# Studio 60 premiers tonight!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 18, 2006, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160 "2006-09-18T12:30:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [September 19, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/41 "2006-09-19T16:10:40Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] I thought she was way too wide-eyed and naive for the position [/QUOTE] Last night was my second time watching the pilot, after having seen it through Netflix. My take is that this is _her character’s_ main technique for manipulating other people, especially men; it causes those around her to misperceive what she’s doing and underestimate what she’s capable of. Note the Steven Weber character saying “I’m not like the others, I don’t find you charming.” Her _actions_ were far from naive; the moment where she pulls her boss out of the crisis meeting with a borderline command, “Let’s talk in my office,” is not the act of a naive person. Obviously, whether or not this interpretation is correct, or if the character legitimately doesn’t work, will be seen over the coming weeks. And next week’s preview looked _hilarious._ For the record, I never watched either _West Wing_ **or** _Friends_, so I’m coming to the show without any actorly baggage. And Perry and Whitford’s characters both worked like gangbusters, in my opinion. For what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/42 "2006-09-19T16:12:29Z")
I wonder who the mentor will be? On _Sports Night_ is was Isaac, on WW is was Leo, but Wes got fired right off the bat, so I don’t know if he will be the mentor to those crazy kids. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/43 "2006-09-19T16:15:49Z")
I caught one thing that might have been an in-joke. Or I could be reading too much into it. When Jordan was introduced to Matt, she said “I couldn’t be a bigger fan of yours.” I wondered if this was meant to echo Chandler Bing’s “Could you _be_ more [adjective]?” speech pattern. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/44 "2006-09-19T16:29:09Z")
The Jordan McDeere character is pretty much modelled on Jamie Tarses, who was president of NBC Entertainment at 30 or 31 or somesuch similar age. So it shouldn’t be entirely unbelievable that someone that young has the job, since someone that young has had the job. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/45 "2006-09-19T16:33:21Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Hey, is the Harriet Hayes character (the Christian blonde actress) inspired by Kristin Chenoweth? [/QUOTE] I thought of [Victoria Jackson](http://www.victoriajackson.com/) – IIRC, Jackson got some undeserved flack for some of her non-SNL activities – Christian music albums and the like. In the pilot, Harriet said she stood by the “Crazy Christian” sketch, and Jordan told Matt to lead with the sketch on the next show. I see Harriet getting a chance to speak for the overwhelming majority of un-crazy Christians, and I predict a speech about being tired of being lumped in with the radical right, about how her faith allows her to be pro-choice and a bunch of other issues that Christians are unfairly tarred with. Hollywood giving mainstream Christianity a voice – wotta’ concept! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/46 "2006-09-19T16:38:32Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] I was wondering that too…isn’t she a bit young to be the president of a network? [/QUOTE] The inside poop, to my knowledge is that Amanda Peet’s character is based on [Jamie Tarses](http://www.variety.com/graphics/photos/mugt/tarses_jamie.jpg) who was the head of - what? - maybe programming or something very senior at ABC for about 1 - 2 years. She was young, attractive and aggressive and the TV biz supposedly chewed her up and spit her out. So the whole “isn’t she too young and pretty?” parts come from there. Whether or not you think she is a good actor and/or a good fit for this role is your call. I thought she did a great job and especially loved her exchange the Steven Weber’s character about him having to sacrifice his balls based on Judd Hirsch’s meltdown and the network’s need to position itself effectively. It was funny and she came across as competent, aggressive and willing to speak truth to power in her world. And it positioned her character as a prime mover on the show. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/47 "2006-09-19T16:39:25Z")
[QUOTE=jacquilynne] The Jordan McDeere character is pretty much modelled on Jamie Tarses, who was president of NBC Entertainment at 30 or 31 or somesuch similar age. So it shouldn’t be entirely unbelievable that someone that young has the job, since someone that young has had the job. [/QUOTE] Bingo. [http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/188851](http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/id/188851) > [@](#): > > At age 32, Tarses became the youngest person and the first woman to preside over a network entertainment division. As President of ABC Entertainment, she reported to division Chairman Ted Harbert, who held her job before being promoted. This personal triumph followed an exceedingly eventful year at NBC Entertainment where she had spent the better part of a decade climbing swiftly up the corporate ladder. The daughter of celebrated sitcom producer, writer and director Jay Tarses (“The Bob Newhart Show”, “Buffalo Bill”, “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd”), Tarses used her not insignificant connections–then NBC Entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff got her first network job–to get her foot in the door… [And](http://www.teevee.org/archive/1997/10/05/): > [@](#): > > Tarses, of course, was the wunderkind at NBC, the executive who shepherded the development of Mad About You and Friends, turning those dubious premises into ratings bonanzas. She had impressive TV bloodlines, the daughter of highly regarded producer Jay Tarses, whose successes included Buffalo Bill and Slap Maxwell and several other shows that in no way featured Dabney Coleman. > > So it was little wonder that ABC would take a look at Tarses, see what this seemingly talented woman had done and covet her for their very own. The folks at Disney became so consumed by lust for Tarses that top executive/creepy guy Michael Ovitz began spreading rumors that NBC entertainment president Don Ohlmeyer had made clumsy passes at Tarses, apparently in the hopes that a clunky rumor would force the Peacock Network to let Tarses out of her contract. [And!](http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,1679,00.html) > [@](#): > > The camcorder has struck again. Captured on grainy, under-lit video this time: Friends star Matthew Perry and ABC TV executive Jamie Tarses–mid-smooch. How much more Hollywood insider can you get? Studio 60: The first network show deliberately designed to be annotated. Not a good thing, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/48 "2006-09-19T16:47:20Z")
[QUOTE=jacquilynne] The Jordan McDeere character is pretty much modelled on Jamie Tarses, who was president of NBC Entertainment at 30 or 31 or somesuch similar age. So it shouldn’t be entirely unbelievable that someone that young has the job, since someone that young has had the job. [/QUOTE] D’oh - out-posted! You got here first! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/49 "2006-09-19T16:48:46Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] I spent the first ten minutes wondering how they thought they could get away with so blatantly ripping off “Network” and the eleventh minute going “oh.” [/QUOTE] I missed the first 15 minutes. Could you spoiler for me pls? ---
**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:** [September 19, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/50 "2006-09-19T17:13:45Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] I missed the first 15 minutes. Could you spoiler for me pls? [/QUOTE] In _Network_, news anchor, having recently been told of his pending termination, has live on-air meltdown, ranting against his industry. Bosses want to fire him until they realize ratings went through the roof. Build show around him. In _Studio 60_, warhorse producer, having recently been creatively castrated by an oily apparatchik, has live on-air meltdown, ranting against his industry. Talking heads immediately draw comparison with _Network._ Difference: he gets fired anyway. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/51 "2006-09-19T17:14:56Z")
What was the deal with Timothy Busfield and the 53 seconds? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/52 "2006-09-19T17:15:20Z")
Basically, Studio 60 is about to go live. At the last minute, the executive producer (Wes) is told by standards and practices that a skit must be cut because it’s too controversial. Wes tries to stand up to him, but eventually folds. He fumes, and in the middle of the opening skit (some spoof of Pres Bush and VP Cheney) he storms on stage and begins a diatribe against censorship and the dumbing down of TV to avoid pissing off the FCC. At first, the audience thinks it’s part of the skit, but he grabs their attention as he continues to rant. The S&P guy storms into the control room demanding they cut Wes off. The TD, Timothy Busfield, hems and haws and says he hasn’t done anything that would get them in trouble with the FCC. Finally, after 53 seconds, they cut to opening theme music. At a dinner party, Jordan is being feted by her new bosses when she gets a phone call. It’s her assistant, and as she tries to laugh off its importance, everyone else’s phones and pagers go off as the news gets out that there was a live meltdown on broadcast TV. There’s a big meeting with the network execs, and as they wring their hands about lawsuits and FCC, Jordan points out that what they’re really worried about is that Wes may be right. She takes her boss out to the hall and tells him she wants to rehire two men who used to helm the show but were fired four years ago, and have gone on to bigger and better things (one of them is getting a Writer’s Guild award as they speak.) ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/53 "2006-09-19T17:17:04Z")
I hope its okay if I just copy in the comments I made in another thread when I saw this premier a couple months ago: I thought the following things about it: 1. Pleasant suprise: Brad Whitford didn’t just make me think of Josh Lyman the whole time. It’s subtle, but, his face moves a little differently, he speaks a little differently. He’s a new character. I find this rare in TV actors. 2. Matthew Perry is just “Matthew Perry,” but IMO there’s nothing wrong with that. He fits the part. 3. The portrayal of the Christian character seemed off to me. She didn’t seem to be saying things that I found realistic to the concept of her character. The performance was fine, (not great,) but for the most part I’m talking about the actual written dialogue. No examples come to mind at the moment, though. 4. Whoever is in charge of deciding which shades of which colors should be on screen at what times is doing something very interesting and pleasing to the eye. I’m not sure how it integrates into the work as a whole, except that I suspect it somehow adds to the “its all a veneer” theme that runs through the show. I’d have to watch one or two more times to confirm that intuition. But what I’m thinking is, the shiny and interesting colors jump out at you in this kind of “glitzy” way which seems to attempt to hide the perfectly ordinary objects giving rise to them. Hard to explain. 5. There’s a scene at the very end comments about which I need to spoiler box: The actors and the director have done a very nice job of transforming Whitford and Perry’s characters before the viewers’ eyes from semi-successful semi-losers to the “big men in charge.” The scene where they inform the producer that he’ll be keeping his job is where this really happens. Somehow, their faces look more adult, their suits look more shiny, they look bigger in relation to their environment. It’s just a really nice effect. It indicates promising things, I think, for the series. 1. Dialogue was a little stilted at points, but it seemed compatible with the “Pilot Episode Effect” IMO. 2. Amanda Peet does a no-good job, unfortunately! I didn’t believe her as a high-powered Exec. She was trying to be the rational, soft-spoken high-power exec, which is fine, but somehow she didn’t pull it off right. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/54 "2006-09-19T17:19:11Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] In _Studio 60_, warhorse producer, having recently been creatively castrated by an oily apparatchik, has live on-air meltdown, ranting against his industry. Talking heads immediately draw comparison with _Network._ Difference: he gets fired anyway. [/QUOTE] Although I was aware of the _Network_ parallel, I somehow missed the execs in _Studio_ actually making reference to it. What did they say? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/55 "2006-09-19T17:20:29Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] What was the deal with Timothy Busfield and the 53 seconds? [/QUOTE] 53 seconds is an eternity in broadcasting. Instead of cutting it off immediately, the TD, probably feeling loyalty to his exec producer, let him go off for a bit. I think it’s funny that if he had cut it off, the show wouldn’t have hired Matt and Danny and it would have continued its slide into unfunniness (Peripheral Vision Man?) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/56 "2006-09-19T17:20:45Z")
Ah, thanks **ivylass**. (What’s a TD, BTW?) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/57 "2006-09-19T17:22:05Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Although I was aware of the _Network_ parallel, I somehow missed the execs in _Studio_ actually making reference to it. What did they say? -FrL- [/QUOTE] I don’t think they did. It was more how the news channels were reporting what happened. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/58 "2006-09-19T17:23:18Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Ah, thanks **ivylass**. (What’s a TD, BTW?) [/QUOTE] Technical Director. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/59 "2006-09-19T17:29:00Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] I don’t think they did. It was more how the news channels were reporting what happened. [/QUOTE] I thought that was the funniest part of the show. One after the other, each of 4 news channels makes a reference to “Network” or Howard Beale. It’s a little implausible that the news shows (network or cable) would be covering this story simultaneously, within minutes of its happening late on a Friday night, but the effect was great. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160/60 "2006-09-19T17:46:32Z")
Ratings are in: 2nd behind CSI:Sheboygan with an 8.6/14, but it lost some viewers in the second half-hour. Understandable, since the second half-hour was kind of slow and exposition-y. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/studio-60-premiers-tonight/373160.md?page=4)