Let's talk Sports Night
Aug. 1st, 2011 04:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
next_to_normalI am getting to that point again where I feel overwhelmed because there are a bunch of things I'd been planning to write about, but I've been busy and I've fallen so far behind that it kinda seems ridiculous. Six book reviews (seven as soon as I finish the latest Dresden Files), four movies, and two TV series. But let's get one of those out of the way by talking about my Sports Night rewatch.
Whenpocochina posted her thoughts on Sports Night a while back, it made me want to do a rewatch. Like her, most people who end up watching Sports Night do so because they've already seen The West Wing. Understandable, since TWW is Sorkin's most popular and successful series. Unfortunately, this is entirely the WRONG ORDER in which to watch these shows. If you come into Sports Night expecting a TWW-quality show, you will be sadly disappointed. Coming back to it now after seeing TWW and Studio 60, it's very obvious to me that Sorkin was still figuring out how to write for television here. It works a lot better when you have nothing to compare it to. :)
It's also not a secret that Sorkin has some, er, problematic patterns in his writing, which are a lot more noticeable once you know they're patterns, lol. He'll go on to reuse a lot of the same actors, character archetypes, themes, plots, lines of dialogue, and even just his tendency to get preachy about stuff, and when it's the third time you're seeing the same problematic elements, the urge to just headdesk yourself into oblivion is strong. And I definitely felt some of that on the rewatch, but I also remember what it was like watching it for the first time, without any of the Sorkin baggage, so even in retrospect, I think I go easier on this show than, say, Studio 60.
(Also, I think it goes without saying that I will be genderswapping the HELL out of this show. Stay tuned for picspams.)
One thing he has always been skilled at is crafting big emotional moments, and the world of sports provides plenty of those: "The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and - because we've got soccer highlights - the sheer pointlessness of a zero-zero tie." Sure, there's plenty of stuff that's frustrating, stupid, or straight-up offensive, but Sorkin does have a knack for sweeping you up in the emotional highs and lows of his characters.
Some random observations:
* So, I thought I'd seen the whole show when it aired, althoughpocochina's reaction post had me thinking I clearly didn't remember much of season 2. As it turns out, that's because I never actually SAW much of season 2. Maybe I saw an episode here or there, but I'm pretty sure I'd have remembered Dan's therapy arc and the Dating Plan and William H. Macy's character.
* God, that laugh track is annoying. I'm not sure if it was a deliberate effort to generate the appropriate sitcom audience reactions or just Sorkin trying to find his voice, but there's a lot more of the traditional set-up/punchline joke format than his later work. After years of more subtle humor, it's disorienting to realize how often I can see the punchline coming (even without remembering the actual lines).
* I do appreciate that this show lets the characters laugh at each other, though. It's so bizarre when a sitcom actor will say a funny line, and then everyone in the scene pauses for the audience reaction without reacting to it themselves. Like, the person you're talking to just said something hilarious - LAUGH AT IT! These characters do, and it's refreshingly realistic. Most fabulous moment that looks like genuine laughter: Casey's reaction when Natalie throws the third glass of water at Dan.
* Both Dana and Natalie are trademark Sorkin women. That is, women who are brilliant and competent at their jobs, but completely clueless about their personal relationships and often need the men to explain to them what's what, which likely didn't bother me at the age of 14, but definitely bothers me now. And this is one area where nostalgia can't overcome having seen CJ, Donna, Jordan, and Harriet in the same position. The thing is, Dan and Casey (and, for that matter, Sam and Josh and Danny and Matt) could just as easily be described as "competent at their jobs but clueless about relationships" and occasionally they get schooled on it, but it's somehow never as patronizing as Dana and Natalie get it. And for some reason, Sorkin seems to think that competent women who turn out to be irrational nutbars are just the cutest things ever, which is bizarre to say the least, and again not something the male characters are subjected to, despite their many, many foibles.
* Dana/Casey is mostly excruciating to watch, but I admit that Dana/Casey/Gordon/Sally is one of the few compelling quadrangles I have seen on TV. "You're wearing my shirt, Gordon" is still one of the most memorable moments of the series. I hate, however, when other characters are used to explain why two people are perfect for each other and should totally be together, so Natalie's insistence that Dana and Casey are secretly in love with each other drives me up the wall. I also don't get all the harping over how gorgeous Sally is. Subjective, I know, but I find Dana, Natalie, and Kim all equally if not more attractive than Sally, so for Casey and Dan to single out Sally as the hot one is weird.
* Jeremy/Natalie, on the other hand, I remember as being 100% adorable. Upon rewatch, I've decided they're about 65% adorable and 35% infuriating. Mainly because of Sorkin's handling of female characters, and the way that Jeremy always needs to prove that he is intellectually superior to Natalie - and a good portion of the time, he wins their arguments. Or Natalie wins them, not by being right, but by looking hot in his shirts. Blech.
* On the other hand, I actually think the Dan/Rebecca storyline is handled way better than CJ/Danny or Danny/Jordan (and what is with guys named Danny on these shows? Seriously, is this a childhood trauma Sorkin's working out or what?). If you've already lived through those, it's easy to write off this as just another turn around the No Means Try Harder carousel. I will never understand why women are supposed to find a guy's refusal to take no for an answer romantic, but the major difference is that Sports Night - perhaps because it's a sitcom where the other two are dramas - portrays Dan's behavior as every bit as ridiculous as it is. Everyone mocks Dan ("Have you tried telling her at least... twenty times?") and even Dan realizes he's being kind of ridiculous. And what ultimately gets Rebecca to soften her stance isn't simply Dan's persistence, but his sincere effort to hear and address her concerns about philandering sportscasters. It's also fabulous foreshadowing for Dan's S2 arc. He wasn't interested in dating her at all until he realized she wasn't impressed or even remembered him, which triggers his desperate need for everyone to like him. And when he wants people to like him, he wants them to watch the show. Speaking of which...
*Oh, DANNY. Like I said, I'm fairly certain I didn't see these episodes, because I can't believe I wouldn't remember them. It's an astonishingly serious arc for what was ostensibly a sitcom, and Josh Charles plays the hell out of it. It's just so heartbreaking to watch Dan going through this complete breakdown - and then the strained relationship with Casey because of it - but it is painfully realistic while remaining true to the character as well.
* Hahaha, I forgot about Dana's paralyzing fear of fish! I'm totally with her on that one.
* What a weird ending. Even for a season finale, since I'll grant them that the show was canceled sort of abruptly. The whole thing with Clark Gregg randomly slipping info to Dana without telling her who he is and being incredibly weird while doing it. What was the point, exactly?
* This cast, man. I already adored Sabrina Lloyd from Sliders, but this was my first introduction to Peter Krause and Josh Charles, both of whom are fabulous and I want them to be in everything ever. And of course Robert Guillaume, whose real-life stroke was written into the show so that they could keep his character around if Guillaume's health permitted it, which led to one of the more sensitive and realistic portrayals of the effects of a stroke.
In conclusion, as much as the show represents the worst of Sorkin's bad habits, I love how much talent is evident in the flashes of brilliance. There is some truly skilled writing in the way he tied the climax of an emotional main plot with the fluffy comic subplot of the same episode. In its day, it was really ground-breaking as a sitcom that wasn't afraid to be serious, that let characters be funny without always being dependent on an obvious punchline, and that dealt realistically with some tough issues.
...and now I am kind of tempted to buy the 10th anniversary DVD set. Somebody stop me!
When
pocochina posted her thoughts on Sports Night a while back, it made me want to do a rewatch. Like her, most people who end up watching Sports Night do so because they've already seen The West Wing. Understandable, since TWW is Sorkin's most popular and successful series. Unfortunately, this is entirely the WRONG ORDER in which to watch these shows. If you come into Sports Night expecting a TWW-quality show, you will be sadly disappointed. Coming back to it now after seeing TWW and Studio 60, it's very obvious to me that Sorkin was still figuring out how to write for television here. It works a lot better when you have nothing to compare it to. :)It's also not a secret that Sorkin has some, er, problematic patterns in his writing, which are a lot more noticeable once you know they're patterns, lol. He'll go on to reuse a lot of the same actors, character archetypes, themes, plots, lines of dialogue, and even just his tendency to get preachy about stuff, and when it's the third time you're seeing the same problematic elements, the urge to just headdesk yourself into oblivion is strong. And I definitely felt some of that on the rewatch, but I also remember what it was like watching it for the first time, without any of the Sorkin baggage, so even in retrospect, I think I go easier on this show than, say, Studio 60.
(Also, I think it goes without saying that I will be genderswapping the HELL out of this show. Stay tuned for picspams.)
One thing he has always been skilled at is crafting big emotional moments, and the world of sports provides plenty of those: "The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and - because we've got soccer highlights - the sheer pointlessness of a zero-zero tie." Sure, there's plenty of stuff that's frustrating, stupid, or straight-up offensive, but Sorkin does have a knack for sweeping you up in the emotional highs and lows of his characters.
Some random observations:
* So, I thought I'd seen the whole show when it aired, although
pocochina's reaction post had me thinking I clearly didn't remember much of season 2. As it turns out, that's because I never actually SAW much of season 2. Maybe I saw an episode here or there, but I'm pretty sure I'd have remembered Dan's therapy arc and the Dating Plan and William H. Macy's character. * God, that laugh track is annoying. I'm not sure if it was a deliberate effort to generate the appropriate sitcom audience reactions or just Sorkin trying to find his voice, but there's a lot more of the traditional set-up/punchline joke format than his later work. After years of more subtle humor, it's disorienting to realize how often I can see the punchline coming (even without remembering the actual lines).
* I do appreciate that this show lets the characters laugh at each other, though. It's so bizarre when a sitcom actor will say a funny line, and then everyone in the scene pauses for the audience reaction without reacting to it themselves. Like, the person you're talking to just said something hilarious - LAUGH AT IT! These characters do, and it's refreshingly realistic. Most fabulous moment that looks like genuine laughter: Casey's reaction when Natalie throws the third glass of water at Dan.
* Both Dana and Natalie are trademark Sorkin women. That is, women who are brilliant and competent at their jobs, but completely clueless about their personal relationships and often need the men to explain to them what's what, which likely didn't bother me at the age of 14, but definitely bothers me now. And this is one area where nostalgia can't overcome having seen CJ, Donna, Jordan, and Harriet in the same position. The thing is, Dan and Casey (and, for that matter, Sam and Josh and Danny and Matt) could just as easily be described as "competent at their jobs but clueless about relationships" and occasionally they get schooled on it, but it's somehow never as patronizing as Dana and Natalie get it. And for some reason, Sorkin seems to think that competent women who turn out to be irrational nutbars are just the cutest things ever, which is bizarre to say the least, and again not something the male characters are subjected to, despite their many, many foibles.
* Dana/Casey is mostly excruciating to watch, but I admit that Dana/Casey/Gordon/Sally is one of the few compelling quadrangles I have seen on TV. "You're wearing my shirt, Gordon" is still one of the most memorable moments of the series. I hate, however, when other characters are used to explain why two people are perfect for each other and should totally be together, so Natalie's insistence that Dana and Casey are secretly in love with each other drives me up the wall. I also don't get all the harping over how gorgeous Sally is. Subjective, I know, but I find Dana, Natalie, and Kim all equally if not more attractive than Sally, so for Casey and Dan to single out Sally as the hot one is weird.
* Jeremy/Natalie, on the other hand, I remember as being 100% adorable. Upon rewatch, I've decided they're about 65% adorable and 35% infuriating. Mainly because of Sorkin's handling of female characters, and the way that Jeremy always needs to prove that he is intellectually superior to Natalie - and a good portion of the time, he wins their arguments. Or Natalie wins them, not by being right, but by looking hot in his shirts. Blech.
* On the other hand, I actually think the Dan/Rebecca storyline is handled way better than CJ/Danny or Danny/Jordan (and what is with guys named Danny on these shows? Seriously, is this a childhood trauma Sorkin's working out or what?). If you've already lived through those, it's easy to write off this as just another turn around the No Means Try Harder carousel. I will never understand why women are supposed to find a guy's refusal to take no for an answer romantic, but the major difference is that Sports Night - perhaps because it's a sitcom where the other two are dramas - portrays Dan's behavior as every bit as ridiculous as it is. Everyone mocks Dan ("Have you tried telling her at least... twenty times?") and even Dan realizes he's being kind of ridiculous. And what ultimately gets Rebecca to soften her stance isn't simply Dan's persistence, but his sincere effort to hear and address her concerns about philandering sportscasters. It's also fabulous foreshadowing for Dan's S2 arc. He wasn't interested in dating her at all until he realized she wasn't impressed or even remembered him, which triggers his desperate need for everyone to like him. And when he wants people to like him, he wants them to watch the show. Speaking of which...
*Oh, DANNY. Like I said, I'm fairly certain I didn't see these episodes, because I can't believe I wouldn't remember them. It's an astonishingly serious arc for what was ostensibly a sitcom, and Josh Charles plays the hell out of it. It's just so heartbreaking to watch Dan going through this complete breakdown - and then the strained relationship with Casey because of it - but it is painfully realistic while remaining true to the character as well.
* Hahaha, I forgot about Dana's paralyzing fear of fish! I'm totally with her on that one.
* What a weird ending. Even for a season finale, since I'll grant them that the show was canceled sort of abruptly. The whole thing with Clark Gregg randomly slipping info to Dana without telling her who he is and being incredibly weird while doing it. What was the point, exactly?
* This cast, man. I already adored Sabrina Lloyd from Sliders, but this was my first introduction to Peter Krause and Josh Charles, both of whom are fabulous and I want them to be in everything ever. And of course Robert Guillaume, whose real-life stroke was written into the show so that they could keep his character around if Guillaume's health permitted it, which led to one of the more sensitive and realistic portrayals of the effects of a stroke.
In conclusion, as much as the show represents the worst of Sorkin's bad habits, I love how much talent is evident in the flashes of brilliance. There is some truly skilled writing in the way he tied the climax of an emotional main plot with the fluffy comic subplot of the same episode. In its day, it was really ground-breaking as a sitcom that wasn't afraid to be serious, that let characters be funny without always being dependent on an obvious punchline, and that dealt realistically with some tough issues.
...and now I am kind of tempted to buy the 10th anniversary DVD set. Somebody stop me!
no subject
Date: Aug. 2nd, 2011 04:09 am (UTC)OH DANNY BOY. Dan is totally the Obligatory Psychotic Jackass all grown up and put into the mundane world. He was my favorite. And yeah, his breakdown and the strain it puts on his relationship with Casey was so realistic and pushed the envelope for a sitcom. Especially just the way it went on for a few episodes. It's generally a risk to have a main character go through that, even in more angst-friendly genres, and I have so much admiration for the way Sorkin, the actor, and the show went there.
I do have to say, we never saw enough of the show to figure out why, exactly, Casey was the superstar and Dan was the underdog. Or, come to think of it, why people thought Dan was a jerk while being so sure Casey was Mr. Congeniality.
Sports Night - perhaps because it's a sitcom where the other two are dramas - portrays Dan's behavior as every bit as ridiculous as it is.
Exactly! I do wonder, too, how much of that was, actually, other writers were sometimes involved and probably had more input just by way of Sorkin not yet having such a massive
egoname. I don't think HE gets that it's unacceptable unless he has someone around to call him out. And I don't think it's a particular strength of writing that I feel like I have this insight into him individually based on seeing these shows.YES TO EVERYTHING about Jeremy/Natalie. It was like all she had to put into the relationship was being so much more invested in it than he was. She ended up being such a Manic Pixie Dream Executive Assistant.
no subject
Date: Aug. 2nd, 2011 02:12 pm (UTC)Yeah. Actually, on rewatching, it struck me that the reverse seems to be true early on. The pilot has the network pressuring Dan to do the show without Casey, even though the entire rest of the series stresses that Casey's the more popular of the two. Granted, Casey was pretty awful during the divorce, so maybe not even his superstar status would've been enough to save him, but it stuck out to me. And then "The Apology" subplot is all about Casey being uncool, which doesn't exactly fit with him being the superstar.
I'm tempted to say that some of it is in Dan's head? He's looking for a reason to justify his self-loathing and "I'm not as good as Casey" works. From his depressed point of view, everyone loves Casey and no one loves him, and that's so hurtful for him because of his need to be liked by everyone. Obviously, the people who matter - Isaac, Dana, Natalie, Jeremy, and the rest - they all love Dan just as much.
But then again, there clearly IS some truth to it, since Casey's getting paid more and he made the top 100 list and Dan didn't, etc. (And can I just say, I adore that bit? It rang so true to me, these little things that shouldn't matter - because who cares about some bogus top 100 list? - but they do, oh they do, when you're clinging to external validation to salvage your self-worth.) So... idk. It is unclear to me whether Casey was actually cooler/more charismatic/a better sports anchor/whatever than Dan or if that's just the way Dan perceives it.
I don't think HE gets that it's unacceptable unless he has someone around to call him out.
Oh, definitely. Sorkin is clearly committed to this idea. Like that episode where Natalie sits Casey down and tells him that no matter what Dana says, he should keep pursuing her anyway. *headdesk*