The Rise And Fail Of Studio 60 And Aaron Sorkin

With NBC burning off the last remaining episode of Studio 60, my Monday Thursday nights are back to a favorite pastime, exploring Aaron Sorkin’s id and super-ego. My roommate has asked me why this show of all the bad shows in existence makes my fists clench and blood boil, and if so, why am I committed to watching it? Readers of my blog know that in fact I think the TV show 24 might be responsible for an even more horrible fact, making torture seem necessary and acceptable to the general public. Whereas Studio 60’s biggest crime against humanity is espousing misogyny and probably racism (with the Simon/Darren plotline), of which there’s already plenty of that in the world. I doubt Sorkin’s little show is actually going to make the world a worse place with his art. (Compare that to 24 from which actual presidential candidates say things like “That’s when I call Jack Bauer” ... to do some torturing...)

I tried several times to write a post about Sorkin’s show. But I can’t. There’s just too much to talk about. Sorkin, more than any other TV show runner I know talks back to the audience with his art. But unlike say Carlton Cruse and J.J. Abrams, when he talks back to his audience its to hurl insults at those who are paying attention. (Although sometimes I wonder if he thinks he’s being too clever by half and getting those insults under the radar?)

So in the end my only response is to repost this brilliant and downright scathing scene from The Soup. It says much of what I would want to say, only better and funnier.



Edited to add another video clip because you never say "Aaron Sorkin writes pretentiously" too much.