"The Friday Night Slaughter"

So after seeing this episode:

Has Matt been taking drugs all along, or were those pills he popped at the end the start of his relapse? If he hasn't been taking drugs, why did he create that fictional guy (I am assuming he is fictional)? Is he the one that got fired for pills?

Removed Spoiler Tags

Didn't much care for this episode. It was too clumsy in execution.

The back and forth between flashbacks and live shows were really hard to keep up with, and the whole thing felt very forced to me.

I really liked this show when it started but since it has come back from the winter break it has been going downhill. Next weeks episode could have some promise.

Likewise. And the flashback-guy-who-never-existed is one of my top 10 least favorite TV cliches of all time.

Good to see they went with the standard backwards baseball cap during a flashback. That always makes the actor seem ten years younger.

The execution of this episode was terrible.

...but didn't you notice how the hat flipped around as Matt and Harriet became acquainted, and indeed by the time the board was unveiled, the hat had come off entirely?!!?!?!?!?!?! The hat is symbolic of Harriet transforming Matt into the man he is today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that that's any less dumb.

I liked it.

I guess we are supposed to be glued to the juxtaposition of Danny now being clean and with woman and Matt turning to drugs and being without woman when a year ago it was opposite.

I thought it was better then the last episode, but do not like the whole Matt angle right now. It was fun seeing Jordan stick it to the reality lady.

I liked that they got back to the show. Hearing songs from 7 years ago playing while the show was going on was also amusing (Eagle Eye Cherry, what was the public thinking...).

This was better than the previous arc (Harriet Dinner), but not by a lot. Hopefully it returns to form next week.

Disappointed there was no NBS stuff.

Only 2 more till the 'hiatus' correct?

Eh. Nothing spectacular. Who was the singer chick? Didn't recognize her. Weird if she was a legit singer, to be giving Danny drugs. I did like how he came to the realization at the end that the other writer was him.

yes, Feb 26 is the last until after hiatus

I saw the big-breasted singer on a Michael Buble concert DVD. I had to do a double-take when I was watching the Buble concert DVD playing on the 70" HDTV set at Best Buys.

Glad that Simon only appeared in the flashback.

Rest of the ep...

... I have "Serenity" on in the background while working (it's on HBO) and when the crew got to the "dead" planet and they found the holographic report, I heard the voice of the lady in the recording and did a double take...

"Harriet?!"

Booorrring. Except for the yabos on that musical guest.

At Best Buy. Riiiiiight. We know you own that DVD. j/k

I thought this episode was a clunker. Should have been called the Monday Night Slaughter.

Not anymore. NBC has pushed the premiere of "Black Donnellys" up a week, so it will now air on the 26th. So this next episode of Studio 60 will be the last one until the hiatus. Its return date is still TBA.

Seconded. These episodes have to be the result of network meddling. There's been nothing compelling in any of the last three.

i enjoyed this episode.

In a recent interview (that someone linked here a few weeks ago) Sorkin alluded to giving in to network meddling - he was being coy about it, but it was obvious that he was giving in to pressure to "couple-up" characters and have more whacky situations.

Ugh. Well, unless there's a miracle, this show won't be back next season, so I won't have to endure too much more of this.

TVguide is reporting it's hiatus got pushed up a week after last weeks season low ratings. Next week is the last new episode for awhile.