I watched this ep because my husband for some reason has been following this show and he said it’s gotten better. WRONG. I am starting to wonder about hubby because he was laughing hysterically at some of the scenes…I think maybe he drank too much wine that night? Errr, something…
Who is this stalker people keep talking about? I must have missed something.
What is the deal with Simon and that other writer? Their dialogue simply did not make sense. At all.
None of these people seem to be funny in the “real life” of the show (other than Matt, he’s about the only character I can stand), so it’s really hard to believe they can make comedy.
Still cannot STAND Harriet. That’s the main reason I stopped watching the show. The dolphin sound was stupid.
It has gotten better. Much as a failing student who manages to pull out a D- is getting better. It’s just not gotten good.
Danny. In his conversation with Jordan in the last episode, he went from “interested” to “seriously creepy.”
Apparently, that’s how black people make points to each other. I think Simon’s supposed to be sympathetic, but I’m not sure because the writing isn’t very good.
In both previous series, Sorkin’s talked about people needing smart people around them who disagreed with them. He needs to find those people. According to rumor, no one is allowed to criticize his writing or give him notes - and it shows.
I’ve given up hope - but I can’t look away. There are these flashes of potential and they’re almost never realized realized; sometimes they’re actively beaten down. I have to tune in to see how a formerly good writer, an reasonably good cast, and a ton of money can go wrong this week.
I think people are tossing around ‘stalker’ way too freely here. All he’s done is refused to give up. And the way whatsis is acting Jordan, it’s because the look in her eyes is definitely not ‘no no’. Not meaning that in any sort of rape-fantasy way but just that she feels more for him than she admits and he knows it. And the dialogue between them last ep showed that she thought he was just taking pity on her because she’s pregnant.
Before looney stalkers, there used to be perfectly normal people who didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer but did so in a romantic way. In fact, the parents of my last SO were that way. She wasn’t that interested but he was and he persisted; not weirdly or creepily, rather just in a way that finally won her over.
The only thing that would keep 2 working cell phones from getting a signal on a Los Angeles rooftop is an electromagnetic pulse. Everyone who has a cell phone, or has heard of a cell phone was rolling their eyes on that one.
The dolphin sound gag was funny. The husky gymnast could be very funny. I think the Tarantino Thanksgiving bit would have been hilarious (even without the rivers of blood) but we never get to see the skits. Matt is funny when he’s writing. Danny is interesting when he’s producing.
The show continually runs away from it’s strengths and plays to it’s weaknesses.
I, personally, do not think Sorkin is writing it. Plays more like a freshman wrtiting class or old hacks desparate for a paycheck.
The Wikipedia entry has a section where the ratings are reported. After three straight episodes where it looked like the show had leveled off, this one took a bit of a tumble!
What this show needs in real life is somebody like Mark McKinney’s character - a person to watch over Sorkin and tell him when his scripts need fixing.
And on a separate note, is it unusual that almost all of the characters on this show are single? I believe the only married characters are Cal and Wilson White.
Actually, I think Mark McKinney really does have that job, but only regarding the sketch comedy aspects, and Sorkin ultimately doesn’t have to listen to him.
Still, The sketches have actually looked pretty funny since McKinney showed up, so he’s doing some good.
If I behaved towards my boss the way Danny did towards Jordan, I would be looking for a new job. He is stalking her. He has not taken “no” for an answer. He is harassing her in just about every sense of the word and the only reason he still has a job is because he is half of the reason Studio 60 is on the air, and she has tied her success at NBS to the success of Studio 60. The only reason Matt hasn’t been fired for his behavior towards Harriet is because he’s the other half of the reason why the show’s still on the air.
UIMMG, McKinney has been the show’s sketch comedy doctor from the beginning, since well before he first appeared as a character in the show. So if there’s been improvement of late, that’s not why.
Actually from what I understand McKinney wasn’t much more than a consultant until starting around episode 4. He gave Sorkin input and pitched ideas but ultimately Sorkin wrote everything on his own. Now McKinney has a bit more of a hand in the sketch aspects of the show. Unfortunately Sorkin is moving away from that to give us more great scenes of people stuck on rooftops.
I also have inside word that Sorkin is literally writing as they film which is costing the network a lot of money. He will turn in ten pages the day before the shoot and then come in that morning with ten new pages saying the old pages were shit and that they need to film these pages now. This wreaks havok with every aspect of the production.
So Studio 60 has nonworking cell phones but no EMP. 24, which, (coincidentally?), takes place in the same city and is broadcast on the same night, had an EMP but all the cell phones still work. Intriguing…
But wasn’t this the beginning of the end of Sorkin’s run on The West Wing? At least, that’s what I heard as the main reason given for why he was replaced as the writer - his inability to deliver scripts to meet the shooting schedule.
I imagine it also worked because Whedon probably had an overall arc in mind. (I have no idea if that’s true I’m just basing that off his work on Buffy)
Sorkin, even if he DID have one at one time, has said he’s changing the direction of the show based on the negative reaction of… basically everyone. So any over all arc he may of had has had to be revised.
Has anyone noticed that Impression Guy and Jeannie ‘with the light brown hair’ have disappeared in these last two shows?
Ayda Field (Jeannie) has a movie in production, and if Impression Guy is Alex (Played by Simon Helberg), he’s got three movies going (as does Suzanne; she only gets about 2 minutes of screentime a week, though). Most of the main actors & actresses have nothing else going on; most of the extras have several other movies in the works. Almost like they planned it that way… :dubious:
Totally agree with you on the Simon sub-plot. And I’m disappointed with Matt for allowing - even seeming to encourage - the exchange.
Unlike most of the crowd, I was pleased that they addressed the cell phone coverage. My first thought was *please, don’t pretend that two executives don’t have a cell phone.
At least they addressed it. (OK, I’m a manager and I don’t have a cell phone, but I am definitely an anomoly.)
While I will concede many of the points made each week, I am less picky. I don’t watch as carefully and basically just enjoy the show.