Sometimes, it pays to be a television fan in Canada. While we have long been abused by the CRTC (the regulating arm of the government, assigned with the role of determing what is and isn’t it good taste, with anything on RAW usually being deemed offensive), sometimes there are some perqs. And getting to see Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip in advance of the States is one of them.
I was very tough on this show in my initial Fall preview with Matt Romanada. I didn’t care for the premiere episode at all. I didn’t like the pacing of it and I felt like it was trying to get too much done at once. I also felt like the concept had to be explained in a better fashion than it was. Like what was Studio 60? And was the Sunset Strip part of the actual show’s title, or just where the show was taking place? And was it contemporary? Or was it a traditional show like Johnny Carson or something. I also knew that Tina Fey is coming out with a show that is similar and uses the same behind-the-scenes of SNL approach that Studio 60 did, so I wasn’t sure if they were one and the same.
In any event, last week’s episode and last night’s episode in Canada (tonight for you Americans) were both pretty good.
On tonight’s show in the States, the program focuses on a focus group’s advice for the show and how Matt and Danny have to retain 90% of their first show’s audience. It also features some scandalous news about Jordan’s past and how she may have witnessed some sexual experimentation with an ex-boyfriend.
I just think that the show is finally showing some threads. It’s not just about how a live comedy show is put together, it’s also about the relationships between the cast, the crew and the network.
I think the show will retain an audience, but it has to hook them again. If I had used the premiere episode as bait, I would be eating boot right now and the same can be said for the show.
