Before it’s too late (and, unless ratings lie, it may be too late already), let’s do another installment of “Pants-Off Rants-Off: Studio 60 vs. 30 Rock.”* Quite simply, this is where I inveigh against the delusional dramedy Studio 60 and laud the promising comedy 30 Rock, keeping in mind that both shows probably won’t see New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. (The “Pants-off” part refers to my not wearing any pants. What? I blog from home. I’m a 21st-Century man. I will not be contained, America! And stop looking at me funny, Canada, lest you get a slap upside the Maritimes.)
What the hell was I talking about? Ah, yes: NBC’s two struggling shows about the goings-on at a late-night comedy sketch show. One is set in a utopian bastion of center-left optimism where everyone speaks zippity-literate Sorkinese and networks turn down can’t-miss reality programming on the grounds that it degrades the human spirit. The other is set in NBC’s crappy, underlit New York offices. Am I defeatist moral ingrate for favoring the latter?
An admission: While I find Studio 60 preposterous, I can’t stopwatching. Apparently, six other people feel the same way. Why do wewatch? Is it for the sententious, so-bad-they’re-fascinating sketches?(“Jenny Doesn’t Have a Baby”? Holy mother of Poehler!) Is it to see ifD.L. Hughley’s composite, black-of-all-trades side-character (whospeaks of his Yale education in one breath and his “gat” in the next)is a joke on the show’s well-heeled white viewers… or on D.L. Hughley?Or is it to see how many more 400-year-old rock stars Sorkin can lureinto guest spots with slobbery on-air plugs? (Was the lute supposed tomake Sting, pictured, look more 18-49 by comparison?) Actually, theSting performance was an apt metaphor for the show: It walks in Fieldsof Gold, accompanying itself on a 400-year-old lute. You have to watchit in a sort of Pottery Barn reverie. And when you do? It’s not halfbad.
Sadly, I can’t compare the sketchologies of Studio 60 and 30 Rockthis week — the latter shied away from the sketches this week. That wasprobably a wise move. A not-so-wise one: Replacing the show’s nifty Mary Tyler Moore Show-ish opening theme with an anonymous Must-seeinstrumental. Bad executives! Bad!
But then we saw Tracy Morgan do his Bill Cosby impression — “I’m BillCosby, Jello, sweaters!” all delivered flat, with no attempt to mimicCosby’s voice — and all was forgiven. Ah, comedy: Now I remember you!You’re the one with laughs, the real laughs. Not the secret-handshakechuckle of self-congratulation: “Why, yes! What you’ve depicted here inthis sketch really is a benighted attitude towards women and/or scienceand/or public education! For consciousness raised and heroic deportmentin the agora of television, I award you, sir… a Laugh! Display thislaugh at the Pearly Gates, and you will be admitted into Heaven, thenice part of heaven — all long hallways and cocktail-party culturalreferences.”**
Here endeth the rant. And beginneth a long afternoon of sullen, reluctant pants-wearing.
*For those who are interested, “Pants-Off Rants-Off” narrowly won mypunny-rubric-naming contest, barely edging out “Rantsing with theStars” and “So You Think You Can Rant(s)?”
**I’m not sure who’s giving this speech. Maybe God. Maybe Michael Gambon in his Dumbledore drag.
Why is Sting holding a leg of a table?
30 Rock is funny, come on, it is!
We started watching “Studio 60,” but we gave up after three episodes. It’s too preachy. “30 Rock” is hilarious!
Scott Brown, you live my dream. If they’d let me talk smack about pop culture, not wear pants and would still pay me, I’d be all about my current job. As it stands, the only way for me to write pants-less would be to claim lunacy and apply for SSI/Disability. But they’ve been cracking down so hard on fraud lately…
Regarding 30 Rock, i saw my first ep last night with an avowed Sorkin fan (the guy still swears by Sportsnight), and he conceded to me that in his opinion, 30 Rock was a better show. I agreed, but was biased against Sorkin in the first place.
Tracy’s got the Martin Lawrence archtype on lockdown. He’s obnoxious and selfish, yet enigmatically has this brilliance about him that keeps folks watching the Girlie Show. And I am just loving Tina Fey’s character.
On the other hand, Rachel Drach wearing the brown face? I could do with less of that.
Studio 60 is okay. I’ve been watching it, as it’s better than most dramas on TV, but I wouldn’t be particularly upset if it got canceled.
30 Rock, on the other hand, has been great! I enjoyed the pilot, but the second episode was a huge improvement. Tracy trying to steal the yatch (“Remember Your Mother”) was priceless. If NBC tries to cancel this show without giving it a chance to find its groove, I’ll definitely be upset. I mean, look at The Office in season 1 — they almost cancelled it, and now it’s pretty darn popular. Granted, it also has a great partner in My Name is Earl, while 30 Rock is stuck with the seemingly lame 20 Good Years.
For the love of God, NBC, find a way to group 30 Rock with The Office and My Name is Earl! 30 Rock must LIVE!
Studio 60 started very strong, but is sliding down hill fast. Having trouble separating these characters from their West Wing personas.
Just saw my first episode of 30 Rock last night because nothing else was on. I will DEFINITELY be watching every week from now until this brilliant show gets cancelled. Which means I’ve probably already seen the last episode.
Loved loved loved the Bill Cosby joke! 30 Rock has the potential to be a classic comedy. The second episode was definitely an improvement. As I see it, the show can only go up from here…as long as the ratings go up.
Studio 60, however, is a whole other story. I keep waiting for something interesting to happen on that show. The stuff that goes on at the real SNL is more exciting. Lets have Studio 60 pull a L&O and have a “ripped from the headlines” story about Ashlee Simpson or something. At least it’ll be current (no offense to Sting, I thought his performance was great). At least Lauren Graham is on again next week.
I was way more excited for 30 Rock in the summer, but a bunch of snooty friends told me I was an idiot and that the Sorkin show would be the one to watch. I shirked away and watched the Studio 60 pilot and thought it was alright and committed to watching more. With each successive episodes I ask myself why I’m watching this self-righteous clap-trap. Then came 30 Rock. Turns out I was right all along. This show needs to be given a fair shake. Good comedy always needs a little time to grow on people. Why can’t this show be put on Thursdays with Office, My Name is Earl and Scrubs? That would be a return to form for NBC.
I made it almost to the third commercial break of the pilot before I gave up on Studio 60. The over-written dialogue was too much for me.
I liked the pilot of 30 Rock, but to me Tracy Morgan is just way too cartoonish for an otherwise clever show. Alec Baldwin is great and the fact that they have foregone a laugh track will keep me tuning in for another few weeks at least, or until it gets yanked from the schedule.
Watched part of 30 Rock. Barely laughed once. Not impressed.
If you can get past the mistaken idea that Studio 60 is a comedy (where did everyone get that idea?), I think its a good show. Sure, it’s “Sorkinesque.” He wrote it. If you’re a fan of his work, and I am, it’s must see. So what if it’s improbable? Lost and Heroes are probable? It’s well written and well acted, which trumps about 90% of the crap on TV right now, so it deserves a chance.
I watched the pilot of 30 Rock, and while I enjoyed it, Tracy Morgan is absolutely unwatchable for me. If the whole show was just Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin going back and forth, it would be hilarious. As it is, it’s merely amusing, and not nearly as funny as Earl or the Office.
30 Rock is light-years better than Studio 60. What a bore.
Studio 60 was better this week. There was actual comedy on it. I know it’s suppose to be a drama. There was too much Sting and not enough Lauran Graham. 30 Rock has too much Tracy Morgan and not enough anything else.
When Tracy Morgan was on SNL, his characters were either leering(Astronaut Jones) or semi-retarded (Brian Fellows). I know it was SNL and I know African-Americans rarely get good material except for Eddie Murphey. But, Tracy Morgan gets old real fast and he already has for me. Tina Fey needs to write herself into a Weekend Update real fast.
I ADORE Studio 60. It’s easily my favorite new show of the year (not on cable – Dexter wins that one). No – the sketches aren’t particularly brilliant, but lots of the back and forth banter that isn’t on set has me in stitches. So I think Sorkin can write comedy – just not sketch comedy. Besides, as a drama, I think it is top notch. It makes me want to go rent some West Wing to see what I missed there. And while a lot of the country may not get some of the references – I want a shirt that says ‘Danny thinks Moliere was Italian’.
Last nights 30 Rock was so much better then the pilot episode! Tracey Morgan had me laughing throughout “I’m open to anything….I hate that” and the progressivly worse promo spot was as funny as anything on Earl (which I also love) “proud as a peaCOCK”.
I will be tivoing this show from now on.
Now if they can only move it to Thursday and get the comedy block going again.