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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip coming to DVD

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip will air its series finale this Thursday at 10 p.m. on NBC, but die-hard fans soon will be able to watch the show whenever they want on DVD.

Season one of the show will be released on October 16, according to TV Shows on DVD. It will retail for $59.98.

The DVD set will include all 22 episodes from the first season, as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette and episode commentaries by creator Aaron Sorkin and director Thomas Schlamme.

Frankly, I think it will be worth the price of the DVD to hear what Sorkin has to say about this show, considering much of it seems to reflect his real-life history. (Studio 60 characters Matt and Danny both have substance-abuse problems, and the character of Harriet Hayes, a devout Christian, is allegedly based on actress Kristin Chenowith, who dated Sorkin for a brief time.)

As for the final airing of the show tomorrow night, I’m sad to see it end. Sorkin’s brand of television has always been a little too smart for the average television viewer. His characters often delve into political and social issues within the context of the show to shine the spotlight on current issues. One of the most memorable episodes of Studio 60 told the story of the displaced musicians from New Orleans trying to find work around the holidays.

I’m hoping the finale ends happily. I want Jordan to make it, Tom’s brother to be rescued and for viewers to finally understand why Matt and Danny were fired and if Jack did keep his word. That’s a lot to tackle in one hour, but I have no doubt that Sorkin is up to the task.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thought you might like to see the ad from today's Hollywood Reporter. There's a copy of it here: http://www.elysiumwebs.com/s60thankss.jpg

Here's the press release we've sent out:

Fans say “Goodbye” to Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

A full page “Thank You” advertisement, paid for by fans of the show, will run in the Hollywood Reporter on June 28th, and will also encourage donations to Tipitina’s Foundation in New Orleans.

Frustrated by NBC’s unwillingness to renew Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, five loyal viewers from around the world have looked for a way to express their thanks for the innovative work of its cast and crew. Supported by countless fans worldwide, their solution has been to organize an Internet campaign designed to raise funds to buy a full page “Thank You” ad in the Hollywood Reporter.

The successful effort has been organized around the LiveJournal website, and NBC’s Studio 60 message board.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is a cutting edge, satirical commentary on contemporary television entertainment, and its often damaging impact on popular culture. Funny, imaginative and well written, it is a standout in a medium short on quality product.

While the show developed a worldwide audience, achieved respectable ratings, and is one of this year’s most DVR’d and downloaded network shows, it was officially canceled by NBC in May.

The ad, which features images of Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, and Bradley Whitford, will thank the show’s creative team for “providing us with an intelligent, inspiring and compelling drama.”

The final episode of Studio 60 will air on Thursday June 28th in the US, and the “Thank You” ad will appear on the same day. It has been paid for by the generosity of the show’s viewers.

All I Want for Christmas is My City Back
Along with the message from fans, the advertisement will also include information on Tipitina’s Foundation, the New Orleans based charity which was established in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Its mission is to restore the city’s unique jazz community, and preserve its irreplaceable music culture.

In December of 2006, the Studio 60 episode “The Christmas Show” featured the stories of a group of homeless New Orleans musicians, working pick-up jobs in Los Angeles so as to be able to send money home to stricken families and friends. Playing on the darkened and empty Studio 60 stage, against a backdrop of photographs of the devastated city, a small group of jazz musicians from New Orleans performed an emotional blues version of the carol “O Holy Night.”

The performance exemplified the thoughtful, and often unexpected, directions the show would take -- combining humor with drama to provide meaningful insights into modern culture.

A clip of that performance is available for viewing online at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI2LdpW7g5U

The Studio 60 “Thank You” ad campaign raised a total of $3,061.64 in only six days. Contributions came in from all over the world, including the US, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Canada and Australia.

The ad campaign was organized by four fans of the show – one from the US and three from the UK.

Ironically, the show has yet to air in Great Britain.

The ad will be released simultaneously on the LiveJournal website and the NBC Studio 60 message board on Thursday, the 28th at 5:00 AM (DST)

CONTACT INFORMATION

Thanks2studio60 community at LiveJournal

http://community.livejournal.com/thanks2studio60

Further information:

US – Diana Botsford 417-849-1051 – dianab@elysiumwebs.com

Michael Cudahy 508-748-2403 - strt15@verizon.net

UK & Europe – Carol Sissons ++ 44-7831-618998 – csizz@homecall.co.uk

Tipitina’s Foundation
http://www.tipitinasfoundation.org

Back Issues of the Hollywood Reporter can be ordered at:

JGonzalez@hollywoodreporter.com

tube talk girl said...

Thank you so much for posting this! I loved that episode, as I mentioned in the article. I'm sure the fans of Studio 60 thank you as well. :)

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