I think I have an idea for why Aaron Sorkin keeps having trouble with television projects after The West Wing. It's because he keeps trying to do that series again, in terms of the weight with which he approaches his subjects, when he should be trying to do Sports Night.
It was observed in more than one place that a problem with Studio 60 was that it treated the preparation of a late-night sketch comedy series as though it were the doings of Government. Comedy may be a serious business. And those who do it may have to act at least to themselves as if it were the most important thing in the world. But there's just no way you're going to get a general audience to feel the same.
The Newsroom has the advantage of being about something more important, but it's losing ground because its hour-long, drama format forces it to treat the personal relationships of the characters with equal weight to real-world tragedy.
3 comments:
I agree. Perhaps Sorkin's best bet would to be a new version of "The West Wing" but with a GOP President... that could be interesting, but it's impossible to top that show, it was amazing. And I like Newsroom, but only because I miss the West Wing.
I remain lukewarm on The Newsroom. It's frustrating because at least once an episode, it shows what it *could* be...and at least once an episode it gets diverted into tangents that I just don't care about.
I definitely agree with how The Newsroom puts the insignificant love interests of the anchors on the same caliber as the real news events they present. However, the show does not only spew empty plotlines, but actually delivers hard-hitting societal commentary. I appreciate that The Newsroom gives my brain a little something to nibble on with each episode, and creates meaningful conversation around the office at Dish the next day! I’ve never seen The West Wing, but everyone keeps talking about it in conjunction with The Newsroom. I noticed that all the seasons are among the many titles available from the Blockbuster@Home service that I get through my Dish account, so it might be worth my time to check out. If it even comes close to the intellect presented in The Newsroom, then I will probably enjoy it.
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