Sork of July – Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 1.9

Literally the only pic I could find from this episode. (via mralphafreak.files.wordpress.com)

So I just watched Looper for the first time.  It completely lived up to the hype.  I'm looking forward to seeing what Rian Johnson does with the Star Wars franchise.  Wait a minute, what if Aaron Sorkin were to write one of the new Star Wars movies?  

How great would it be to see a full-on Sorkin scripted Star Wars movie?  Imagine the walk and talks? He'd be a perfect fit, because I mean it's not like Star Wars is known for it's great female characters.  Plus, how many times have Sorkin characters fallen for Jedi mind tricks?  

We must make this happen.  

Well, today's episode is the called The Option Period.

Host & Musical Guest: Jessica Simpson (this episode takes place immediately after the previous episode)

# of references “Crazy Christians”:  0

Sketches Referenced: Quentin Tarantino's Hallmark Movie: Turkey Won't Die

Sketches Shown: None

There’s drama in the air at Studio 60.  Harriet is thinking about posing for a lingerie layout for a men’s magazine, Jordan wants Danny and Matt to cut costs, while Ricky and Ron plot to leave the show.  It’s yet another pivotal episode that sets things in motion. 

Because the Macao deal is going through, NBS is undergoing cost cutting measures to make everything kosher and that means cutting costs across the line, which means Studio 60 has to lose 15 below the line people to make their budget.  To make matters worse Jordan wants to make the show more profitable by incorporating product placement.  Network politics, am I right? 

Danny’s opposed to product placement, not just because he’s creative, but also because it goes against the grain of the show.  Studio 60 is known for being a cultural critic and with product placement, they’d be literally selling out and losing whatever credibility they have. 

The perpetually underrated Ricky and Ron have been working on Peripheral Vision Man, which FOX has agreed to run a mid-season show for six episodes.  While Matt is happy that they’re leaving, he’s worried that their show will taint his bringing back Studio 60 back to relevance.  He’s tempted to have Jordan lock them down, NBS could pick up the option on the material, out of pride and spite. 

But he opts to let them find their own destiny.  He warns them that a) the show isn’t good b) he won’t be able to hire them back but Ricky is full of steam and won’t listen.  Matt and Ron share a moment and then Ricky and Ron leave, taking the Studio 60 writers room with them, except for Lucy and Darius. 

Meanwhile Harriet is giving serious consideration to doing a provocative spread in a magazine.  She’d already turned them down once, but is reconsidering because of a couple things.  First off, she lost a role in a movie to Debra Messing, because Debra was perceived to be sexier.  The second reason is that deep inside, she wants to lash out against Women United, for dropping her from the concert series. 

Tom and Simon attempt dissuade her pointing out that the photo spread is a bad idea. They say that the magazine is exploiting her, but not for mutually beneficial reasons.  The magazine is getting the capital “C” Christian to be provocative, so they’re exploiting her beliefs, not just her body.  They also say that if she does this, and distances herself from her religion,  the show can’t hide behind her while they attack the religious.  Eventually she has a heart to heart with Matt who helps her decide. 

Of course since Ricky and Ron are leaving, and taking the majority of the writers with them, Studio 60 no longer has budget issues.  But, thanks to some ingenious design by Cal, product placement can be incorporated into the show, making it even more profitable. 

Also, Danny tells Jordan that her job isn’t as secure as she might think.