Some Stale, Old News for a (Nearly) New Year

You've undoubtedly heard by now that "Studio 60" is the most "time-shifted" program of the year.

This raises the all-important question for NBC, who, despite all the romanticism the show puts upon the Television as an artistic medium, is primarily concerned with cold, hard numbers that lead to cold, hard cash. The short-term question is: "Do we give it a new timeslot?", but the long-term question is: "How do we continue to make money off of this new model?" It feels like for "60" to just exist for no more than one season would be the total cop-out: it would represent network television's ignorance of their impending irrelevance. If they cannot adapt to make a show like "60" profitable for them, then they cannot adapt to remain relevant.

SEE ALSO:
Zap2It: 'Studio 60' Gets Bump from DVRs
Jon Robin Baitz: The Numbers and Why They Lie

The Pretend Show within a Show

Nearly everyone can agree that the actual "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" - the sketch show they are supposedly creating each week - is complete and utter crap. Somehow though, many followers of the Sorkin (myself included) seem to obscure this fact from what are the show's percieved bigger issues. The LA Times offers a whole different look on the topic:

Sorkin's "West Wing" was meticulously researched and seen as largely accurate about life in Washington: Did the auteur producer-writer raise the bar so high for himself that "Studio 60" is unfairly scrutinized? Is this segment of viewers in Hollywood simply too aware of what "Studio 60" gets wrong to enjoy the show?

One comedy show runner, who asked that her name be withheld, said: "The New Orleans crisis or the war has never touched my life in television."

"They never laugh," Levine said of the show's characters. "We laugh all the time. It is the one saving grace of the job."

"The fact that they don't seem to know how a sketch comedy show like 'SNL' is written, that needs to be remedied," said Joe Reid, who recaps "Studio 60" each week for Television Without Pity. "It doesn't seem authentic at all."

Gillette said Sorkin's approach to comedy just seems off. "He wants to get big ideas across and change people's minds," she said. "No comedians work that way. They go for the laughs first and the lesson second."

Ratings for "Xmas Show" Repeat

"The Christmas Show" maintained its 2nd place slot (against "CSI: Miami") scoring a 3.1/5 and beating a new ep. of ABC's "What About Brian". The original airing scored a 4.9/8.

Envelopes and Other Stuff:

- The Writer's Guild of America yesterday nominated "Studio 60" for two awards - Best Overall New Program and Episodic Drama for the Pilot. Winners will be announced on Febuary 11th from Los Angeles.

- After garnering four nominations from the Satellite Awards (given by the International Press Academy) the cast of "Studio 60" walked away empty-handed last night. Ouch.

- Richard at Screenhead realizes that "The Christmas Show" is "White Christmas":

Think about it. You have a show within a show, with the exterior show being produced by two showmakers (replace Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye with Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford) who are doing the show partially in the benefit of holiday charity - in this case for struggling musicians out of New Orleans. You also have one of the showmakers struggling to admit his feelings for a woman (Bradley Whitford’s Danny Tripp for Amanda Peet’s Jordan McDeere). And to top it all off, you’ve got a quest for snow - in the middle of L.A. of all places.

- The fast overnight ratings for last night's repeat should go public after noon eastern, so I'll be blogging them then.

Don't Forget...

Tonight's the rerun of "The Christmas Show".
New eps begin airing three weeks from tonight.

Golden Globes Snup Sorkin, "60"'s A-List Cast

By now you ought to know that "Studio 60" did pitifully in Golden Globe nominations on Thursday. The show was nominated for a single statue (Sarah Paulson for Best Supporting Actress). The disappointing showing is even more dramatic when put in the context of this quote from Aaron Sorkin earlier in the week:

"I try not to think too much about the stuff that's out of my control, like awards," Sorkin says. "But that said, it meant a lot to me and everyone connected to 'West Wing' to get that recognition from the Hollywood Foreign Press right out of the gate. We were by no means a slam-dunk hit at that point, and it helped do for us what that organization historically seems to do best: turn critical hits into popular hits."

Wow. You really can't blame the guy: after "West Wing" basically dominated the Globes & Emmys for every year it was on television, and after NBC spent millions to lure back Whitford and got Matthew Perry & Amanda Peet to jump back to the small screen after moderately-successful careers in film, you'd think you have as a successful 'formula' as ever. It's wholly ironic then that Paulson, the only prominent player without anything approaching the success of her co-stars, is the show's sole nominee.

SEE ALSO:
Defamer: Will the Golden Globes Pretend to Like 'Studio 60'?

This is hilarious:

A Dose of Reality(?)

So, the last episode was effing amazing wasn't it? (And it's being rerun 0n the 18th!) After a brief creative hiatus (i.e.: every episode between "Pilot" and "The Christmas Show") Sorkin has returned and everything's coming up roses, right? Someone named Ashgiel at fangasm lays out the reality in all its naked starkness:

Rumor has it that "Studio 60" won't be around very long. You know the end is near when more than half the viewers from its lead-in "Heroes" drop off. Over at the big eyeball CBS, they are getting 10 million more viewers in that time-slot than the peacock.

Sure, there was an order put out for nine more episodes, but no amount of spin control can fix the fact that it has been on a steady ratings decline since the pilot aired back at the start of the fall season. It's sad for NBC which seemed to be defending this show from the outset, but that's the word from people involved with the show. It won't be long before it's cut completely from the air.

There's a big reason this show didn't work. The pilot which had a boatload of viewers was a different show than the rest of the season has been. The initial episode was more people and character oriented. The show has since degenerated into being plot driven rather than character driven. In my opinion, this is what has brought on its steady decline in viewership.

And so the big question now is: "Is it too late?" Has "60"'s audience already tuned-out? I think it will be particularly interesting, and frustrating, to look at how well the rerun of "The Christmas Show" does.

60 and Product Placement

Sam Ford at the MIT Convergence Culture Consortium blog takes a more in-depth look at the product placement debates that happened the ep before last:

A sketch comedy environment is an interesting place to test out these questions, and I thought Studio 60 did it well, with the producer standing up for the show and against the infiltration of commercial elements until he found an organic way to make the products part of a new set for the show reflecting the real strip. Reminds me of an ad back in January for King Kong that proved how Times Square makes the best possible backdrop for product placement within a show. But Kong seemed to generate a lot of discussion about product placement and branding.

Joe Marchese wrote a piece for MediaPost and beat me to the punch back on Tuesday after the show ran, recommending that everyone in the industry or who deals with product placement watch the show. Marchese writes:

The great part about the setting for the debate was the layers: the real show's writers having characters, who are writers and producers themselves, discussing the issues of product placement and possible solutions. All the while, there were all sorts of "the right kind" of product placements during the show. But getting to the right kind of product placement isn't easy. I have heard many people compare the need for separation between content creation and monetization to the need for separation between church and state, so product placement is obviously not something to be taken lightly. But in a world where the 30 second spot's effectiveness continues to be threatened, it is certainly something that needs to be revisited.

It's funny how product placement seems most appropriate when in the context of reinforcing those places where advertising has already become agreeable acceptable. I guess what I'm really getting at is the obvious point that product placement's gravest threat to 'content creation' is that it completely undermines the show's 'art' of imitating reality. As Ford points out, that's why product integration feels natural on reality TV because, as is famously contradictory, reality TV requires admitting from the get-go that it is not portraying real life.

"The Chritmas Show" Reaction...

A roundup of the latest"60" reaction from across the internets:

-DownWithTyranny! loves Ed Asner as the hero of the newly-emergent epic battle of Network Chair vs. the FCC.
-Just Another Pretty Farce has the goods for those of you wanting more of the "Christmas Myth" plotline from last night.
-BuddyTV sums up the conventional wisdom in saying: "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip finally delivered on its potential last night."
-John Eggerton at BCBeat (the blog of industry mag Broadcast&Cable) reacts to the new NBS/FCC battle: "Studio 60 is pretty darn preachy, which is no surprise for an Aaron Sorkin production, but fortunately for me its my favorite sermon."
-Dorothy Surrenders disusses the new implications for "60"'s female characters after the new Jordan/Danny and Matt/Harriet developments of last night.

That's a very cursory look at the general reaction, but, as I said, the general CW out of last night's ep was that "'Studio 60' has bounced back".

Ratings Uptick Continues

Last night's "The Christmas Show" was the second week of ratings growth for the show (from its all-time low two-weeks ago). The show scored a 4.9/8. And while one might've hoped for a stronger showing for such a critically praised episode (more on that later), it's good news nonetheless.

Source: Zap2it
Ratings history for "60": Wikipedia

Tonight's 'The Christmas Show' a "Must Watch"

The TV Addict has apparently gotten a sneak peak tonight's show, given it five stars, and says it is the "MUST WATCH hour of TV tonight.":

The episode is classic Sorkin and is on par with the best of THE WEST WING and SPORTS NIGHT. (emphasis his)

If history tells us anything, "Studio 60" has perhaps a tiny-problem with high expectations. And that's not setting the bar high at all.

I will, however, be more than happy to have have my cynicism stand corrected.

Weekend Buzz Roundup

- "Studio 60" leads in television nominations for the Satellite Awards (tied with "Ugly Betty" with 4 nominations a piece) which will be held December 17th. Sarah Paulson and Amanda Peet will be competing for Best Actress in a Series (Drama), while Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford will head off for Best Actor in a Series (Drama).

- While Harriet Hayes' position on gay marriage set off that whole fun little adventure known as "Nevada Day", two headliners of "Studio 60" have made a stir taking the 'opposite' position (Harriet would disagree). In November's election Madison native and U. of Wisconsin graduate Bradley Whitford called Wisconsin voters urging them to vote against a ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage (it ended up passing, however). More recently, Amanda Peet appeared in ads for World AIDS Day appealing to gay males to avoid the increased risk of HIV that crystal meth use can cause.

- Monday is the last episode before the traditional holiday hiatus. Here's the brief synopsis from TV Guide via Studio 60 Guide: “Matt wants to bring the spirit of Christmas to Los Angeles when he and the “Studio 60” team put on a holiday show. Meanwhile, Danny tries to figure out his true feelings for Jordan.” The title is going to shock you: "The Christmas Show".

UPDATE 5:40pm: More linky goodness...

-Defamer profiles the ideal "60" viewer per their consistantly snarky graphic skills. Consider it a much less romantic version of the "alpha consumer" theory. Use their handy-easy-to-use flowchart to find out if you're one of them.

-THE FATHER IS WHO? NBC leaked a 4 minute clip of Danny & Jordan at the doctor's office "talking baby". You'll have to watch to find out. h/t Chris @ Studio 60 blog.

Aaron Sorkin's Culture Wars

The AP via the SanFran Chronicle:

With a studio executive and producer lending support, Tom lands in front of a small-town Nevada judge (guest star John Goodman). The judge makes it clear he doesn't like the "condescending" Hollywood types who put on sketches such as "Crazy Christians."

"You make fun of people like my family, people like my friends and people like me," he says. He's already extracted revenge of sorts, calling a Chinese businessman and his daughter "Japs" and threatening to inflict damage on a network lawyer he's dubbed "Matlock."

"I had these guys going," the judge smirks to a sheriff's deputy before turning back to his adversaries: "You're idiots. ... I'm a judge. You really think I go around calling people Japs and ordering deputies to shoot lawyers?"

So the only thing getting shot down in the scene, apparently, is the stereotype of a small-minded "red-state moron," as Goodman's character puts it.

Except when he turns his gaze on Simon.

The judge mocks his hair, which the deputy helpfully explains is styled in twists rather than cornrows, and repeatedly and without apology calls him "Sammy." In Southern parlance, that's the insult of calling someone out of their name — and using a term one small step from "Sambo" or even an ugly "They all look alike" reference to entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.

So if the sheriff is a self-aware racist — and one who ends up dispensing justice fairly against those he disdains — is that progress in the culture wars? Or has Sorkin just rubbed the right's face in the crime of intolerance while stripping away Simon's dignity?

I personally got bored with Sorkin's culture war drumbeat after about, oh, the third time the words "Crazy Christians" were uttered. Yes, it makes great material (especially compared to the 'issues' that most other network dramas are 'addressing'), but it's something that, frankly, has been exhausted. And I mean this not merely in the media's exasperated 'value voter' banter that followed the 2004 election, but in Sorkin's own work.

Take the pilot of "The West Wing": the dramatic conclusion features the Bartlett administration facing off with lobbyists of the Religious Right. They are tired of "New York Jews" using them as punching-bags on TV talk shows. Sound familiar?

Once again, I'm not saying Sorkin's 'Elitist vs. Average Joe' script doesn't make for good, or even important, television. But, as the AP piece suggests, you're entering into contradictory territory when you typecast entire segments of the American population into one character (John Goodman's character). Just as the cable television news punditry tired of the 'red state v. blue state' narrative after it failed to explained alot of post-2004 politiking, I for one will be glad when "Studio 60" moves past "Crazy Christians".

Stanley Heaps Praise on NBC for 60, 30 Rock

The New York Times' television critic Alessandra Stanley is not known for mincing words. Never shying away from making too bold a statement, Ms. Stanley has been called "gratuitously nasty" by the Public Editor of her own paper. Perhaps that is just part of the reason why her departure from Cynic-in-Chief in yesterday's Times is a must-read:

These two very different behind-the-scenes looks ["Studio 60" & "30 Rock"] at network intrigue were among the most vaunted shows of the fall season and did not meet expectations, yet both survived the midseason tumbrel. Turns out cold-eyed corporations don’t always look at the bottom line to determine the fate of fledgling television shows. Neither series is a hit, and “30 Rock” is perilously close to a flop, but both are good enough in their own right to merit more time: “30 Rock” was moved to Thursday nights to follow “My Name Is Earl,” “The Office” and “Scrubs.”

G.E. apparently really does want to bring good things to life.

The best television is necessarily uneven. A conventional hit sitcom like CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” is consistent, if not always consistently funny, but more original material needs larger margins for error.

Stanley is right to point out that more substantive shows need more time to develop and find an audience, but that doesn't stop her from praising the show as it has unfolded already:

Each strand is beautifully written and acted; together the emotionalism grows cloying.

But the show keeps bounding back. The most recent episode produced a hilariously mirthless veteran comedy writer hired to train Matt’s rookie staffers. The perils of Jordan, who is ever on the brink of being fired, keep twisting, and backstage romances flicker and glow under the opalescent lighting that makes the series’ look so distinctive.

“Studio 60,” like “30 Rock,” is better when it’s not about network television, but about the people who happen to work inside it. And at their best, the two shows are unequaled by anything else on network television.

60 Keeps Monday Timeslot

When NBC announced that it was green-lighting Studio 60 for a full season, it was speculated that it would get a new timeslot. That, like the cancelation rumors, has turned out to be untrue:

Also worth noting is that NBC's struggling Monday night drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" about production of a live television sketch show from Aaron Sorkin, the creator of "The West Wing", will remain on Monday nights at 10pm, a decision that might raise several eyebrows.

The show is considered to be incompatible to its lead-in, the popular sci-fi series "Heroes" and it now regularly loses more than half of its audience. The drama is however very popular in the more affluent and highly-educated households for which reason NBC will stick to it for at least the rest of the season.

Ratings Recover from the Lowest of the Low

The good news: Monday's episode "B-12" gained nearly 100,000 viewers from last week, scoring a 4.8/8 (as compared to "The Option Period"'s 4.7 share).

The bad news: It was Studio 60's second-lowest rating thus far.
But, has the bleeding finally stopped?:

#	Episode	Air Date	Rating	Share	18–49	Viewers	Rank
1	"Pilot"	September 18, 2006	8.6	14	5.0	13.14	# 22
2	"The Cold Open"	September 25, 2006	7.5	12	4.4	10.82	# 33
3	"The Focus Group"	October 2, 2006	6.0	10	3.5	8.85	# 47
4	"The West Coast Delay"	October 9, 2006	5.8	9	3.8	8.66	# 51
5	"The Long Lead Story"	October 16, 2006	5.3	8	3.1	7.74	# 55
6	"The Wrap Party"	October 23, 2006	5.1	8	3.2	7.72	# 60
7	"Nevada Day (1)"	November 6, 2006	4.9	8	3.3	7.67	# 56
8	"Nevada Day (2)"	November 13, 2006	5.0	8	3.2	7.58	# 58
9	"The Option Period"	November 20, 2006	4.7	8	3.1	7.31	# 60
10	"B-12"	November 27, 2006	4.8	8	3.3	7.4	n/a