September 18, 2006

Thank You & Goodnight

My house is being over run with people here for the premiere party. Weber is heckling me. Kevin Reilly is pacing nervously. Tommy, the cast and crew and I wanted to thank you for checking out the first episode. Most pilots (including those for Sports Night and The West Wing) represent something of a typical episode. As you'll see if you come back next week, the Studio 60 pilot was more of a prologue. We hope you stayed tuned, we hope you enjoy yourselves, and from the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your taking an hour out of your evening and watching our show.

Best,
Aaron and Tommy

Excellent pilot. I thought it was OK the first time around, but just like Sports Night WW, I had to watch it a couple of times to really appreciate it. Keep it up and Studio 60 is truly going to be the best thing this season.

Please don't let NBC screw it up.

I love the show! In true Aaron Sorkin style! very exciting. Such an amazing cast. I LOVE Steven Weber and have been such a fan of his for years. I'm happy to see him in such a prominent role. Can't wait to see more of his and his story. YAY!

I have loved Steven Weber since "Wings". Thank you so much for bringing him back to prime time in such grand fashion! I have to agree with Jody on looking forward to learning more about his story and home life (although I'm not sure if Jody's a man or a woman..."hot wife"? Well, she is attractive. Who is that actress?), along with the rest of this stellar cast. Thank you for continually raising the bar for television programing!

GREAT show! So nice to see some of my favorites on the same series--matt perry, bradley whitford, and of course steven weber (yay!). can't wait to see what happens in the coming episodes...

After having been excited for the premiere for months, I just want to thank you both for creating another great show that didn't disappoint. You two are simply a blessing to television, especially at a time when we so badly need smart writing and inspiring characters on the air. I love The West Wing, I love Sports Night, and I have a feeling I'm going to love Studio 60, too. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you both for the absolute wonders of worlds you create. They've all had such profoundly positive effects on me that I can't even begin to properly put into words. Here's to Studio 60 and everything it's sure to bring in such grand style to the table.

-Christine

Steven Weber
is awesome, Can I see
more of him soon, I want to see more of his hot wife too..
what's their story...

I wanted to thank you for, once again, bringing another wonderfully written show on TV.
I have been waiting for some time for it to start, and it has happened. I just loved it. You can already connect with the characters, and that is what I love about the way you write.
I wish you the best, and I will be watching every week!

You've done it again! Studio 60 has the perfect tempo, smart, rapid fire wit and other elements that made the earlier seasons of West Wing such a joy to watch over and over again. I'll definitely be watching every week!

Loved the show, loved the characters and I look forward to getting to know them better! Thanks for coming back!

I applaud you for showing the narrow mindedness of Hollywood. The amount of hate Matt showed toward someone he referred to as a bigot and how that one person represents a whole group demonstrates that perfectly. Now I don’t know much about Pat Robertson or the 700 Club, which I’m sure shocks all those out there who have figured out that I must be a Christian. After all, we as a group are all bigots and follow Pat Robertson like all democrats want Hillary Clinton to be the next president. Now, I know that some Christians out there will be offended by what you do with this show, but they are the ones who don’t watch it or aren’t mature in their faith. It is sort of like someone making a judgment about Christians without really knowing what Christianity is really about. If you really want to offend and persecute Christians, than make sure you do your homework. So far, all the show has done has stated that Christians are narrow minded, but it has shown the narrow mindedness of its characters.

First of all, your show is top notch all around - cast, production value and, of course, the writing and directing. I have a couple questions:

Who are the actresses who played Steven's wife and the girl who played the PA? I missed them in the credits. And, will we see more of them?

FANTASTIC show, guys!! You've knocked out of the park again! I wish you both continued success woth STUDIO 60.

The cast is just delicious! i especially like Steven Weber. I hope you take advantage of his talent because he is oh-so talented. I'd love to see how he is away from the office, in a personal relationship or something. Mostly to give the world hope that these network execs have a human side. That I would like to see.

Looking forward to next week's episode.

Amazing Episode.
I loved it, great prologue, and can't wait to see the next stuff. The timing of songs 'California Love~', especially, was incredibly coordinated, and this definitly looks like a keeper.

The show was, of course, great.

But what happened to the sound track? The volume seemed to fade in and out as if the stage wasn't properly miked.

And a big chunk wasn't in synch with the video.

Was it my cable provider or...?

Jesus Christ people (and that's an address not an exclamation): Are you not listening?? The whole point of the diatribe at the start of the show is because the network was so afraid of NOT offending Christians that they completely blew over free speech. The fact that you're offended because the other characters were blasting the network for the decision is exactly the type of thing that Judd Hirsch's character was talking about!! To blast something without really listening to it just goes to show that you really are the close-minded bigots that the show was railing about!!

Aaron/Tommy~ Thanks for another great evening of television. What's next?

No, thank YOU and good night! Thank you for a briliant first episode of Studio 60 (aired here in Canada on Sunday night). My only complaint? it's on too late. Ten pm is usually the time I say "thank you and good night", and I think there are many like me, who have to get up for work the next day, at the crack of dawn. I hope NBC will think about moving the show to 9 pm - we'd all be much more alert and we wouldn't have to tape it (and then fast forward thru the ads!).

Nevertheless, I am grateful to Mr. Sorkin for another wonderful show. I never missed an episode of Sports Night or West Wing, and Studio 60 promises to live up to that high standard. I can't wait for next week. Keep it up!

Pat

I have tried to send this in email form to NBC, but their "feedback" site is totally impossible to use --It still touts February shows, and has no link to leave feedback--Anyway:

Re: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Dear people in charge of NBC:

Something special happened last night -- in the midst of all the cancelled Commanders, Howie's Deal detritus, redundant Laws? and Orders? and staged "Survival", Tommie Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin have brought us a gem to be savored as entertaining quality drama, centering around "real" characters in the unreal world of tv production.
Please take a tip from your Cable brothers, and run this premier episode in several prime time slots this week, so that the maximum number of viewers can get hooked on this show, and those of us who passed up Monday Night Football to watch can view it again to absorb the nuances of this complex drama!!
Thank you for giving this program a chance. Perhaps shows like this can lead NBC back to the top 3, at least with the intelligent (and affluent) audience this level of quality will attract.

Thank you--Dr. Don Olsen, Denver, PA

Congratulations everyone on a fine show! I can’t wait to see how everything plays out from the setups seen last night.

I’d also like to address something many folks have said in the blog comments I’ve managed to read. (I haven’t read everything as the comment pages keep refreshing back to the blog home page every couple of minutes, usually right when I’m in the middle of a sentence. Bad web design NBC…)

I think that the people who are saying that the show is bashing Christians are just looking for something to complain about. I was raised Catholic and I have no problem with anything the characters had to say. Religion is a deeply personal subject for everyone, so it’s only natural that these characters have differing viewpoints- from Hattie’s spiritualism to Matt’s contention (at least as I interpret it) that certain religious leaders are way off message when it comes to Jesus’ teachings about “loving thy neighbor as thy self.”

Also, they seem to fail to realize that this is just the opening chapter of these characters’ stories. As in all good stories, characters grow and change. This is a starting place from which these transformations will come about. Perhaps growth and change in their attitudes towards religion will be part of their overall character arc.

To complain that STUDIO 60 is “anti-religion” after only watching the first 41 minutes of a series that will hopefully run several years is as ridiculous as reading just Matthew 2:16 and saying that the New Testament glorifies child murder.

Another fantastic offering.

I mourned the passing of Sports Night and the passing of The West Wing after you guys left.

My eyes are smiling at seeing familar faces (Matthew - does look as good as Ainsley - Perry, included)

When is Josh Molina joining the cast?

My ears are ringing with the sweet sounds of crisp and thoughtful dialog, that is GOOD on so many levels.

My mind is enjoying the stimulation of interesting ideas and characters.

"If you are dumb, surround yourself with smart people, if you are smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."

Thanks for a bit of joy on Monday nights!

Tommy and Aaron,
Marvelous in Every Possible Way.
Bravo times 1,000.
Leslie in Texas

So the premise of the show was a SNL-type show that will recover by making fun of Christians and Matt Perry breaks up with a girl for being spiritual and supporting a biggot? I do not like a lot of what Christins do, and no one likes Pat Robertson, but I can't support intolerance? I was really looking forward to seeing Matt Perry again ...too bad.

Bravo on your series premiere Aarron and T.S. ! I've been waiting all summer for this premiere! Thanks for bringing good writing, directing, and smart characters back to TV. We've missed you!

This was intelligent, thought provoking television. Bravo! Brillant choice of characters, I can't wait to see them develop. Thank you Aaron and team!

man, i leaves in israel and i want to see 'studio 60' so much, i love Matthew perry so much and i loved The West Wing too.
i cant wait untill it'll air in Israel.
i haven't see it yet but its allredy my favorit show (after 'friends' of cours)

I LOVE Studio 60. Absolutely fabulous!

I so missed my number 1 favorite show The West Wing and was vowing to not watch much TV this season. That was until Studio 60. The enticement of Aaron Sorkin and Bradley Whitford made me want to watch and I was not disappointed. I have a new #1 show to watch. Thanks!

Kudos! Another great show! Thank God all this talent is back together!

We just finished watching the show, and it was GREAT!!! Can't wait for the upcoming episodes! Hope the show catches on, it's brilliant.

stay tuned I will I am getting my vcr programmed to tape every episode!! If you ever want to do a show on IRS agents we are really good and funny!

Dear Aaron & Tommy,
Brilliant and intelligent -- just like your previous shows, but that's what I expected! I'll definitely keep watching.
Cheers!
Pam

The idiots, tschales et al, who say S60 is about television/show biz thought the west wing was about being president.
This is excellent work. I'm in.

I really hope you guys can keep this kind of writing a character developement up. This is too good to die out!

thank you, thank you, thank you for writing an intelligent show, smart characters and compelling dialogue! Matt & Brad are perfect! Thanks for giving us a smart, saavy, beautiful women in a lead role! TX

Aaron, thank you so much for writing intelligent, complicated female characters. Thank you for writing intelligent characters period, but, God, it feels as if we never get a smart gal who isn't spending 90% of the time apologizing for not being hottt first. Ptooie.

And thank you for writing about people who give a shit, who care to be professional, and who dare to care about one another. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it's revolutionary in this age of consumerist dreck. I'm so grateful to watch a show that is not a frenzy of humiliation.

You're fantastic. Thank you. I'm in love w/ your brain.

P.S. Love Sarah Paulson. You cannot go wrong w/ her.

Fantastic. You can already tell the cast, especially Matthew and Bradley, really compliment each other.

I'm late to the party, I know, but this is probably the only opportunity I'll ever have to address the two of you (Messrs. Sorkin and Schlamme) semi-personally, so I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for a few things.

I started watching The West Wing when I was a thirteen-year-old in eighth grade, and I cannot tell you what an influence it was in my life. I learned more about American history from your show than I did in almost any of my history classes. I learned more about writing from Sam and Toby than I did from most of my English teachers. I learned about politics and current events in a fun and engaging way. And while my contemporaries were watching shows like Sex in the City, I was so grateful for the strong female presence in your show. You created women that I could be proud to call role models.

All those trends seem to be continuing into Studio 60, and I am so glad for it. Thank you for everything you do. Good luck and congratulations on a great premiere. =)

-Rebecca

wow wow wow! talk about all goose pimply! I never thought I could like Matt Perry. Very good stuff. really really liked it.

Please don't get canned. I hate when I get all involved into a show and it gets canned.

That just fries my noodles.
Yasamin!

Thank you Aaron and Tommy for giving us another great show. I love Sports Night and The West Wing but I think I just might love Studio 60 more. Take care of yourselves and keep up the good work!

Okay, so the live blog thing was nice and all but please, PLEASE stop right now listening to what people have to say online.

(I get the inherent irony in someone online telling you not to listen to people online but work with me)

Aaron, thank you!!! this is a win, win, win. Don't let this die. It's funny, and everything and everyone works. TOP NOTCH!!!! You also have 8,637 topics to choose from on a daily basis, not to mention the material from the W.H. which seems to never end. You did great!!!Thanks again.

New Orleans singer writes:

New Orleans singer writes:

Dear Exec. Producers,

Okay boys! Let's see how long ya'll can keep it cutting edge. I worked in a mail room of a studio that named itself after an animal. If you need outside consulting, shoot me an email.

Blew off seeing Jude Law singing at Tulane University (well, not really. It took longer than expected to finish my gig flyer. So I watched your show; wanted to watch it anyway). Yeah, Jude Law. $25 a ticket for this charitable event of preserving New Orleans Culture & Heritage. This is where the promoters/foundation take 50%. Yeah 50 %. Well, they are from NY.

I love the show’s opening scene which spoofs SNL. Go further. Spoof the spoof of the first sit SNL aired of Katrina victims rebuilding. Spoof the backlash it received from other shows, like John Stewart, and regular New Orleanians’ besieged email. This was around the 2nd week of Sept. 05. This offensive skit featured gags about sniper shootings, dumb black mother with two dumb kids and Aaron Neville portrayed like an idiot. Obviously, they were too stupid at the time to know the Neville family which includes Aaron, Cyril, Ivan, & Charmaine, lost everything and Charmine was stuck down at the convention center after being raped at a shelter then wading through waist deep water after seeing an old man swallowed up by an alligator. Unbelievable? Believe it or not! I was here until the Wed. after the disaster. Believe it.

I ran into Aaron at a benefit show at HOB, W. Hollywood, Nov. 05. After the show. I told him I sent a scathing email to SNL. He looked deeply into my eyes and said Thank you, 3x. The Neville Brothers are the best damn family band you‘ll ever see next to Sly And The Family Stone. They’re for real.

Your show is for real. So keep it that way even if you have to bleep out swear words. Executives swear and are abusive to their assistants. Show that more too, for real. "Get the 10 fJcking Starbuck coffee orders right or your fired!"

For Real!
--
lani@bigpearl.com
www.bigpearl.com
www.myspace.com/bigpearlmusic

Game on, Guys! Another home run!

JOB WELL DONE! Keep it up! Man, I'm sure this is gonna be a big hit!

Love to see this going for at least 7 seasons!!

It's amazing to see what ACTUALLY goes on behind the camera in hollywood!

GOOD LUCK!

1. That had to be cut for time.
2. You'll see much more of him in Episode 2.
3 That was Tommy's fault.
4. Her hair will be down in Episode 2.
5. Well, it gets better.

1. Perry's (Matt's) award speech?
2. D.L. Hughley
3.Thomas Schlamme, making the decision that Studio 60 looks like a planetarium from the outside...
4.Amanda Peet
5."Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" So the "show", and the show are both Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip?

smart TV

let'shope it makes it a few seasons

The show was awsome and me and my husband are excited to see what comes next. We were fans of sports night and the West Wing.

Thanks, Aaron. Huge Fan. One of the reasons I love your show is the politics embedded in a lot of the stories and dialougue - which is why I hope you'll use your considerable influence to encourage NBC to stop fighting their janitors' efforts to win decent wages and health benefits. You can make a huge difference in their lives. Thanks.

Thanks for taking the time out to answer some questions tonight.

Brilliant cast, brilliant crew - I'm thrilled to have so many of you back on my TV. Keep up the amazing work!

This show will gather more and more viewers. I got hooked on The West Wing when Alan Alda was brought in and I watched the earlier seasons and was hooked instantly. Can't wait for the upcoming episodes!

-Caitlin, The Troubled Ones' Drummer
www.myspace.com/somerockmusic

Kudos.
Fantastic Episode!

Welcome back!...we so missed you after you left West Wing. Awesome show...fabulous reparte'! Nice solid cast development and story line. All we can say is it is about time!!!!!!!!

We'll keep watching

Thank you... at least for once I get the good end of the stick in the sense that it's daylight here.

So looking forward to next weeks instalment!

The show is awesome. A big thank you to Aaron and Tommy for bringing the quality back to television. Cannot wait till next week!

Congrats and keep 'em comin! You guys are my heroes!! :)

Thanks, you guys!

loved it...looking forward to more!

Evening??? It's 4.53am here in the UK buster! Seriously though, thank you so much for taking time out to do this. Enjoy your party everybody at Studio 60.

Tell Kevin he has nothing to worry about. Just sit back, ride out the season, and collect the Emmys later. Tell him "you're welcome" for returning class to NBC.

(And if you can ask him a favor, get him to cancel Leno!) ;-)

Congratulations!
The amount of hype it’s getting fascinates me because your message and talent is really spreading. I’ve read the critics’ comments on it, and I’m thrilled to see that they are getting it: what this is about, your love for TV, for quality. I’ll just add a personal note: I’m from LatinAmerica, and I think I owe it to you that my English improved substantially in one year: since I discovered The West Wing. I forced myself to watch without subtitles and it sure paid off. You are the best, I had blind faith in your writing and your directing, and it’s been rewarded. I’m just hoping the Latin American networks show it here! Enjoy the success tonight, and back to work tomorrow, :) we are all counting on you guys!

I'll definitely be back watching the show next week. I'm hoping this series has enough material for the next few years. Good luck!!

Gary

Toodles, guy. Enjoy your show. Okay, so, um just ignore the oddness of that statement, and appreciate the sincere sentiment behind it.

Thank you, guys!

Thanks guys, you've given me more in the form of entertaining television then I could ever hope to repay.

Congrats on the success! I look forward to next week's episodes and D.L.'s failing impersonation of Mr. Cosby's Jell-O commercials.

You guys are the best.