Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

The TV season has begun! Look for my premiere reports on every new show I can possibly watch and of course, all of my returning favorites. Up first: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

For most of my TV-watching life I've kind of shunned the ratings giants (and often Emmy hogs), almost on principle. I mean, I watched ER in the early days and I was a big fan of The Practice at one point and I like House, but Law and Order, Friends, Will and Grace, CSI, the West Wing, Grey's Anatomy...blech. I can be a counterculture snob and I know it. Studio 60 kind of has ratings darling written all over it (or so I predict, but TV can be pretty unpredictable, look at Commander in Chief) but in spite of myself I kind of loved the premiere.

I mean, it kind of makes sense. I loved Aaron Sorkin's short-lived Sports Night, and really the only reason I didn't care for the West Wing was because it was about politics, which I'm not interested in. And even though I'm not a big fan of SNL or sketch comedy, Studio 60 actually isn't so much about that. It's about TV! About people who love and really care about TV, so geez, I almost have to love it. (Man does this show make me want to work in TV...)

Matthew Perry + Bradley Whitford = genius. I predict best pair of buddies since JD and Turk and the Entourage boys. And I also love Amanda Peet and Sarah Paulson (Jack & Jill reunion!). The pace and the writing were sharp and just pure Aaron Sorkin. I guess it is always kind of hard to tell from pilots where shows are going to go, but this one definitely hooked me. And since it doesn't conflict with any of my other shows it is definitely on my preliminary TV schedule. My first addition!