Grid Effect

    Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip is something I can’t see myself in the long haul for. The characters are extremely self-involved and all the abrasive, quick witted dialogue falls short more often than not. The show presents itself as a drama moreso than a comedy, but it is difficult to actually register concern for millionaires working on a sketch comedy show, their professional and personal dilemmas seem more or less inconsequential.

For example, the most recent episode featured the main character Danny (played well by Mathew Perry) struggling to accept that his ex-girlfriend and subordinate, Harriet (played by Sarah Paulson), had possibly started dating a professional baseball player (She gave Danny an autographed bat from the ball player that included his phone number, she claims it was an accident). So to act out revenge he goes to a house of psuedo pussycat dolls (he is seemingly familiar with all of them) so he can get a stiletto boot from one of them and present it to Harriet as a gift with the measurements of said pussycat doll scribbled on it. This struck me as a personal crisis that resolved itself. Is it just me or does it seem like once you are up close with a dozen gorgeous women in lingerie that any lamenting over an ex would sort of evaporate. No? Not even mildly? Whatever. Point being is that when your average guy sustains an emotionally devastating break up, he doesn’t have a burlesque house he can run backstage to.

So in a moment of ineffective yet rare defiance I am placing this show in the comedy section. Even though I think the humor falls short. So yeah, that’s not a rcommendation. And on a semi-related note…
what I find really ironic is the sketches they throw together on Studio 60 are actually funnier than anything on SNL nowadays. And it’s all without really trying. As an example the faux news anchors of Harriet and Simon played by DL Hughley and Sarah Paulson have better lines and chemistry than any “Weekend Update” crew from the past seven years. And again, it isn’t even that funny. I guess this is representative of the sad state of affairs at was once a great live comedy show.