studio60onthesunsetstrip

By the time this post goes out the pilot episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip may have already been removed from the YouTube. However, you can't blame me for trying to inform the public, can you?

Before NBC previews Studio 60 to Netflix subscribers starting on August 5th you can view the pilot on YouTube for free. Of course, due to certain restrictions on the site, the pilot is split up into five parts. It looks like the widescreen version of the episode, but it seems to be smushed together to fit in the 4:3 box of the site.

I took a quick look at some of the scenes and it looks like it picks up steam about halfway through the show. Matthew Perry's character seems to have a bit of Chandler left over from his days on Friends. And, it seems to have all of the frantic energy that is trademark of an Aaron Sorkin production.

I'm only linking to the first part of the pilot here, boys and girls. You'll need to click under the 'Explore More Videos' section of the page to see all five parts.

[Thanks to Eugene for the tip]

Warner Bros. was trying to be a bit experimental. They were going to try selling new shows they were producing such as Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and others on their own online retail site. They hit a speedbump in the shape of at least four broadcast networks, though. Seems those networks believe people have such strong associations with the network they're shown on that they didn't want people to be able to find them on the studio's site. This disagreement may mean that unless a deal is hammered out Warner Bros. new shows won't be available on digital platforms at all.

Remember when you used to hear about the new fall pilots in May, then not again until TV Guide's Fall Preview Issue came in the mail? That model has been blown out of the water by us. No, not just TV Squad. I mean "all of us", as in blogs and other online sites that are posting early previews of the new fall shows based on clip reels, downloads (not us, networks! We swear!), or, in our case, screeners sent to us by the networks.

It looks like the feedback generated by these previews is already getting back to the creators and networks, whether they like it or not. This LA Times article recounts the reactions Studio 60's Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme and the NBC executives had to Internet chatter about the much-anticipated show, which started as soon as the pilot script was leaked online. Interesting read.

[via Mediabistro]

The screeners have been pouring into the TV Squad offices for the past month now, and we're all dying to tell you what we think of everything. Are these new shows worth catching? Which ones seem likely to miserably fail? Which ones are not to miss? While we can't technically "review" these screeners, we were never told not to give you a short preview of these shows and what our initial thoughts are. (Side note: Joel and I talk about all of these and more in the latest APB podcast.)

So, to start things off, we've got a slew of NBC pilots to cover: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Kidnapped, 20 Good Years, 30 Rock and The Black Donnellys.

I don't envy the network programming executives. Their task is to use prognostication to determine what shows will be picked up for the new season and where they'll go in the schedule to please not only audiences but advertisers as well. Sometimes they hit the jackpot ("Must See TV" Thursday's on NBC, "TGIF" Fridays on ABC, "Animation Domination" Sundays on Fox) and sometimes they go down in flames (Cop Rock . . . need I say more). However, when they go ahead and take a good thing and mess around with it due to fear it really ticks me off.

Case in point:  the new NBC fall schedule. Personally, I felt that after years of mediocrity on Thursday nights the programming executives were about to revive "Must See TV". There were no more subpar sitcoms and reality shows to fill the blank 8:30-10:00 spot that had been the bane of the network for several seasons. Instead, each hour was filled with strong shows. My Name is Earl and The Office were moved up one hour to the 8:00-9:00 PM slot. Following would be the brand new Aaron Sorkin drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip which featured the return of Matthew Perry to the NBC schedule. Closing would be the long-running ER, which is still a top twenty show that could have a new lease on life with the arrival of John Stamos. Three steady hours of TV.

And, out of fear, NBC programming executives blew it by moving the show to Mondays!

At the end of Sunday night's series finale of The West Wing, NBC premiered a 30-second preview of the new Aaron Sorkin series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (which I am calling Studio 60 from now on whenever I mention it.). The trailer can now be seen on YouTube in all its glory (or here, after the jump below).

Matthew Perry appears in a scene at the beginning of the trailer, and Bradley Whitford appears in a scene at the end. In between, a list of the show's stars is rattled off. If you notice, there are a number of people who have worked together before. Whitford, Perry and Timothy Busfield all appeared on Sorkin's The West Wing. Perry and Amanda Peet worked together on the film The Whole Nine Yards and its sequel.

Take a gander at the trailer. I think it will get you pumped up for the premier this fall.

Okay, who gave the executives over at NBC the sensibility pills?

In what seems like an extremely logical move (at least for now), NBC has produced a Thursday night schedule for the new fall season that may make the phrase "Must See TV" truthful once again. As mentioned by the amazingly talented Bob Sassone in his post on the NBC fall upfronts, comedies My Name is Earl and The Office will be pushed back one hour to the 8-9 pm slot. Following will be the new Aaron Sorkin drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (which Aaron will hopefully shorten to just Studio 60). Network stalwart ER will round out the night in its usual 10 pm slot.

Notice something here? For the first time in many years, NBC may have a very solid Thursday primetime. With Earl  and The Office anchoring the night, you are getting away from a curse the network had for many years; pairing a successful sitcom (such as Friends) with a mediocre or poor sitcom (Single Guy, Four Kings, or any other forgettable show). Both shows compliment each other and have been steady performers this past season.