TV: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip "The Harriet Dinner"

Oh well. Last week saw Studio 60 do an about face and go giddily towards the land of primetime soap, much to my surprise and delight. This week follows that episode up with something odd. It's not as much fun as last week and it's not as serious as before. It's just here.

There really wasn't anything tonight to get excited over. Things are progressing in a predictble fashion. As soon as Matt tells Tom to lie to Lucy, you know it's going to end poorly. Similarly, Danny getting locked on the roof with Jordan? Come on. And a loose snake to boot. Animals on the run and getting locked out; I think Sorkin is now resorting to stock plots from Full House. Next week Jordan goes into labor during a Flintstones sketch and Simon, dressed as Fred, has to get his appendix out. I also hear Andrea Barber is going to host a future episode.

Still, not that tonight wasn't enjoyable. The actors are all top notch and the characters, while they've started to suffer from Sorkin's ton-o-dialogue, are still relatable. My heart was breaking a bit when Lucy saw Tom. Don't hurt Dawn! Especially you, Tom, who I don't find funny at all. It's weird that I can see Nate Corddry as a sketch comedian but not Tom Jeter. Tom is just wishy washy, dull, and too fact oriented for me to take seriously as a guy who is not serious for a living. Liven the guy up! I have this problem with the entire "cast," actually. Aside from D.L. Hughley, the rest of them act as serious as the execs. Fix that.

And come on, that Mick Jagger movie looks like crap on a stick. I thought Harriet might have been involved in a modestly budgeted porn for a second.

MY SCORE: *** (out of 5)

TV: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip "Monday"

Not a lot has changed on the TV landscape since the last Studio 60 a month and a half ago, but with 11 more episodes in the season (merciful NBC) and stagnant ratings along with tone, Studio 60 returns tonight a changed show.

And I liked it. Even if the changes were crazy obvious.

Mr. Sorkin has, from my knowledge, always been anti-personal stories. At least that's what I remember his statement being back when Amanda Peet's pregnancy first became public. The guy who said "this show focuses only on business" just got handed a pregnancy that had to either be answered with lots of flowy coats and tight shots or, gasp, a dive into the personal story pool.

And tonight Sorkin dove right in. Straight in the deep end. The man is drowning.

Danny loves Jordan (stalky!), Matt loves Harriet (obvious!), Tom loves Lucy (huh?), it's all new territory for the show and tonight big advancements were made. I, for one, enjoy all three relationships and am glad that they're being pursued. After all the Big Issues the show obsessed over in it's first few weeks, it's a relief to see the show mellow out. 30 Rock is nearing genius because of its whimsical tone and I'm glad to see Studio 60 follow suit. Plus, any storyline that gives me more Lucy Davis (yay Dawn!) and the nickname Boss Sexy for Matthew Perry, I'm a fan of.

In a shocking guest appearance, Kurt Fuller plays an asshole in power. Just like on Alias and Desperate Housewives and pretty much anything else he's ever been on. Except Big Day. But I don't think anyone has seen Big Day to notice how he isn't playing an asshole in power. But he does it well.

So this is the new Studio 60, which seems to be borrowing a lot from the current soap-apalooza that's sweeping prime time. Never was this more evident than during Harriet and Jordan's gabfest (Harriet's making good on her agreement to be Jordan's friend) and the line of the night delivered by The New Head of Illiterate Programming, "there's another pretty girl at the dance and she's not pregnant." I've never yelled "oh snap!" during this show before. But that deserved it.

If Studio 60 is all about complicated love and sassy one-liners now, that's fine by me.

RATING: **** (out of 5)