Awesome television

Much has already been written on this subject but here's my two penny worth.

For the past 10 weeks I have been absorbed with "Studio 60 on Sunset Strip" which goes out on More 4 at 10pm every Thursday. Written by Aaron Sorkin, who was the man behind "The West Wing" (probably my all time favourite TV programme) it's a drama that shows life behind the camera on a top rated US comedy show (which as far as I can make out is Saturday Night Live with a slight name change). It's funny, sad, intelligently written, uncomfortable (it pokes fun at almost everyone except Muslims) and has a natural doubleact at it's centre.

Most people know Matthew Perry from Friends, less are familiar with Bradley Whitfield who starred in the aforementioned "West Wing". They star as the executive producers of the show and just have a natural "buddy/buddy" chemistry. Off screen you just feel they probably finish..... each others sentences. They are backed up by a great cast who are probably quite well known in the US but who are all unknown to me. I expect a lot of them to feature in many future imported US series. Talent like that will rise.

It's an intelligent attempt at (I think) showing US TV audiences some of what is wrong with the broadcast system it currently employs. Ultimately it has failed as the very people it portrayed as taking offence to it's subject matter, have in reality done just that. I suspect that the studio bosses were not equipped with the same backbone as the fictional ones, but perhaps that was to be expected. In addition it had the misfortune to be shown on the same timeslot as "Heroes" and as that is of the genre of the moment (well made, good effects and a storyline that you have really concentrate to have any idea whats going on - plus super powers as well!!!) and as a result it didn't do as well in the ratings as it should have. (That being a massive understatement!)

So after one series it got cancelled.

To be replaced in part by a reality TV show based on the film "the Wedding Crashers".

That says it all really.