Monday, July 21, 2014

Sork of July - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 1.14

This is how everyone who watched this two-parter feels (via mralphafreak.wordpress.com)
Sorkin has written some awesome films.  He won an Oscar in 2011 and was nominated again 2012.  He's got a gift.  

But I'd really like to see him stretch his muscles; I think Aaron Sorkin should write a Pixar film.  He's clearly a guy who likes prestige and is there a film studio that's more prestigious than Pixar?  They have some of the finest quality films and are incredibly consistent.  

Imagine The Incredibles 2 written by Aaron Sorkin.  Or Toy Story 4?  I'm telling you it would be a thing of beauty.  It'd be like two great tastes that taste great together.  Let's make this happen.  

Today's episode is "The Harriet Dinner Part II."

Host & Musical Guest: Masi Oka & John Legend

# of references “Crazy Christians”:  None

Sketches Referenced: Black Fruit of the Loom, Dora's Hammer of the Gods

Sketches Shown: Black Fruit of the Loom, Dora's Hammer of the Gods

The tiff that Matt and Harriet had last episode becomes a full on fight, with finger pointing and blame.  Sadly, Harriet’s other date, Cody the teenage snowboard champ is nowhere to be seen.  Perhaps it was getting close to bedtime and he had to bail? 

Anyway Matt and Harriet fight about how two years ago he gave a no comment when asked if they were together, while she said “yes.”  Jeannie and Luke get brought up and tossed in the appropriate faces.  At one point Matt is confused why they’re even fighting, since they broke up two weeks before the events of the first episode. 

Fortunately the banquet coordinator finds them to ask about Jordan, who still hasn’t arrived.  Matt is totally cool with introducing Harriet, a woman he’s been fighting with since last episode.  Right when he’s about go onstage and introduce her, they fight some more and Harriet admits that she things about sleeping with Luke, which crushes Matt.  His feelings are so hurt that he goes onstage, bungles a joke and does a horrible job of introducing her. 

Afterwards Wendy (remember Matt tried to use her to make Harriet jealous earlier in the season?)  shows up at the banquet to comfort a shattered Matt.  She tries to get him to go home, but he insists on going back to Studio 60.  He also insists that he can tell the joke he flubbed onstage.  It’s sad. 

Wendy takes him back to Studio 60 and stays with him.  He talks about Harriet, but switches gears and suggests that Wendy and he get back together, because there’s nothing more romantic than getting a proposition from someone who’s clearly not over their ex.  As if to add insult to injury Wendy tells Matt that she’s actually engaged to someone.  Womp womp. 

But let’s shift gears and look at Tom trying to carry out Jack’s plan with Kim..  Kim gets wasted and passes out, prompting Tom, Jack and Simon to take her back to Studio 60, so she can sleep in Tom’s dressing room. 

While at Studio 60 a few things happen.  Tom encounters Lucy who forgives him for lying to her and they agree to go out that weekend.  Jack and Kim have a heart to heart where we learn that Jack is separated from his wife.  Also Zhang shows up and reveals that he’s fluent in English and just enjoys pretending not to.  Zhang also agrees to join Team Jack & Wilson and fight the FCC. 

Of course the lingering Simon & Darius storyline needs some tying up.  It also needs some clarification, but that never happens.  So Simon walks into the writer’s room and calls Darius “Kunta Kinte” which Darius takes immediate offense to for a couple reason.  Firstly, it’s not cool, but more importantly it’s not cool to do in front of white people. 

Then we get the familiar dynamic of Simon talking down to Darius and reminding him about his tone, while Darius explains his fear of being labeled the “Black” writer.  Simon points out that Darius was hired because he was Black.  They also talk about Simon’s hate mail.  The resolution is apparently that Darius must continue writing before he can break out of the “Black” writer label and Simon will continue to mock him and call him names like “Chicken George.” 

It’s a weird storyline that doesn’t quite feel true, which is why it’s ending is such a relief. 

Speaking of weird storylines, Danny and Jordan are still stuck on the roof.  She tries to pass the time, impress him and break the tension by showing him magic tricks she’s learned, including one where she can slip a piece of paper under someone’s watch band. 

Danny still doesn’t like that Jordan doesn’t believe his feeling for her are earnest.  She posits hypothetical situations where Danny leaves her, but Danny says he’ll leave her.  He says it in a much less creepy way than his previous attempts to court her have been.  Jordan also confesses that she feels threatened by Hallie.

Inside Studio 60 Cal is still dealing with the animals beneath the stage.  The coyote (which was sent down to get the ferret that was sent to get the viper) is still stuck beneath the stage.  To compound matters, American Humane is there to oversee the use of the animals. 

Cal tries to talk his way out of the situation with Animal Humane, but the representative explains that Cal will be fined $20k per animal for cruelty and possibly get sentenced to five years in prison.  Cal then decides to rip up the floor to get the animals out.  Of course this necessitates turning off the electricity and the switch is on the roof. 

Cal opens the door and Jordan hurries away, but not before saying a quick “bye” to Danny.  Danny is in the process of reaming out Cal about a) losing the snake and b) going over budget when he realizes that Jordan has slipped him a note that says “I’m crazy about you.”  He rushes after her and they share a passionate kiss. 

Then we get a montage;  Tom and Jack celebrated a poorly executed plan, Darius and Simon work on the Black Fruit of the Loom sketch and are happy with the results, Harriet is alone and not happy and Matt watches Cal’s crew tear up the stage floor and empathizes because that’s what Harriet did to his heart tonight 


Thus ends The Harriet Dinner, a two part episode that contained a ton of padding. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...