Studio 60 getting cancelled? [Archive] - RonFez.net Messageboard

Tenbatsuzen

10-30-2006, 09:55 AM

I said it before and I'll say it again... Sorkin is blaming the audience for "not getting it" - when it's lead in, Heroes, is a very slowly drawn out character-and-plot driven drama.  Heroes got picked up for a full year.The problem is two fold - it's going against CSI: Miami and getting creamed, as well as the fact that of course America doesn't want to get his show, because the dialogue is not human-like.

Fallon

10-30-2006, 10:06 AM

I'm happy to say I've only picked up four new shows this fall and none of them have been axed yet (30 Rock, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Eureka).

Doctor Manhattan

10-30-2006, 10:33 AM

Tenbatsuzen wrote: Sorkin is blaming the audience for "not getting it" ...  That's bollocks. The show isn't really that smart. The correct word would be "pretentious"I think it's bad idea for the people behind a show/movie to blame the audience. As long as the show/movie is able to get to the people you can only blame yourselves. Studio 60 has a great lead in and they haven't been moved around by NBC. In fact, they have been getting a lot of press just for the fact that there is another behind an "SNL-type show" show. So you can even blame NBC. Sorkin and friends will argue that NBC has done something wrong, or that the audience isn't smart enough. ...There's nothing wrong with the acting, directing, or dialogue writing. But the premise is faulty.  The Premise was good. People love "behind the scenes" stuff.The writing sucked and the actual show they were making within the show, sucked.

This message was edited by Doctor Manhattan on 10-30-06 @ 2:40 PM

Tenbatsuzen

10-30-2006, 10:41 AM

Doctor Manhattan wrote: Tenbatsuzen wrote: Sorkin is blaming the audience for "not getting it" ...  That's bollocks. The show isn't really that smart. The correct word would be "pretentious"I think it's bad idea for the people behind a show/movie to blame the audience. As long as the show/movie is able to get to the people you can only blame yourselves. Studio 60 has a great lead in and they haven't been moved around by NBC. In fact, they have been getting a lot of press just for the fact that there is another behind an "SNL-type show" show. So you can even blame NBC. Sorkin and friends will argue that NBC has done something wrong, or that the audience isn't smart enough. ...There's nothing wrong with the acting, directing, or dialogue writing. But the premise is faulty.  The Premise was good. People love "behind the scenes" stuff.The writing sucked and the actual show they were making within the show, sucked.This message was edited by Doctor Manhattan on 10-30-06 @ 2:40 PM  I can't even IMAGINE using the word "pretentious" for a guy who writes dialogue like that. spoken in the voice of Matthew Perry

Sleeves

10-30-2006, 10:49 AM

I liked the characters/actors, behind the scenes stuff.  Dialogue was high-end, but I liked it. Sad to see it go.  Now all I got:  Lost and Ugly Betty.

JustJon

10-30-2006, 11:06 AM

Well, I'll get to see an hour of Raw again...

reillyluck

10-30-2006, 11:08 AM

Sleeves wrote: I liked the characters/actors, behind the scenes stuff.  Dialogue was high-end, but I liked it. Sad to see it go.  Now all I got:  Lost and Ugly Betty.   I still have lost and smallville.  Havent caught ugly betty yet...is it good?  its on the same time as smallville, so i cant watch it.

Sleeves

10-30-2006, 11:18 AM

reillyluck wrote: Sleeves wrote: I liked the characters/actors, behind the scenes stuff. Dialogue was high-end, but I liked it. Sad to see it go. Now all I got: Lost and Ugly Betty. I still have lost and smallville. Havent caught ugly betty yet...is it good? its on the same time as smallville, so i cant watch it.   I've seen some negative posts about it on rf.net, and I didn't expect much...but it is pretty cool.  Kind of a cartoony mix between Devil wears Prada and Roberto Rodriguez Spy Kids...it's visually pretty kooky for TV and the storylines are light, sweet, funny, and ridiculous. Pretty fun...

drusilla

10-30-2006, 11:42 AM

Fallon wrote: I'm happy to say I've only picked up four new shows this fall and none of them have been axed yet (30 Rock, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Eureka).   i love friday night lights, but i heard that it's not doing to well because too many people think it's about football.

Doctor Manhattan

10-30-2006, 11:46 AM

Doctor Manhattan wrote: The Premise was good. People love "behind the scenes" stuff.The writing sucked and the actual show they were making within the show, sucked.  I forgot to mention. I still like the show. I just can see why people aren't watching.i love friday night lights, but i heard that it's not doing to well because too many people think it's about football. What night is it on?

This message was edited by Doctor Manhattan on 10-30-06 @ 3:53 PM

jeffdwright2001

10-30-2006, 12:09 PM

I like the show and will miss it not being on.  But I did have reservations about how well it would do.  As mentioned by others, the premise may be the biggest problem in relation to the ratings.  I really enjoyed Sorkin's "Sport's Night" too, but I think the setting of the show created a target market that is too well defined.  Add to that a style of humor, line of dialogue and pace that can seem offsetting to another percentage of the already narrowly defined audience and you have numbers that aren't exactly encouraging to advertisers.Even if the shows are drastically different, I think that duelling developments cause a problem as well.  First Monday vs. The Court (2002 shows about the Supreme Court), Studio 60 vs. 30 Rock. ER vs. Chicago Hope from 1994 is a notable exception in that Chicago Hope ran for 6 years, although I seem to recall that high ratings were never really maintained over those years.In a recent Studio 60 episode, the network chief is complaining about a show revolving around the United Nations.  There was even discussion before the aquisition in which the Director of Studio 60 said that the show didn't belong on a broadcast network, but should find a home on HBO or a similar type of chanel.  I wondered if at the time it wasn't Sorkin saying that Studio 60 would be better suited to cable which seems to find ways of using niche audiences to its advantage.

cougarjake13

10-30-2006, 12:09 PM

Doctor Manhattan wrote: Doctor Manhattan wrote: The Premise was good. People love "behind the scenes" stuff.The writing sucked and the actual show they were making within the show, sucked.  I forgot to mention. I still like the show. I just can see why people aren't watching.i love friday night lights, but i heard that it's not doing to well because too many people think it's about football.   What night is it on?This message was edited by Doctor Manhattan on 10-30-06 @ 3:53 PM mondays at 10pm

Doctor Manhattan

10-30-2006, 12:11 PM

cougarjake13 wrote:  i love friday night lights, but i heard that it's not doing to well because too many people think it's about football.  What night is it on?  mondays at 10pm  That might be part of the problem.

Kevin

10-30-2006, 12:12 PM

Doctor Manhattan wrote: cougarjake13 wrote:  i love friday night lights, but i heard that it's not doing to well because too many people think it's about football.  What night is it on?  mondays at 10pm  That might be part of the problem.Exactly, You stick the fucking thing against the NFL and the WWE and expect it to do well??? NBC is like that fucking commerical with the monkeys in the office. I like that show a lot. I just wish HBO thought of it. It would be a great HBO series.

Furtherman

10-30-2006, 12:17 PM

If it is gettting cancelled, and if NBC is smart, they should take the characters from Stuido 60 (Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and other good ones) and have them join 30 Rock.The whole story line could be that they were on a show about a show but that show got cancelled and then now they think they could really do it so they've applied for jobs at 30 Rock.Now that's a show I'd watch.

jeffdwright2001

10-30-2006, 12:20 PM

Furtherman wrote: If it is gettting cancelled, and if NBC is smart, they should take the characters from Stuido 60 (Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and other good ones) and have them join 30 Rock.The whole story line could be that they were on a show about a show but that show got cancelled and then now they think they could really do it so they've applied for jobs at 30 Rock.Now that's a show I'd watch.I couldn't even get through the description. ;)

Doctor Manhattan

10-30-2006, 12:27 PM

Furtherman wrote: The whole story line could be that they were on a show about a show but that show got cancelled and then now they think they could really do it so they've applied for jobs at 30 Rock.  The show within a show on Studio 60 has been on NBS for decades (I think 20 years) so cancellation isn't really a big fear, they just want better ratings.

EliSnow

10-30-2006, 12:27 PM

jeffdwright2001 wrote: In a recent Studio 60 episode, the network chief is complaining about a show revolving around the United Nations.  There was even discussion before the aquisition in which the Director of Studio 60 said that the show didn't belong on a broadcast network, but should find a home on HBO or a similar type of chanel.  I wondered if at the time it wasn't Sorkin saying that Studio 60 would be better suited to cable which seems to find ways of using niche audiences to its advantage.I don't think that Sorkin is saying that HBO was more suited.  I think his view is what Joran McDeere's character was saying, which is that smart shows should be able to work on network tv, and not just cable shows.  In the end, McDeere convinced Tripp that the having that show on NBS would be good for NBS as well as for the show itself, which is why Tripp told the kid to go with NBS.

Furtherman

10-30-2006, 12:37 PM

Doctor Manhattan wrote: Furtherman wrote: The whole story line could be that they were on a show about a show but that show got cancelled and then now they think they could really do it so they've applied for jobs at 30 Rock.  The show within a show on Studio 60 has been on NBS for decades (I think 20 years) so cancellation isn't really a big fear, they just want better ratings.I'm talking about Studio 60 getting cancelled.So we'd have this scene in 30 Rock:Matthew Perry meets Tina Fey and gives his application to her.  "Oh I see you worked over at Studio 60"  "Yea, but we got cancelled, but I really liked the work, so I'd like to try it over here."

EliSnow

10-30-2006, 12:43 PM

Furtherman wrote: Doctor Manhattan wrote: Furtherman wrote: The whole story line could be that they were on a show about a show but that show got cancelled and then now they think they could really do it so they've applied for jobs at 30 Rock.  The show within a show on Studio 60 has been on NBS for decades (I think 20 years) so cancellation isn't really a big fear, they just want better ratings.I'm talking about Studio 60 getting cancelled.So we'd have this scene in 30 Rock:Matthew Perry meets Tina Fey and gives his application to her.  "Oh I see you worked over at Studio 60"  "Yea, but we got cancelled, but I really liked the work, so I'd like to try it over here."That doesn't address Doc Manhattan's point which is a good one.  As Doc says, the imaginary Studio 60 wouldn't be cancelled (in the same way that SNL won't be).  The only way that Perry, based on the storylines, would work according to your premise is if he was fired.And it's likely that wouldn't even work, because as the pilot ep of Studio 60 made clear, Perry's character was writing movies, etc. and only went back to Studio 60 because that's where he came from, and he wanted to stick by Tripp.

Furtherman

10-30-2006, 12:47 PM

I don't care about the show within Studio 60.I'm talking about Matthew Perry, playing himself, trying to get a job on 30 Rock because his show, Studio 60, was cancelled. Oh you guys just don't get it!  I feel like....   like....  Aaron Sorkin!

MadMatt

10-30-2006, 12:48 PM

It is assinine to say the audience is "not getting your show" or they "aren't smart enough."  You can say "we have not been able to reach our target audience" or "the writing in the show hasn't struck a chord with most fans,"  but blaming the audience outright is just retarded.Either the show isn't being marketed correctly, the idea simply "sucks" to most people, or the majority of the viewing public doesn't like the way the show is written.  I know I haven't tuned in because I'm not a big fan of Saturday Night Live and probably wouldn't be interested in a show that dramatically "spoofs" it.  I will admit to being interested when I heard it was an Aaron Sorkin project, but after hearing he blames the audience he can go to hell.There are a lot of good/great shows that didn't/don't survive.  It's just the nature of the beast.

EliSnow

10-30-2006, 12:49 PM

Furtherman wrote: I don't care about the show within Studio 60.I'm talking about Matthew Perry, playing himself, trying to get a job on 30 Rock because his show, Studio 60, was cancelled.Oh you guys just don't get it!  I feel like....   like....  Aaron Sorkin!  That makes a little more sense, but if Matthew Perry is playing himself, is he seeking an acting job on 30 Rock?

This message was edited by EliSnow on 10-30-06 @ 4:50 PM

Furtherman

10-30-2006, 12:55 PM

EliSnow wrote: Furtherman wrote: I don't care about the show within Studio 60.I'm talking about Matthew Perry, playing himself, trying to get a job on 30 Rock because his show, Studio 60, was cancelled.Oh you guys just don't get it!  I feel like....   like....  Aaron Sorkin!  That makes a little more sense, but if Matthew Perry is playing himself, is he seeking an acting job on 30 Rock?This message was edited by EliSnow on 10-30-06 @ 4:50 PM Yes, that could work too!  Or he thinks he could write and go after Tina Fey's job.  There are a few possibilies that they could do with intertwining the two show's characters.  Give it a sort of the old Moonlighting "hey, we know it's just a show lets have some fun" feel.

tbonesteak

10-30-2006, 02:59 PM

Furtherman wrote: EliSnow wrote: Furtherman wrote: I don't care about the show within Studio 60.I'm talking about Matthew Perry, playing himself, trying to get a job on 30 Rock because his show, Studio 60, was cancelled.Oh you guys just don't get it!  I feel like....   like....  Aaron Sorkin!  That makes a little more sense, but if Matthew Perry is playing himself, is he seeking an acting job on 30 Rock?This message was edited by EliSnow on 10-30-06 @ 4:50 PM Yes, that could work too!  Or he thinks he could write and go after Tina Fey's job.  There are a few possibilies that they could do with intertwining the two show's characters.  Give it a sort of the old Moonlighting "hey, we know it's just a show lets have some fun" feel.In the realm of ridiculous conversations this one is pretty far out there.  When has one show ever folded into another show, particularly a drama into a comedy.As for Studio 6, too bad, it will be missed.  It had potential.  Oh well.  Save the Cheerleader...Save the World.

tele7

10-30-2006, 09:31 PM

as long as they keep this on the air...<img height="441" src="http://www.fox.com/warathome/features/downloads/wp1_800x600.jpg" width="520" border="0" />Jim Belushi seems to like it.

NickyL0885

10-30-2006, 11:06 PM

telecaster7 wrote: as long as they keep this on the air...<img width="520" height="441" border="0" src="http://www.fox.com/warathome/features/downloads/wp1_800x600.jpg" />Jim Belushi seems to like it.   I actually like The War at Home. Good show. Goes well w/ the sunday lineup

fezident

10-30-2006, 11:06 PM

I love every single thing about this show.  The dialog. The jokes. The "jokes". The pace. EVERYTHING. (The last time I like a show this much was MURDER ONE. Which also got cancelled before it should have.) If there are unaired episodes, I really hope they are eventually available on DVD.   I certainly wouldn't say that the show is "too smart" for audiences but, I will say that it's not a show you can watch as a passive observer.  There are so many characters that you really do have to pay attention.  The show doesn't really explain everybody and their backround. It dumps you into a typical week in their world, and it's up to the viewer to put it all together.  I liked that aspect.   I'll be sad to see it go. And FUCK that Deal Or No Deal nonsense.  Fuck it with a big wooden dick.  !

This message was edited by fezident on 10-31-06 @ 3:07 AM

jeffdwright2001

10-31-2006, 04:35 AM

EliSnow wrote: jeffdwright2001 wrote: In a recent Studio 60 episode, the network chief is complaining about a show revolving around the United Nations.  There was even discussion before the aquisition in which the Director of Studio 60 said that the show didn't belong on a broadcast network, but should find a home on HBO or a similar type of chanel.  I wondered if at the time it wasn't Sorkin saying that Studio 60 would be better suited to cable which seems to find ways of using niche audiences to its advantage.I don't think that Sorkin is saying that HBO was more suited.  I think his view is what Joran McDeere's character was saying, which is that smart shows should be able to work on network tv, and not just cable shows.  In the end, McDeere convinced Tripp that the having that show on NBS would be good for NBS as well as for the show itself, which is why Tripp told the kid to go with NBS.The biggest difference is that the show will have McDeere as a champion keeping it around long enough to find an audience.  I don't think Studio 60 will have that sort of luck.  Even the green light of 3 more episodes sounds a little half-hearted on the part of the Network.

Sleeves

10-31-2006, 05:48 AM

I hope they at least give it the last ditch effort time change gimmick. How bout Thursday at 9?

jimmyNYC

10-31-2006, 06:08 AM

i've seen it mentioned a few times "the show is too smart for the audience" ....... maybe the audience is too dumb for the show. with mind numbing garbage like deal or no deal, survivor, who wants to marry my mother, my super sweet sixteen, flavor of love, etc......its amazing theres any other programming on at all.

Wrecked

10-31-2006, 06:31 AM

it's rough, but the old girl had to be put down.the show started so damn strong...the premise, the fast pace, the dialogue; then they ran out of ideas around episode 3. i hung in there trying to get a glimpse of it's original glory, but it was gone like yesterday's bran muffin.when they had the last episode revolve around a pseudo-senile blacklisted war hero crashing the wrap party...yeck. it was embarrassing to watch.also, no show on at ten on a monday is gonna hold on to 14 million viewers...people gotta sleep.

Tenbatsuzen

10-31-2006, 07:32 AM

jimmyNYC wrote: i've seen it mentioned a few times "the show is too smart for the audience" ....... maybe the audience is too dumb for the show. with mind numbing garbage like deal or no deal, survivor, who wants to marry my mother, my super sweet sixteen, flavor of love, etc......its amazing theres any other programming on at all.That's a bunch of malarkey.  It's lead-in is one of the most complex shows on television right now, so don't use that excuse.

jimmyNYC

10-31-2006, 08:33 AM

Tenbatsuzen wrote: jimmyNYC wrote: i've seen it mentioned a few times "the show is too smart for the audience" ....... maybe the audience is too dumb for the show. with mind numbing garbage like deal or no deal, survivor, who wants to marry my mother, my super sweet sixteen, flavor of love, etc......its amazing theres any other programming on at all.That's a bunch of malarkey. It's lead-in is one of the most complex shows on television right now, so don't use that excuse.  if you feel a comic book on television is too complex .....you may have proved my point

narc

10-31-2006, 11:20 AM

Maybe if all the tv audience was ex-cokeheads like Aaron Sorkin they'd be able to get it better....I'm sorry, I know it don't make him a bad person, but anytime a cokehead tries to come off so superior like he is, I can't feel too bad.

Tenbatsuzen

10-31-2006, 11:43 AM

jimmyNYC wrote:  Tenbatsuzen wrote: jimmyNYC wrote: i've seen it mentioned a few times "the show is too smart for the audience" ....... maybe the audience is too dumb for the show. with mind numbing garbage like deal or no deal, survivor, who wants to marry my mother, my super sweet sixteen, flavor of love, etc......its amazing theres any other programming on at all.That's a bunch of malarkey. It's lead-in is one of the most complex shows on television right now, so don't use that excuse.  if you feel a comic book on television is too complex .....you may have proved my point  You were using cable reality shows to try and prove your point, which is already the bottom of the barrel TV.  I'll give you deal or no deal, but Survivor was the pioneer in the genre and should be exonerated.That was the crux of your argument, when there's a major difference between cable reality shows which is cheap programming, and a network prime time television drama. Lost, 24, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, etc. are all examples of prime-time shows with large casts of characters that people watch.  Complex storylines, and lots of "catch up" that you need to do, unlike CSIs and L&O's. Bottom line: Sorkin shows are critical faves because they're so "different", but when you have crappy dialogue and characters and PLOTS THAT PEOPLE CAN'T RELATE TO, you're not going to retain viewers. Lost, Heroes, and even BSG has one unifying factor - ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

jimmyNYC

10-31-2006, 12:44 PM

Tenbatsuzen wrote: jimmyNYC wrote: Tenbatsuzen wrote: jimmyNYC wrote: You were using cable reality shows to try and prove your point, which is already the bottom of the barrel TV. I'll give you deal or no deal, but Survivor was the pioneer in the genre and should be exonerated.That was the crux of your argument, when there's a major difference between cable reality shows which is cheap programming, and a network prime time television drama. Lost, 24, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, etc. are all examples of prime-time shows with large casts of characters that people watch. Complex storylines, and lots of "catch up" that you need to do, unlike CSIs and L&O's. Bottom line: Sorkin shows are critical faves because they're so "different", but when you have crappy dialogue and characters and PLOTS THAT PEOPLE CAN'T RELATE TO, you're not going to retain viewers. Lost, Heroes, and even BSG has one unifying factor - ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances. so your argument is that the viewing public can relate more to being stranded on a mysterious island run by people who were previously stranded there (gee gilligan, the profesor can make a phone out of a coconut but he cant radio for help??) or to people that have superhuman powers like say IN A COMIC BOOK or better yet maybe the viewers are relating to riding in a starship after their world has been destroyed & theyre being chased by cyborgs.3/5ths of my examples were network TV shows. and since the only programming that seems to get a foot hold is the bottom barrel TV shows i think its a vaild point. LOST & HEROES are the exception & not the rule 

This message was edited by jimmyNYC on 10-31-06 @ 4:45 PM

fezident

10-31-2006, 07:32 PM

I don't think that "relating to it" is really all that important.  Heck...I'd say that you don't even have to CARE about it for it to be a good show.EXAMPLE: ER. Nobody can really RELATE to the inner workings of a busy emergency room. Very few people on this planet understand the jargon.  But....somehow the writers made it compelling every week.  Millions of people got sucked into the lives of those doctors and what they go through.  I'm sure that the pitch meeting for ER did not go very well. "Okay, it all takes place in the one room that people NEVER ever want to be in.  Oh yeah, the cast will all wear scrubs.  And they will talk really fast and say things that the average person can't pronounce or comprehend. Whattya say?!"On paper, that sounds like a disaster.  But the show had faith in the audience that it didn't even have yet (is that even possible?!) With Stu60, I'm sure the same business model was followed.  Take a setting that few people are familiar with, imbue it with interesting characters with interesting backstories, and let the dialog do all the work.   Personally, I don't think the audience OR the show is to blame for it's failure.  I just think the timing wasn't right for this particular show.  Sometimes you have a hit.  Sometimes you have shit.

Sheeplovr

11-02-2006, 05:30 AM

NBC Chief Says 'Studio 60' Will Stay
NBC Universal CEO Robert Wright has denied reports that Aaron Sorkin's
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is about to be canceled. In an interview
with FoxNews.com's Roger Friedman,
who originally quoted insiders as saying that the show was about to be
yanked from the network's schedule, Wright said such a move was
unlikely because "We have too much money invested in it. ... I think it
will go on."  hooray <a name="tv8"></a>

Tenbatsuzen

11-02-2006, 05:33 AM

Sheeplovr wrote: NBC Chief Says 'Studio 60' Will StayNBC Universal CEO Robert Wright has denied reports that Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is about to be canceled. In an interview with FoxNews.com's Roger Friedman, who originally quoted insiders as saying that the show was about to be yanked from the network's schedule, Wright said such a move was unlikely because "We have too much money invested in it. ... I think it will go on."  hooray <a name="tv8"></a> Correct.  Apparently, a bunch of the primary actors contracts stated that they get paid for the entire season no matter what happens, so NBC would lose even more money if they cancelled it and then put in an order for one or two shows to fill the role.