# A couple of thoughts about Sports Night **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 10, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870 "2003-04-10T19:52:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/1 "2003-04-10T19:52:56Z")
Having recently purchased the complete series on DVD and having watched the whole series even more recently, a couple of things caught my eye/ear: \*\*1)\*\*The "_laugh track"_ wasn’t as big a distraction as others have made it out to be, I hardly noticed it and it certainly didn’t take away my enjoyment of the show. **2** Issac, (Robert Guillaume did care deeply about everyone involved with the show, but he did a helluva job acting as if he didn’t. **3)** Watching the series in one go gives a better idea of why Dan and Casey had their blowup, the dynamics behind it etc. **4)** The show _Jumped The Shark_ in the 2nd season when they started having all the characters hang out in the bar together after the show, like they didn’t have anything better to do. **5)** Rebecca Wells looked **nice** with her new hairstyle/color. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/2 "2003-04-10T21:30:55Z")
1. Aaron Sorkin can write kick-ass short-term characters. I understand why William H. Macy jumped at that role (besides his other connections to the cast), because it’s one of the coolest guest characters ever. The scene where he is walking with JJ and pals to the control room, tells them that he makes glass tubes, and then dresses them down and kicks them out, is bravura. I’ve watched it about a dozen times. 2. Dan was really a much more tragic and troubled character to me than he was the first time around. 3. Natalie can be annoying 4. I wanted to see more of Kim and Elliot and the control room guys. 5. It must be really challenging to learn and perform this type of writing as an actor. 6. We need more TV like this. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/3 "2003-04-10T21:39:05Z")
1. I miss the show dreadfully. Piss on ABC for not recognizing a good show right under their nose. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/4 "2003-04-10T21:53:54Z")
1. Jeremy was an EXTREMELY rounded character (unlike supporting roles). Especially in the second season. 2. Some people don’t like the writing style, saying it’s too repetitive. I think it’s impeccable. (CASEY: Impeccable? DAN: Impeccable, my young friend. It is, truly, impeccable.) ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/5 "2003-04-10T22:00:34Z")
1. For I am Dan. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/6 "2003-04-10T22:05:32Z")
1. Eli’s Coming. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/7 "2003-04-10T22:17:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stolichnaya \* > **8) Natalie can be annoying** Maybe, but… (17) Natalie is also _really freakin’ cute._ I mean, damn. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/8 "2003-04-11T15:15:10Z")
“If you can’t make money from Sports Night, you shouldn’t be in the Television business.” – or whatever the damn exact words are. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/9 "2003-04-11T18:49:06Z")
I think it was “If you can’t make money on a show like Sports Night, you shouldn’t be in the money-making business.” ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/10 "2003-04-12T00:37:32Z")
A nice little zing from Aaron Sorkin to ABC. Shall we count up the alums who’ve shown up on West Wing? Joshua Malina, of course. Dana Whitaker showed up in the maple syrup storyline with Toby. I’ve seen the black SN director in the press pool grilling CJ. Donna was on SN as a wardrobe assistant who very nicely ripped Casey a new one for not knowing the names of the support staff. Did I miss anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/11 "2003-04-12T01:38:31Z")
[Nina Siemaszko](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Siemaszko,%20Nina) appeared on West Wing as one of the Prez’s daughters. She appeared on Sports Night (she was baby sitting Casey’s son iirc) _and_ she was in The American President as Annette Bening’s sister. An Aaron Sorkin hat trick! 🙂 I hadn’t really been aware of the show until they had commercials showing William H. Macy would be guest starring. The first episode I saw was the one **stolichnaya** mentioned. I was hooked from then on. Eric ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-thoughts-about-sports-night/167870/12 "2003-04-12T02:20:57Z")
Oh, and of course Joshua Malina was in the American President too. Felicity Huffman and Ted McGinley from SN both appeared on WW. Timothy Busfield is on WW and directed on SN. Some others who’ve been on both: [Timothy David-Reed](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Davis-Reed,%20Timothy), [Greg Baker](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Baker,%20Greg%20(II)), [Jeff Mooring](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Mooring,%20Jeff), [Lisa Edelstein](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Edelstein,%20Lisa) and [Ron Ostrow](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Ostrow,%20Ron).