I'm Angry at The Idiots

The full title should be: I'm Angry at the Idiots that Control the Idiot Box. . .

 

I'd like to talk for one moment about stupidity. It is a broad topic with many participants to be sure, but I'd like to narrow it down to the short-sighted and ridiculous people in charge at NBC. Why, you ask.

Because they've diffused Aaron Sorkin again. It makes me crazy. His most recent series - - which I'm finding that people didn't even KNOW about much less watch (likely because the network with which he was doing business didn't do so much as a single commercial spot for it after May). It has since been canceled, the remaining episodes aired, the beautifully deep and rich plotlines scrapped.

The series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, starred family favorite Matthew Perry. No, he wasn't rattling one-liners as Chandler, he played it serious - dry at times - but using a strength and presence of character that Kaufman/Krane would have likely been too scared of had he exhibited it on Friends.

With Perry was emmy-award winning Bradley Whitford, of West Wing fame who was allowed to carry on in perfectly metered Aaron Sorkin dialogue, rich with reference and rhythm. And the rest of the ensemble cast - you can't do it better or with as many name players. Plus you've got Mark McKinney from Kids in the Hall involved with the writing and Timothy Busfield (you MUST remember him) directing as well as having a starring role.

What happened, you may ask? Are Sarah Paulson and Amanda Peet not sexy enough to hold the attention of the male viewing public? Nope, they're sexy enough. Was the show too dramatic? No, the show was far less dramatic than the West Wing. One cannot compare it to Friends because Friends was a one-liner's paradise, built for comedy and speed only. When the ninth and tenth seasons of Friends came through, there were far too many plot lines with deep and necessary emotion to carry the light and usual frivolity that the series had become known for.

Were people too busy trying to figure out how Chandler had gotten so serious? Was the viewing audience confused by real drama instead of the soap-opera-esque qualities of such blockbuster black holes like, I don't know, the AGE OF LOVE, where once again the depravity of America's popular sexual culture is front and center as women of all ages compete for the love of (ahem, or airtime with) some no name pretty boy all along hoping to not binge on DingDongs when they lose so their figures will be ripe for the all-nude Playboy shoot that is likely already scheduled to coincide with the series finale.

Anyone seen Sports Night? No? It won two emmys, someone had to have seen it. Now it's available on DVD and it carries with it the same kind of delicious, hedonistic, intelligent cult following that Arrested Development has - - another show that was just too smart for television.

Which makes me wonder something. If there are shows too intelligent for television, are there also shows too stupid for television? And who is in charge of what stays on? I bet it's the same people that have American Idol on speed dial and know all the names of all the contestants on Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire? Or My Big Fat Fianc é or whatever the hell that show was.

So when Studio 60 comes out on DVD, millions will watch it, and love it. And they'll see that the plight of Jordan's character (Amanda Peet) as Network President doesn't just exist at the fictitious NBS, it exists on all the networks. The series airs with a one-minute speech about the declining quality of network television by iconic actor Judd Hirsch, and over 22 episodes Jordan's goal is increase the amount of intelligent programming to a network and a nation that has gone quietly stupid. And then their intelligent show got cancelled too and replaced with a remake of BIONIC WOMAN. And that's on twice a week, by the way, in case you miss it the first time.