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Take two for Studio 60?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the fake writer’s desk on the set of “Studio 60” sat a bottle of aspirin. Creator Aaron Sorkin, best known as the man behind “West Wing,” probably needed to a pop a few before facing off against more than 40 TV critics surrounding him as he went into “grasping at straws” mode for his struggling TV show.
He noted that it’s the show most likely to be TiVoed, but groused that advertisers don’t count the extra 10 percent who catch the show up to a week later. He bragged about the high-end nature of his viewers and the fact NBC has given the show a full-season run despite the fact it has averaged fewer than 8 million viweers since its fifth episode.
After a relatively long break for Christmas, “Studio 60” returns this Monday with seven straight original episodes, its last chance to give NBC a true reason to bring it back for a second season. Sorkin interestingly seems to care about what critics say and bristled that the Los Angeles Times has been particularly harsh. He is especially annoyed when journalists quote random bloggers online to prove their point. And the focus on ratings, he says, perpetuates the perception among readers that the show isn’t worth sampling.
Another common criticism is the bits of comedy sketches viewers have seen on the show aren’t particularly funny. Sorkin said he understood the criticism but says they never show full sketches and that they are usually works in progress anyway and aren’t necessarily going to be a laugh riot.
Matthew Perry, who plays “Studio 60” writer Matt on the show, said he understood the challenges of the genre, that life behind a sketch comedy show might be too niche for Middle America. He hopes that the show in its second half will focus more on relationships.
Off-topic, I did manage to ask Perry for a few seconds about Atlanta educator Ron Clark, the man Perry played on the hit TNT film last summer “The Ron Clark Story.” “I haven’t had a chance to talk to him but I’ve been thinking about him lately,” Perry said. He also seemed glad to hear that Clark’s academy in South Atlanta is set to open its doors later this year.
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