Studio 60’ Cancellation Iminent

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,226092,00.html

Here we go: despite receiving an order for three more episodes on Friday, the Aaron Sorkin NBC drama “Studio 60 on Sunset Strip” is about to be put out of its misery.

Cast members are already confiding in friends that the end is near. It’s likely NBC will pull the plug shortly I am told by insiders.

Last week, Studio 60 had 7.7 million viewers. Compare that with competing "CSI: Miami," with 17.5 million. That gap cannot be closed.

But ‘Studio 60’ has trouble internally at NBC, forget its intramural rivals. According to ratings stats, the “Saturday Night Live” behind the scenes soap opera loses almost half the viewers delivered to it a few minutes earlier by another new show, “Heroes,” which has become a surprise cult hit.

On Monday, ‘Heroes’ had 14.3 million viewers. The substantial drop off with 'Studio 60' is probably the last nail in its coffin. The order of the three extra episodes is considered by insiders to be a contractual move, and not one based on faith that they will ever be made or aired. The all important demo situation didn’t help: 'Heroes' had 15 percent of viewers aged 18-49. Studio 60 had 8 percent. The notion that 'Studio 60' is a big draw for NBC among desirables is, sadly, blown on those stats.

Sorkin and friends will argue that NBC has done something wrong, or that the audience isn’t smart enough. Alas, in this case, neither is true. 'Studio 60'—as I wrote on August 7th after viewing the pilot—is just a bad show. There’s nothing wrong with the acting, directing, or dialogue writing. But the premise is faulty. No one cares whether a bunch of over caffeinated, well off yuppies, some with expensive drug habits, put on a weekly comedy sketch show from Los Angeles.

Even worse: no one cares whether or not the people from the Bartlett White House puts on a comedy show. That’s what 'Studio 60' is, essentially: the "West Wing" annual talent show. There’s so much earnestness involved in this endeavour, you start to think that nuclear war will be declared if the 'Studio 60' staff doesn’t air some joke—usually one we don’t hear anyway. The whole thing just feels weighted down and frankly, not entertaining.

There is one winner to come out of 'Studio 60,' however: Matthew Perry. In this show he’s proven himself to be a star on his own separate from "Friends." His comedic timing and ability to ad lib, toss off lines, and give restrained physical reactions is what keeps 'Studio 60' even remotely interesting. We can only be hopeful that someone comes up with a great new show for him quickly—but a comedy that’s funny, not a drama that isn’t.

NBC will probably fill the lost 'Studio 60' timeslot with 'Deal-No Deal: The Next Generation,' or some such thing. So the losers here will be the audience, which is about to be pummelled by more reality and game shows. It’s too bad because around the dial there are good new dramas. Despite its heavy “thirtysomething” feel, “Brothers and Sisters” is worth keeping if only for Sally Field, Ron Rifkin and Rachel Griffiths. (But there a mistake was made, too: killing off patriarch Tom Skerritt in the first episode.)

Oh well: I hope Regis is warming up the holiday edition of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." We’re ready!

That sums up my feelings rather well about the show. I just didn't care about the Sportsnight characters and I don't care about these characters. With West Wing, you did care, probably because they were doing somthing really really important so it just all worked. Plus it seems like Sorkin went out of his way to make the characters on this show more pretentious and to make viewers feel even more carbon blobish with the over-the-top dialogue.

So true. I've watched every episode and it doesn't seem to be getting any better either.

I can't imagine anyone outside of the entertainment industry even being interested in this show. Just another example of the 'suits' in LA and NY forgetting about the 'flyover' states and being completely out of touch with who their audience is. I see this crap every day with a-holes in the entertainment industry.

Aaron Sorkin is definitely a talented individual whether he's coked out of his mind or not and half the cast on this show was amazing as well but the premise was completely flawed. It also didn't help that the audience from 'Heroes' was probably exactly the opposite of the audience for 'Studio 60' but that should have been obvious before anything even aired.

I tried to watch the pilot, since I heard about all the hype it was getting on here. I don't even think I made it through the first 30 minutes without turning it off, and I haven't cared to try to watch another episode since.

I think you are my twinn in life, did the exact same thing.

Yup, I had the same experience. Too much good stuff this season to waste time on this show.

Well, it's more entertaining than CSI: Miami or What About Brian.

I completely agree with the article. I watched the first two episodes, and while I liked a lot of the acting, dialogue and directing, at the end of the day, I just didn't care. The line about the show's over-earnestness was spot-on. It's not the least bit funny or snarky, like I was sort of expecting it to be.

Yet, I LOVED Sports Night and its characters. I think being a half-hour show made SN a lot tighter, plus back then, the Aaron Sorkin "style" was new and fresh, instead of tired like it is now.

oh well might as well erase the 3 shows I have stored on my dvr.

The really sad thing about that is that this sends a very clear signal that America does not want shows outside their comfort zones. And we'll get yet another murder of the week procedural instead of somthing more original.

And though the quality of the show can be argued, is it really that hard to get? People discuss this show as if it were about quantum physics instead of the entertainment biz.

Bingo! That's what makes me a little sad to hear the show is being cancelled. I think I am one of the few that was charmed by it. Yes, it is somewhat pretentious, and yes the sweeping camera shots are a little too "West Wingish," and yes it's too earnest for its subject matter, but I thought it was fresh and different enough to get better as it went along. I liked the actors and I found myself starting to get interested in where they were going. Am I devastated that it's being canned? No, my affection for it is mostly as something that I wish would be given a chance to grow rahter than something I think is very good right now. However, it does give the network more reason to just feed us the same horseshit season after season.

This was my favorite new show. I just hope they at least give then enough time to series finalize it before they pull the plug.

Maybe this will finally open up a spot for Crossing Jordan.

I agree that unless you work in TV or the entertainment industry, you probably won't care about this show.

Huh? Heroes is on right before it and is doing great. I'd lean more towards the show not being good than claiming America is the problem.

I like this show. I also like Law & Order, even though I'm neither a Manhattan Homicide Cop or member of the Manhattan District Attorney's office. I like ER, even though I'm not a doctor. I like Friday Night Lights, even though I'm not a Texas high school football player. I like Desparate Housewives, even though I'm not an oversexed hausfrau.

I never got the whole "Shows about Hollywood are too inside and nobody in 'flyover country' cares about them" thing. What person in 'flyover country' knows anything about being a police forensic examiner, or getting marooned on a mysterious jungle island? Those shows seem to do OK.

Another fantasy ruined.

I like Heroes, and I have no superpowers

Man you guys are CRAZY! Well, that's wrong, I shouldn't put anyone down because of their opinions, but damn. I loved this show, probably my favorite new drama this year. I'm going to miss it.

I can't trust Roger Freidman at Fox News with anything. The guy is a hack who tries to name drop as many people as possible in his "articles".

Until the official word comes down from NBC, I won't believe any stories about Studio 60 getting canceled.

I'd be indifferent if this show got the axe. Even though I feel like skipping it every week, I still manage to watch it. It's okay. Not good, not bad.

But yeah, Matthew Perry is the one I feel bad for. He waited for something he thought would be a hit after Friends, and you can't blame him for banking on Studio 60, and look what happens. I do hope he finds something by next season again.

I suppose he could always do "The Whole Eleven Yards." Amanda Peet will need something to do.

I think it might have something to do with why George Bush was elected President two times...it wasn't people in New York and California who voted for him.

People in Middle America have different tastes, not saying good or bad, just different.

No, I don't think the audience has to have a personal connection to the premise of a show but I think the premise has to at least involve something that will appeal to people. As others have pointed out, nobody on this show made you care, partly I think, because true to life, like many people in Hollywood they come off as smug self-important arrogant dickheads who think every day in their life is an episode of 'Entourage'

There IS an audience for insider-shows like Entourage and The Comeback but it's limited. That's why people like my Mom kept shows like Matlock and Murder She Wrote on the air for decades.

I get the feeling more and more with Sorkin that not only does he think he's the smartest guy in the room, he thinks he's the only smart guy in the room. I loved Sports Night, and I really liked most of West Wing, but this show felt like 45 minutes of Aaron Sorkin lecturing me about what's wrong with the television industry. It's a shame, because there was clearly so much talent involved, and I don't think there was anything fundamentally wrong with the setting or or the premise. It's like they forgot they also had to make the show interesting and entertaining. I gave up after the first act of episode three, but even then I kept checking the threads, hoping I'd hear that it had gotten better.

Sorry to all of you who were fans of the show. I know how that feels. I'm still bitter over Karen Sisco.

7.7 million viewers sounds decent though. Not when compared to top shows like CSI:Miami, but better than cancellation level. Maybe the production costs are a factor, but I'd think this is a bit of an exaggeration at this point.

Amen.

... and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Whats the difference between this and 30 rock? (Ive never seen either...). Which one has Tina Fey in it?