What a strange road it's been for
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," the show that started as a buzzed-about pilot, became a critical disaster, and is finally slinking to a conclusion. In a year full of high-profile television flops ("The Black Donnellys," "The Nine," "Six Degrees"), this was certainly one of the biggest.
I wasn't a fan of "Studio 60"; the comedy bits weren't that funny, Aaron Sorkin's dialogue seemed to lack its usual snap, and Amanda Peet never convinced me she could pull off playing a tough-chick executive.
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" will be back on the air tonight at 10 p.m., but it's not exactly the victorious return to the schedule many fans were hoping for. NBC didn't pick up the show for a second season, but at least the final six episodes will be airing on TV rather than just online. Interestingly, the show was supposed to air on Thursdays in the first place — until ABC's plans to relocate a pesky little show we like to call
"Grey's Anatomy" got in the way.
Good news for
"Studio 60" fans: The show will return to the air May 24 at 10 p.m., according to
the show's Web site.
May 24 is after the crucial sweeps period ends, so this could be another sign that NBC doesn't have a lot of confidence in the show going forward. It's also odd that NBC's only comment so far is that one tiny line on the Web site.
"Studio 60" fans, here's some potentially good news: According to Hollywood Reporter columnist Ray Richmond,
the show is still in production, and the cast and crew are currently working on episode 20.
NBC still hasn't said when (or whether) it plans to air these additional episodes, but it's a good sign that fans might get to finish out the full season. Only 16 episodes have aired so far, and I can't imagine NBC spending the money to produce more if they weren't eventually going to make it to TV.
If you could help one — but only one — TV show get renewed for next season, which one would you pick? E!'s TV columnist
Kristin Veitch has launched her sixth
Save One Show campaign, encouraging readers to vote for the single show they'd most like to see back next year. She's got a pretty good track record: Five of six winning shows (including last season's "One Tree Hill") have actually made it back on the air.
Every week on BuzzSugar's weekly clip show,
The Buzz Reel, I round up the week's best, funniest, strangest, and most embarrassing moments in television for your amusement.
On
this week's Buzz Reel, we've got a big handful of hilarious clips from shows we love — and some we don't — including
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "The OC," "Amazing Race," and much more. To watch this week's episode,
Turns out, NBC really, really wants you to watch
"The Black Donnellys." First, the network made the first episode of the show — which is
bumping "Studio 60" off the schedule — available
on Netflix back in January. Now, they've put the whole pilot online — for free — over
at Yahoo! TV.
I'm glad to have the chance to see the show ahead of time, but how does NBC actually expect anyone to watch the premiere on Monday?
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," once one of the most anticipated new series on TV, airs what could be its final episode tonight. NBC announced last week that
"The Black Donnellys," the new show from Oscar-winner Paul Haggis,
will premiere next Monday in "Studio 60"'s place. And because no date has been set for the return of "Studio 60," tonight's episode could be the last chance fans have to see Matt, Danny, Harriet, and Jordan in action.
Is this the end for
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"? NBC has announced that
"The Black Donnellys" will bump "Studio 60" out of its post-"Heroes" spot on Feb. 26 — a week earlier than originally planned.
Check out this sketch from the cast of
"Mad TV" reinventing Aaron Sorkin's
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" as a behind-the-scenes porn drama.
The four-minute clip pretty effectively skewers everything the writer has come to be known for. Here are 10 Sorkinisms I spotted:
- The "pedeconference," in which important discussions can only happen while walking.
- The sweeping speech about The Show's Important Mission.
- The eye-rolling religion reference.
- The reminder of Aaron Sorkin's own dominance.
