# Studio 60 - 10/2 (The Focus Group) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037 "2006-10-02T21:54:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/1 "2006-10-02T21:54:06Z")
Episode synopsis courtesy of TitanTV: ““Studio 60” is reviewed by a focus group, and the results are less than reassuring for the cast and crew.” Guest star: Rob Reiner as himself. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/2 "2006-10-02T23:52:16Z")
It’s on Sundays on CTV in Canada so I saw it last night. I won’t go into any details but I liked it and I’m quite enjoying Matthew Perry. I must confess that I still see him as Chandler but that is slowly passing with each episode. I also am unsure why there isn’t more love for Amanda Peet. I thought she was pretty good int his episode. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/3 "2006-10-03T00:51:08Z")
I saw it as well last night, and liked it. Also, you get to see a lot more of the ‘show within a show’, and it came across as something that might actually be funny. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/4 "2006-10-03T02:03:59Z")
“There is no other network where this conversation is taking place.” “I know.” ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/5 "2006-10-03T02:58:26Z")
Is this whole “doing coke in private coke, is less dangerous than DWI” thing a comment on Sorkin’s arrest for possessing coke & 'shrooms? ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/6 "2006-10-03T02:59:47Z")
Wow, that was a hot show. It’s not quite up there with some of Sorkin’s best work, like “Celestial Navigation” or “The Indians in the Lobby,” but it’s still good. He’s finding his groove again. And the promo looks pretty interesting (although I already know what the “thing you can’t do on television” is.) ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/7 "2006-10-03T03:01:11Z")
The more I’m seeing this show, the more I’m liking it. It doesn’t have quite the pacing of dialogue that The West Wing had, but the Bradley Whitford-Matthew Perry relationship holds a lot of promise. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/8 "2006-10-03T03:02:23Z")
And the bear said, “Roarrrrrrr!” Great stuff again. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/9 "2006-10-03T03:05:17Z")
I’m liking this show more every episode. My wife called from out of town during the previews for next week! Damnit Kiros, you beat me to the punch. I didn’t want to laugh, but every time that line was said I laughed out loud. E3 ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/10 "2006-10-03T03:05:50Z")
[QUOTE=Kiros] And the bear said, “Roarrrrrrr!” Great stuff again. [/QUOTE] I laughed at that both times. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/11 "2006-10-03T03:21:16Z")
[QUOTE=Kiros] And the bear said, “Roarrrrrrr!” Great stuff again. [/QUOTE] What did I miss here? I thought that was silly. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/12 "2006-10-03T03:23:51Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] What did I miss here? I thought that was silly. [/QUOTE] That’s the point - it’s so silly that you have to laugh. First off, who would interview a bear? Secondly, what else would the bear say BUT “Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/13 "2006-10-03T03:32:53Z")
[QUOTE=brianjedi] That’s the point - it’s so silly that you have to laugh. [/QUOTE] But not nearly as funny as dumping for religious purposes _The Crucible_ for _A MidSummer Night’s Dream_, and a five year old would laugh at the bear. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/14 "2006-10-03T03:37:59Z")
And the Hoyay! just keeps on coming…the boys are so cute together! ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/15 "2006-10-03T03:46:04Z")
Pimp My Trike was funnier in it’s 3.2 seconds than anything I saw on last Saturday’s SNL. The bear wasn’t anthing more than cute, but in comedy, timing and context are king – and that’s the point --she’ll make it work. Why do they have two shows built around SNL on the Schedule? Is there any hope Tina, I’m not very funny, but I’m snide, Fey can match this show for depth and humor? I’ve not watched Heroes tonight, but read the online comic today–which is very cool–so this is two hours I’m devoted to in the near future. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/16 "2006-10-03T03:47:13Z")
[QUOTE=ddgryphon] Pimp My Trike was funnier in it’s 3.2 seconds than anything I saw on last Saturday’s SNL. The bear wasn’t anthing more than cute, but in comedy, timing and context are king – and that’s the point --she’ll make it work. Why do they have two shows built around SNL on the Schedule? Is there any hope Tina, I’m not very funny, but I’m snide, Fey can match this show for depth and humor? I’ve not watched Heroes tonight, but read the online comic today–which is very cool–so this is two hours I’m devoted to in the near future. [/QUOTE] Did you see the 30 Rock promo with Alec Baldwin asking where Aaron Sorkin and Amanda Peet were? “No, it’s me, you and Tracy Morgan.” “No. Nononononononono.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_piglet\_cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@running\_piglet\_cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_piglet_cheese)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/17 "2006-10-03T03:55:53Z")
Good episode, intelligent, sharp dialog. Not often that such a calibre of material and vocabulary is seen, especially on TV. Didn’t particularly find the panel sketch funny but it might just be because it was seen in such a patchwork fashion. Really thought the interplay between Perry and Whitford was excellent. I actually see them as long time friends who know just what the other is thinking and how to bring out the best in each other. Their love for one another is so believable. I personally feel that Amanda Peet is great in her part. She knows what she wants and doesn’t back down. “You look like one of them, but you talk like one of us.” Laughed my head off at the Tom Cruise impression and Holly Hunter was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/18 "2006-10-03T04:31:25Z")
I’m noticing a “Matthew Perry has sudden realization mid-sentence” recurring motif. They did it last week with the Gilbert & Sullivan bit, and this week when he realizes his partner inserted the question for the focus group. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/19 "2006-10-03T04:33:04Z")
Saw this for the first time tonight, and was pretty underwhelmed. I should confess that Sorkin’s staccato dialog is something that you either love or hate, and while i was willing to put up with it for the first few seasons of _The West Wing_, it just got old after a while. There was nothing especially bad about the show; i just didn’t think there was anything especially good about it either. I may try it again next week, but i don’t think it will make the rotation. The show did, however, confirm something i always suspected about Matthew Perry from his days on _Friends_—he’s not a comedian, he just plays one on television. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037/20 "2006-10-03T04:39:52Z")
I liked when one of the characters insisted that their discussion turn into a walk-and-talk. Sorkin was making fun of his own hallmark. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-10-2-the-focus-group/375037.md?page=2)