# Am I the only Sports Night junkie.... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 17, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374 "2001-03-17T14:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/1 "2001-03-17T14:32:52Z")
or am I just catching on late as usual. Comedy Central is showing back-to-back episodes of ‘Sports Night’ on Thursdays. I never saw the show when it was on network TV (ABC I think). Then I found out it’s by the same guy who does ‘West Wing’ who was the same guy who did ‘A Few Good Men’ (Aaron Sorkin). So I fiqured I’d watch an episode. **And now I’m hooked!!!** I love this show. Very well written. I tape it so as not miss the rapid-fire dialouge. I have a crush on the woman who plays Dana. How could I have missed this show till now??? Anybody else watch this show?? Anyone? Is this thing on??? ::[sub]echo[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/2 "2001-03-17T14:56:27Z")
You’re not alone, **spooje.** I loved _Sports Night_ on network, and I love it on Comedy Central. It’s a great show. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/3 "2001-03-17T16:59:35Z")
I’m afraid that I’ve been spoiled by The West Wing. I see a lot of what I love about WW in Sports Night, except that it’s less polished. The snappy back-and-forth isn’t as crackly, the sharp characters aren’t quite as well-defined, and the tight storylines are a little looser. I’ve watched every episode of The West Wing from the beginning, though, and I’ve only seen a few isolated episodes of Sports Night, so I’m sure that has something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![OrcaChow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@OrcaChow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrcaChow)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/4 "2001-03-17T18:55:58Z")
Here’s another vote, Spooje. Though I love _TWW_ (favorite WW episode: Dead Korean War veteran in the park), I’m getting slightly tired of the little-bit-too-snappy, rapid-fire repartee. Sometimes it seems to be rapid-fire for its own sake. Being “less polished,” _Sports Night_ didn’t take the snappy banter to such an extreme. I liked _Sports Night_ from the get-go, despite the laughtrack. Fell in love with it when they dumped the laughtrack. (Gotta love a show that trusts its audience to know when to laugh.) Favorite episode: Waiting for the climbers to summit Everest. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/5 "2001-03-17T19:13:47Z")
“Sports Night” rules. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch “The West Wing” because its success is why “Sports Night” was canceled – Aaron Sorkin didn’t feel like he could keep two shows at the level of quality that he wanted, so he had to pick one, and it was “The West Wing.” ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/6 "2001-03-17T19:33:43Z")
Not true, Snooopy. Sorkin wanted to keep Sports Night, but no network wanted it. They tried to get it on HBO but no go there either. And I LOVE Sports Night. I’m so glad I can watch reruns on Comedy Central. 🙂 And Casey is a BABE. “Well, I only told Natalie - she’s my assistant!” “Well, I only told Jeremy - he’s my boyfriend!” “I told many, many people.” ---
**Author:** ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/7 "2001-03-17T19:45:43Z")
Another Sports Night junkie checking in. I dont belive there has been another show that has matched up to its humor, wit, and interesting stories. My favorite episode: “Thespis strikes back.” That turkey falling onto the desk had me rolling for hours. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/8 "2001-03-17T19:51:51Z")
I love Sports Night, but haven’t been able to watch it due to my work schedule. Once I move and get on a better schedule, I can watch it to my heart’s content. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/9 "2001-03-17T21:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Falcon \* > \*\*Not true, Snooopy. Sorkin wanted to keep Sports Night, but no network wanted it. They tried to get it on HBO but no go there either. > \*\* No, I’m right on this one. See this story. [http://www.nydailynews.com/2000-06-21/New\_York\_Now/Television/a-70676.asp](http://www.nydailynews.com/2000-06-21/New_York_Now/Television/a-70676.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Evnglion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@Evnglion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evnglion)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/10 "2001-03-18T04:00:46Z")
I love Sports Night. The sheer sarcasim is what gets me all the time ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/11 "2001-03-18T05:28:39Z")
There are many, many reasons why SportsNight was cancelled, highest among them was that NO ONE WATCHED IT. (Ok, some people watched. I watched. Unfortunately, I’m not a Nielsen household, so I don’t count.) Anyway, it was killed in the ratings week after week. Not only that, but lost it’s lead in - apparently the Dharma & Greg audience didn’t like SN, so they changed channels or turned off the TV. Also, ABC never trusted the show (the laugh track coming on and going off, and coming back again) and kept interfering. They then yanked it from the schedule at random times (sweeps was always questionable, but even other times, it would be advertised or make it into TV Guides and just not shown), so you had to _really_ want to watch in order to see it, otherwise you wouldn’t know whether it was on any given Tuesday. Eventually (and not unsurprisingly) it got cancelled. (in fact, I was shocked, but happy, when it got a second seasons). But it wasn’t until months after cancellation, and a lot of talks and rumors of talks of many other stations picking up the show that Sorokin finally announced that he was only going to do West Wing. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2001, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/12 "2001-03-18T06:40:14Z")
I loved Sports Night. My whole family would sit around the TV to watch it (a rare thing in my house). I tried to preach the gospel to friends at school, and was deeply disappointed (although not surprised) when they cancelled it. Oh, and Dana’s real name is Felicity Huffman. She’s married to William H. Macy, who did some guest spots as the outside ratings guy who got on everyone’s nerves, although Dana did kiss him a few episodes after he first appeared. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/13 "2001-03-20T13:02:32Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by amarinth \* > \*\* > Also, ABC never trusted the show (the laugh track coming on and going off, and coming back again) and kept interfering. They then yanked it from the schedule at random times (sweeps was always questionable, but even other times, it would be advertised or make it into TV Guides and just not shown), so you had to really want to watch in order to see it, otherwise you wouldn’t know whether it was on any given Tuesday._\* ABC just made my ‘enemies’ list! ::Shakes fist in the air:: **Damn you ABC!!!** ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-sports-night-junkie/58374/14 "2001-03-20T13:53:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > **I tape it so as not miss the rapid-fire dialouge.** This is why I think it failed on network TV. It was very hard to follow because of the speed, and nobody wants to have to tape a TV show and watch it again just to understand what the heck happened. I watched the very first episode on network TV, I always like to give new shows a fair chance before I decide not to watch them. Anyway, a lot of people must have shared this opinion, because it failed almost as fast as the animated Clerks show.