But Was it Funny?
Sep. 26th, 2006 09:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shipperxCaveat: I was doing other-- frustrating-- things last night, so my TV watching was mostly out of my peripheral vision. I wasn't paying particularly close attention so this isn't some analytic post. This is a purely superficial reaction.
Had Studio 60 on while working on a particularly frustrating project which I will bitch about later. Anyway, I still like Matthew Perry. But...uh... was the show within a show funny? I'm asking. Admittedly, I was distracted while watching, but I think this could potentially be a problem for this series. They spend all this time talking about how brilliant Matt is as a comedy writer and how brilliant his sketch was. But is Sorkin good at writing sketch comedy? The problem is when having characters tout the brilliance or hilarity of a sketch, it sets up high expectations that I've yet to be convinced that Sorkin and cast can deliver. Pirates of Penzance is supposed to be cutting edge comedy? Really? (Again, I'm asking). Perhaps they would be better served leaving the show-within-a-show up to the audience's imagination.
Anyway, it seems to me that Studio 60 is a terribly serious drama about a comedy. That could be brilliant, but (honestly) thus far it seems mostly like navel-gazing. I really don't have a sense that the show within a show is funny, or that the blonde chick (what's her name?) is this brilliant comedienne that the show claims she is. I assume D.L. Hughley can bring the funny. But thus far it seems like the catch to this series may be that it's so darn serious about its subject matte, which brings the question of whether one should be so darn serious about television? I suspect one's individual answer to this will effect whether or not one is drawn to the show. Right now, it seems fairly...well -- again I remind that I was distracted by working on a very, very frustrating project and in a grumpy mood -- it seemed like a fairly humorless, somewhat preachy drama to me (there's irony in that somewhere, isn't there?)
Will give it another try next week when I can sit and watch without pulling my hair out while working on an impossible site plan. Maybe I'll feel differently then.
ETA: Oh and all the bitching about blogs and the internet... all I found myself thinking is that Sorkin still holds a grudge against TWOP. I mean, yeah, TWOP has more than its fair share of assholes and idiots, but, really, producers who fight fandom fights --even carrying them onto a show, or (in this case) onto another show --don't strike me doing something smart. I agree with whatever character said "stay away from the internet". Do no taunt TWOP on TV.
A) It just encourages them, and they're already big enough assholes
B) It makes them feel important
C) It makes you look thin-skinned
D) Could potentially come off as bullying. You're the one with a TV show and, it's your potential viewers wh have blogs. Also, it's not nice to foster the 'dateless living with a house full of cats' stereotype. It's irritating, actually.
Anyway, it seems to me that Studio 60 is a terribly serious drama about a comedy. That could be brilliant, but (honestly) thus far it seems mostly like navel-gazing. I really don't have a sense that the show within a show is funny, or that the blonde chick (what's her name?) is this brilliant comedienne that the show claims she is. I assume D.L. Hughley can bring the funny. But thus far it seems like the catch to this series may be that it's so darn serious about its subject matte, which brings the question of whether one should be so darn serious about television? I suspect one's individual answer to this will effect whether or not one is drawn to the show. Right now, it seems fairly...well -- again I remind that I was distracted by working on a very, very frustrating project and in a grumpy mood -- it seemed like a fairly humorless, somewhat preachy drama to me (there's irony in that somewhere, isn't there?)
Will give it another try next week when I can sit and watch without pulling my hair out while working on an impossible site plan. Maybe I'll feel differently then.
ETA: Oh and all the bitching about blogs and the internet... all I found myself thinking is that Sorkin still holds a grudge against TWOP. I mean, yeah, TWOP has more than its fair share of assholes and idiots, but, really, producers who fight fandom fights --even carrying them onto a show, or (in this case) onto another show --don't strike me doing something smart. I agree with whatever character said "stay away from the internet". Do no taunt TWOP on TV.
A) It just encourages them, and they're already big enough assholes
B) It makes them feel important
C) It makes you look thin-skinned
D) Could potentially come off as bullying. You're the one with a TV show and, it's your potential viewers wh have blogs. Also, it's not nice to foster the 'dateless living with a house full of cats' stereotype. It's irritating, actually.
Also (sorta kinda) watched Heroes last night. Again, I was distracted so I missed a whole bunch of stuff, but I was intrigued enough that I hit faux-VO to record it for a second viewing. Initial reactions: I flove the Japanese guy. And the twist about the politico brother flying worked for me. I'm interested enough about these two storylines that I'll watch what I recorded and will watch the show again next week. It seemed weak in spots, but the flove of the Japanese guy and the interest in the flying brothers is enough to bring me back for more.
