.

"Aaron...cut Perry, Whitford, and Peet. If you can still make good episodes without any of them, we'll keep you on."

"I can't."

"Well, give it a try anyhow."

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Better episode this week...obviously Sorkin has to rush a lot of things to wrap the series up nicely, so I can forgive some of it (still don't know what the Karen Salzburg thing needs to keep coming up, though). Jordan and Danny were good, Jack was OK, Tom and Simon did well...not a great episode, but I'll take it.

[ACCBiggz]

It kind of looks like he'll have S60 get cancelled the way he is playing up the ratings bit.

[Ananas]

I'm just waiting for Jack to fire Jordan to cover his own ass so art's imitation of NBC life can be complete. >_>

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

The last episode might be one of the best episodes of any drama I've ever seen, period. Felt like two or three episodes, but not rushed in the least. Amazing.

On the other hand, I didn't realize I had missed an episode until this afternoon.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Mr. Potato Head