Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip - The Complete Series [DVD]

In this review I will frequently refer to 'Aaron Sorkin'. Sorkin is the writer/creator of this show, and he also wrote the mega-hit 'The West Wing'

Firstly if you liked 'Sports Night' or 'The West Wing' then this is an essential purchase.

Aaron Sorkin is in my opinion the best writer in the world and he proves it again with this show. The dialogue is witty, back-and-forth and yet somehow always seems real. Sorkin has an uncanny ability to throw out one-liners and insert jokes into a script, and it doesn't seem forced. I'm sure we have all seen shows where the characters interact with each other through a series of one-liners and the show seems fake because of it.

Sorkin always makes you believe that you are behind the scenes, watching regular people doing an extraordinary job. This is evidenced here.

The acting is superb, Perry is a revelation. Whitford and Peet are their normal brilliant selves, and Steven Weber's performances were a very welcome surprise. Hard to believe he was the same actor who played the ir-responsible brother on 'Wings'. All of Sorkin's shows are superbly acted and this is another example.

On top of an incredible core cast, there are an array of guest stars. Judd Hirsch, Allison Janney, Sting & Jason Alexander to name but a few.

Honestly up until this point, i'm sure it sounds like a perfect show - but there is a problem.

Matt (Perry's character) is sold to the audience as the best writer in Hollywood. He is the funniest guy in America and the only person who can save an ailing sketch show from being cancelled. He takes over the show along with his best friend and producer Danny Tripp(Whitford).

This was big news and there is a lot of pressure on their shoulders to prove that they are deserving of the praise being given to them.

This is an excellent premise for a show, and is something different. Up until this point the show is a 5 star television classic.

Now onto the major flaw I mentioned in the title, this is such a big flaw that IMO it is the reason the show got cancelled.

The sketches we see are painfully unfunny and quite frankly it shatters the entire illusion of the show. There are episodes where you watch 40 minutes of a great writer preparing this brilliant sketch, then when you see it performed at the end of the episode.... To call it underwhelming is to be kind.

As I said it shatters the entire illusion. When you watch 'The West Wing' you believe that you are watching the most powerful man in the world struggling with decisions that can affect the course of history. It is 100% believable. Now imagine if in every episode The President ultimately made the wrong decisions at the end.

That is what Studio 60 is like, instead of feeling like you are watching a comic genius constructing a piece of comic art, you feel you are watching a hack who has an undeserved reputation.

This is such a shame, because everything else about the show is so very good. The worst part is that i'm sure by hiring one or two writers with history of writing a sketch show, that this could have been easily avoided.

Here is another problem, although it isn't that big of a deal. Sometimes Sorkin takes the situations way too seriously. Sometimes I felt like yelling at the screen that they only work at a comedy show. You'd think you were watching the West Wing sometimes, they take it so seriously.

Matt Albi honestly thinks that he has a duty to the American public to make them laugh and to help them through their tough times etc it is at times ridiculous.

I know I have spent a lot of time criticising Studio 60, but I do love the show. It was brilliant and didn't deserve to be cancelled. It should have been allowed the chance to mature, very few shows hit the ground running.

I recommend this show to anybody - especially Sorkin fans, but sometimes the show has believability issues.

Nevertheless this was the best show on tv in 2006, and it's a damn shame we'll never see any more.

I'd just like to add that Sorkin knew that the show was cancelled, and as such there is a fitting finale, everything is resolved. You won't be left on a cliff-hanger or anything, as is sadly so often the case with other cancelled dramas.

I'll be honest, i was concerned that this would be another forgettable series of fake one liners and pointless story lines but...well....i was suprised. This show was acted out brilliantly by all he characters and the chemistry between them is amazing. Yet again though they cancel a show because it's not broad enough and doesnt appeal to the masses who would prefer to watch a fake painted backdrop and faceless characters batting forgettable one liners between one another. This show did make you feel you were getting a privliged behind the scenes view of a sketch show. I love how the writing was quick back and forth that at times seems ad-libded and the performance of Matthew Perry is fantastic (Chandler Bing is dead) I hope that the networks see sense and relaunch the show because seriously, how can a show like Will & Grace go on for a long as it did???? it still baffles me.

If, like me you were a fan of the West Wing you will love this show! The writing is fast paced and the storylines are gripping; much the same as the west wing. The humour is sometimes a little too fast paced and you may miss it but will howl even more on repeat viewings. Watch out for cameos from some of Aaron Sorkin's previous shows and appearances from other great guest stars.

The main cast are simply excellent. This is Mathew Perry's best performance since Chandler, and Bradley Whitford's performance, although playing a similar character to Josh Lyman in the West Wing is also superb. That is to take nothing away from the other main cast members who have great chemistry throughout.

The only negatve comment about this show it that this is the one and only series. The storylines that Sorkin and co were developing needed much longer to flesh out, but on the whole, great viewing. I look forward to Sorkin's next project!