When NBC announced that they’re putting two “SNL Backstage” shows on the air this season, I was excited. Both shows looked like they were made from the right stuff. An Aaron Sorkin Drama starring Bradley Whitford & Matthew Perry and a Tine Fey sitcom starring Alec Baldwin and Tracey Morgan (produced by the legendary Lorne Michaels). However, each show faced a different road. While 30 Rock was struggling at first before finding its groove, Studio 60 started very strong but is slowly and surely losing it’s path. Lately it seems like for every good episode there are two bad ones, and this week’s “4 a.m. Miracle” was one of those.
Matt and Harriet’s relationship continues to be the focal point of the show, but this week it dragged everything down, as the Harriet was with Luke, who kept her late on his movie set, doing one take after another. So what’s the problem? The problem is no-one cares about Luke. He only works as Matt’s nemesis, and when he’s out there making his film and hanging around Harriet he’s just not interesting enough. They tried to give him a little more character by showing him being possessive of Harriet and then dumping him, but the only reaction that drew was “okay, what’s next?” Perhaps if we’ve seen more interaction between Matt and Luke in previous episodes, it would have meant something, but that opportunity is gone and I doubt we’ll see any more of him. I don’t think Harriet will rush back into Matt’s arms, even though she realized he’s a decent guy after all, but at least their relationship will take a turn, hopefully for the better.
And while Harriet’s off shooting her film, everyone else is trying to put a show together, and fail. Now here’s what I don’t get how come making a live weekly, supposedly cutting edge sketch show is so boring? Sorkin managed to make it boring on two levels. The cast and crew looked bored out of their minds backstage, and hat boredom translated into a boring storyline for us, watching the “backstage” happenings. I wanted to throw garbage at the screen during the whole “fake baby gets decapitated by the guillotine” thing. First of all, while Jordan may display some insecurity lately on the professional level, she seemed rather confident about the pregnancy. So suddenly she’s full of doubts and needs a practice baby? And then, seeing how Danny knew the way she felt about the doll, it made no sense for him to put him under the guillotine he’d just be too scared to hurt it and bring on the “Wrath of Jordan”. The only thing Danny did this episode that was consistent with his character was trying to get Harriet and Matt to work together. The insinuation that the ratings are down because Matt can’t write well since the night Harriet gave him a piece of her mind is interesting, but the timing could also indicate that the decline started when he started popping pills. Then again, Harriet is probably the reason he popping those pills in the first place, so again, we’re back to square one. Danny tries to play the “responsible adult” backstage was one of the bright spots this week, and we need more of that.
And since no one cares that they have a show to put on in 72 hours, they have time to deal with a frivolous law suit. My only knowledge of the American legal system comes from watching TV shows (anything from LA Law to Boston Legal) but even in TV land it seems ridiculous that five people who have absolutely nothing to do with either the alleged victim or the defendants will be such an integral part of the case. This looked like just another way to push the notion that Matt & Danny are the complete 180 degrees opposite of Ricky & Ron, and the show is nothing like used to be. However, this point was made firmly time and time again so this was just a waste of time. If it was meant as a way to give Matt a new love interest instead of Harriet, then it was just a clumsy way of doing so.
I want to like Studio 60. I really do. In theory, it should have had everything I look for in a TV show. The writing of Aaron Sorkin, a topic I like and great actors. Unfortunately, only the actors seem to bring their A game lately, as the acting is the only consistently good thing on the show. Even NBC is starting lose faith in the show (again), and starting next week the show is on hiatus and its time slot will be occupied, temporarily, by a mid-season replacement – The Black Donnelys. Once Studio 60 returns they’ll have to make some drastic changes if they have any aspirations of being renewed for a second season.
