If you didn’t know better, you’d think you were in the middle of “Saturday Night Live” with a house band, writers room, executive offices overlooking the stage, wardrobe, lights, cameras, and graffiti on the walls.
Critics crawled around the vast “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” set on the Warner Bros. lot where the fictional NBS network’s fictional show takes place in the fictional Addison Theatre.
It all looks terrifically realistic, until you open a notebook marked “musical guests” and find pages of an old script for “The West Wing.”
In what is supposed to be the writers room, creator Aaron Sorkin complained about the “negative press” for “Studio 60” while cast members stationed throughout the vast space put on a brave front, talking optimistically about what’s ahead.
In reality, the show is in a tough spot, with lackluster ratings and an expensive ensemble. The question of whether the series will be granted a second season is a tough one. Will NBC keep it going for the prestige or nix it in deference to ratings?
NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly acknowledged the series is in limbo (along with “Friday Night Lights” and “30 Rock”). He has suggested some of those series will return for another season, but he also allows that “Studio 60” is a problem.
People either love it or hate it. “It’s certainly been polarizing,” Reilly said.
On the set, Sorkin was defensive about how to fix it.
“You’ve got to be careful not to let too many voices into your head,” he said.
It’s true: The best television comes from strong writers with specific visions and points of view, who are true to their ideas and don’t cave in to committee-think.
But this time, the network may have a good idea.
NBC thinks romantic comedy is the way to go, emphasizing the relationships of Matt and Harriet (Matthew Perry and Sarah Paulson) and Danny and Jordan (Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet).
The seven episodes that roll out when “Studio 60” returns (at 9 p.m. Monday on KUSA- Channel 9) will tilt in that direction.
“He’s got fantastic performers in that cast and great relationships. It was really meant to be, at its core, a romantic comedy,” NBC’s Reilly said. “Aaron likes social relevance, pop culture references, political references, being smart on the fly, that’s what fans of the show love. That’s not going to end. But we both agree we’ve got a show here that should be a lot of fun to watch. Let’s write to that.”
Reilly knows some viewers abandoned the series, calling it too serious, “but others may just have drifted. Those people you can get back,” he said. The romantic Christmas episode achieved the desired tone, he said.
In on-air spots, “the network is promoting the relationships heavily but they haven’t imposed that in any way,” director Thomas Schlamme said.
Meanwhile, the show’s biggest name is on board with the new direction.
“I’m a big fan of it becoming more character-driven, more about the people,” Perry said. “The show looks great. It could use more of who’s-dating-who.”
Sorkin made the case that he was “thrown a curve ball with Amanda Peet pregnant. I chose to incorporate the romance with Bradley Whitford’s character.” Expect a romantic triangle with Jordan’s previous boyfriend (the father of her child) and Danny vying for her attention.
Expect the series to back off the more pedantic storylines about freedom of expression versus the corporate need to please the shareholders, and other insider concerns. Upcoming episodes will amp up the lust and love. And the silliness.
In a director’s chair at the back of the set, Paulson recalled her audition for the part of Harriet. She did a Holly Hunter impersonation because she thought other actresses were doing impersonations. They weren’t; she won the role. An upcoming episode will feature her doing a Julia Roberts impersonation.
“Then there’s a weird dolphin noise I do,” she said. She smiled and waited gamely for someone to ask her to demonstrate.
She complied, in a high-pitched nasal squeal that must be heard to be believed.
TV critic Joanne Ostrow can be reached at 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com.
