STUDIO 60 Uneven Ep Ends in Brilliance
June 1, 2007 by Kath Skerry
Partly out of allegiance to Aaron Sorkin and partly because there wasn’t much else on, I tuned in last night to STUDIO 60. I watched most of the episode without much enthusiasm. The lawyer lady throwing herself at Matt while trying to conduct important legal matters close to midnight on a Friday was as ridiculous as it was annoying. Jordan and Danny struggling to find balance between their personal and working relationships felt very ‘been there, done that’. I was secretly wishing I was watching the show on TiVo so I could fast forward through them. I would have turned off the ep about half way in but I knew Jenna Fischer (The Office) was going to have a small cameo and I wanted to wait and see her before I tuned out. But then, just as the show was wrapping up, there was a shift to brilliance.
In the last few minutes of the episode it is revealed that Tom’s (Nate Corddry) brother Mark, a solider in Afghanistan who had not been heard from in the last 48 hours, had been brutally beaten and kidnapped by the Taliban. Simon broke the news to Tom who rushed to the control room only to see his brother on his knees, with a bag over his head in front of men wielding guns and knives. As Matt relayed what the little information they knew to Tom, Tom just stared straight ahead at the screen in horror before picking up an object an hurling it at the screen, shattering the television. As Tom breaks down, Simon tries to comfort him as Jack informs him that the network jet is on its way to pick up Tom’s parents and fly them out to LA. Tom leaves as his emotional and stunned colleagues are left with nothing to say.
I just wanted to say bravo to Nate Corddry for some seriously amazing acting last night. Tom Jeter has always been my favorite part of Studio 60, but I don’t think I realized Nate Corddry had that much depth to his acting. Maybe it’s because I know him originally from his wise cracking stints on The Daily Show, but I didn’t know that had that in him. As Tom fought back tears mine were free flowing. I actually had to go back and watch the scene a few times because I was just so blown away by how well it was done. A scene like that could have gone wrong in a million ways, but I thought it was acted and directed perfectly. Politics aside, that one scene alone made Studio 60 the best show I watched last night.
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I had no interest in finishing the season until your post. Like you, I was a little interested in watching Jenna but Tom is my fav character so I’ll have to watch to see this amazing performance you described. Maybe there’s hope of finishing the show with some kind of pride left for the actors and creators? I’ll miss my older-man-bf Bradley Whitford desperately. Surely someone will put him back on TV!
Gah! The lady lawyer woman was very annoying. However, I totally agree with you about Tom/Nate’s scene. It was beautifully handled. I would give props also to another scene, when Suzanne confronted Matt about the pills. Merritt Wever who plays Suzanne did a great job in that scene portraying the different emotions.
Saved on DVR – now I can’t wait to break it out and watch it this weekend. Thanks!!!
not to be all nitpicky and stuff – but his brother was in afganistan and not iraq –
also – i agree it seemed like there was way too much stuff going on actually durring the show when most of that could have taken place any other time durring the week – but it had to happen while the show was on air … weird
Cips Little Bro – You are right, he wasn’t in Iraq. I deleted the show from TiVo last night and couldn’t remember exactly where he was. Thanks for the heads up…the change has been made.
(…and I hope you are doing well J )
I liked the episode and I agree that it started slow. I detest that lawyer character. She is completely unnecessary and makes me want to mute the TV every time she comes on. I could not care less about a character.
Anyone else notice they’re starting to hint at the end of the show? Ratings are all they talk about and everything is kind of coming to a point. Tom’s going to quit, the baby will be fine and Matt will need to go into rehab (possibly making that guy who lost his wife and kid the new head writer).
I wonder if they’ll even talk about selling the show to another network or if it’ll just be one and done for Studio 60.
I originally watched the show because of Matthew Perry, but Tom Jeter has quickly become my favorite.. he is just so great.
I agree, that last scene made the episode… I can’t wait for next week