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caz963Well, that’s it. I am now officially a fandomless fangirl.
And this post might just be a little on the long side...
Studio 60 rides off into the sunset – or the sunrise, I guess – Danny’s a father, Matt and Harriet are back together (until the next time they break up), Tom’s brother is safe… and the show must and will go on.
The loose ends were neatly – maybe a little too neatly - wrapped up, but I guess I shouldn’t complain. The axe had fallen way before these final shows were written and I’d have been complaining a hell of a lot more if we’d been left with cliffhangers that would never be resolved. Sure, there are unanswered questions – Sorkin dropped the ball big-time in a few places (what the hell caused Danny’s relapse for example, and what happened to Matt crashing after he stopped taking the pills?) – which is frustrating, but the two main storylines in this final story arc were concluded happily, and I guess we did at least get a full season, unlike many of the other shows touted last Autumn.
First of all – I squealed with delight when I found out the title of this episode a few weeks back. I’d been hoping Sorkin would use that and it seems especially fitting seeing as the past five episodes all took place the same night. I don’t care about the recycling – it’s more of a trade-mark now, and I love him for it.
And it appears the lovely Mr Whitford has yet another string to his bow. I was so sure that Tommy Schlamme would direct the finale, and surprised to think it would be entrusted to a first time director. (Although Brad’s directed plays hasn’t he?) I’m not an expert, but I’d say he did a pretty good job – more than that actually; I thought there were some lovely shots there - but that might just be the fangirl in me talking!
As with last week, the episode was built around a series of ‘two-handers’ – Matt and Danny, Tom and Captain Boyle, Jack and Simon, Danny and Jack etc., and again the writing and acting were amazingly good. But interestingly (as a friend helpfully pointed out) all the “resolution” scenes – the Danny/Jordan one, Tom’s brother, the cast on the stage near the end – all had more than two people in. The doctor with Danny and Jordan and then the whole cast with Tom and later on the stage – Aaron likes his ‘families’, doesn’t he?
That first scene between Matt and Danny was wonderful – Danny the proud father (bragging already!), Matt clearly not wanting to say what he had to say about Danny’s having no legal rights to her if Jordan dies. I ran out of superlatives to describe just how good Brad is in every scene he’s in a long time ago, so you’ll have to take it as read. But I’ll still drone on about the fact that he looks fucking hot in that white shirt, the extra undone button and the stubble… guh. Yeah, yeah, I’m totally predictable.
Baby girl McDeere.
You’re hoping that she’ll become a stripper. Heh.
Danny insists Matt goes back to the theatre to keep an eye on Tom, Simon and keep everyone together. But before he goes Danny asks him to ask Mary whether Jordan’s signature would mean anything because she’s so doped up.
Tom has started the ID process with Trask. Captain Boyle isn’t impressed.
You guys hire your own security, your own detectives and now you’re hiring your own army.
Yes I am. ‘Cause the one I hired with the taxes I pay doesn’t seem to be working out.
Excuse me?
Captain –
No, excuse me, pal, but three thousand of my friends are dead - and about another fifteen thousand left some arms and legs pretty far away from home.
Ouch.
Captain insists that the last think Mark would want, as a member of the armed forces, is to be ransomed. Tom wants to do it anyway – that’s his parents’ kid.
Skippy McDumbass. Yeah! Don’t hold back, Aaron. Nice one.
Jack is still trying to get Simon to apologise – Simon wants in on whatever is going on to rescue Mark.
Five years ago, Matt is convinced there’s no way Wes will apologise on behalf of the show for the Karl Rove sketch.
Harriet – naturally – turns the argument around.
If Al Gore had won the election –
Al Gore did win the election, but go on.
Oy.
Did you say “oy”?
Yeah.
Don’t anymore.
If Al Gore had won the election, if President Gore had sent his top emissary out here, say he sent Bill Clinton out here to talk to leaders in Hollywood about how the entertainment industry could help right now – would you have had an objection?
Matt can’t deny that he’d have been there like a shot.
And you don’t find that hypoctitical?
I do. I think you’re making an excellent point.
So the difference is that you don’t like them.
I guess it is.
You’re okay with that?
I seem to have made peace with it.
Matthew – what?
You think I have comtempt for my government.
Harry, if I do, it ain’t nothing compared for the comtempt my government has for me.
Just... yeah.
Danny arrives to tell Matt that Jack’s spoken to Wes – and that he agreed to the apology. Matt’s pissed – but Danny tells him to get over it, and on with the next show.
At the hospital Matt calls Danny to let him know Suzanne’s on her way over with the papers for Jordan to sign.
I don’t understand why Suzanne keeps giving me the number of a payphone to call you - I didn’t know there still were payphones.
Cellphones aren’t allowed up here – they screw with the heart monitors.
Why?
I don’t know. Why don’t I go to medical school for six years to find out?
He tells Danny that, according to Mary, Jordan being out of it could be a problem if custody is ever contested – but that having her signed consent is better than nothing and says exactly the right thing -
I think Jordan would be counting on you to do this. Put a pen in her hand.
Back in the past, Matt tells Danny not to make a big thing out of it, but he’s quitting. Danny knew it was coming – and goes to see Jack, telling him that he needs to find a solution to this, because Matt has been the show for the past two years.
Great scene (we really should have had more “Jack and Danny shout at each other” scenes) – and the point at which Danny yells –
Screw friendship, screw honour, screw patriotism! We just lost the franchise!
- is the point at which he realizes what he’s doing – trying to appease the network and not giving Matt enough back up. Jack thinks Matt’ll be back, Danny knows it’ll take an extraordinary event to get him back. Yeah, like his best friend screwing up. Shame we never got to know more about that. Jack makes it clear that Wes isn’t sticking up for Matt at all –
What did you say to Wes?
Didn’t have to say much, Danny.
Harriet’s waiting when he gets back, telling him to rein Matt back in. But he tells her he’s quitting too.
You can’t make a decision like this in the two minutes it took you to walk back from the NBS building.
I didn’t need the whole two minutes. There it is. He tells Harriet what he said about ‘screwing friendship’ etc. That was his wake up call.
And now the zinger -
He’s been threatened by the network, compromised by me, browbeaten by you, gotten his heart broken by Wes and he’s still standing up. Why am I quitting? ‘Cause they’re going to start shooting at him. And I’m going to be standing next to him when they do.
(You know, I was almost expecting him to say something about taking a bullet for him if necessary! But I guess that would have been a bit too weird:))
Back in the present, Danny starts to quiz Harriet on why she and Matt can’t get it together and despite her protestations to the contrary, tells her they haven’t tried. She thinks Matt can’t forgive her for not quitting when he did, Danny tells her that Matt never expected that, and that he worships her. I could care less actually, so I just look at Brad, who is looking particularly gorgeous throughout, and don’t really listen to what he’s saying… moving along, Suzanne arrives and Danny gets to see Jordan, but not without one extra click up on the angst-o-meter. Nice shot there of Danny’s reflection in the glass as Harriet and Suzanne look on.
Okay, so now’s the part where my brain turned to complete mush (you’re surprised, I can tell.) *Listens to ovary explosion coming from most of f-list*.
Considering what she’s been through, I’d have expected Jordan to look a little more horrible, and hooked up to wires and tubes. But it was perfect that she’d had adoption papers drawn up in advance, although I have to say, I'm not really sure about the “I wanted you to propose since the first day I met you,” thing. Well, okay – on one level, I am – come on, it’s Brad! – nuff sed. But on others, I think it would have made more sense if she’d said “since we got stuck on the roof”, but, you know, whatever. It was sweet.
His face after he signed the papers? Killed. Me. Actually I died several times over during that scene. And you know, this might be the last chance I get to do some serious fangirling for a while, so just indulge me, okay? I may have even forgotten my name and where I live. GUH.
Also – Steven Weber is just fantastic. In the next scene, Simon comes right out with it and says that Jack has spent the last four hours trying to get him to apologise because really, he feels guilty about what happened to Matt and Danny. There’s a fabulous part where Jack almost breaks down and finally admits that he liked the Rove sketch and that he knew Wes was an empty shirt - he was trying to get rid of Wes back then, not Matt and Danny (at least that’s the way I saw it). He also admits that he doesn’t think Simon should apologise – at which point Simon of course says he’ll do it, and in typical Sorkin fashion, after all the angst, I’m now laughing at Jack telling Simon he’s going to beat him up.
Come on! Take your ass kicking!
Okay, but not on the face – I’m on TV.
But before blood can be shed, Suzanne races past to tell them something’s happening with Tom’s brother.
He and his fellow captives have been rescued by the military – Captain Boyle Asks if he wants to talk to his brother on the phone. And Nate Corddry just broke my heart again.
Matt leaves – thinking he’s alone Thank you, God
Matt and Harriet kiss and make up – he finally tells her he loves her and that he may have been wrong about their not being able to be together while they’re working together.
As the rest of the cast begin to filter on to the stage, Matt asks them if they have a problem with him and Harriet dating. Much like me, they could care less.
Jeannie: Can I still sleep with you?
Harriet: No.
Matt: No.
Jeannie: Then, Andy it’s your lucky day.
Andy: What’d I do?
Dylan: You get to sleep with Jeannie.
Andy: (looking singularly unimpressed) Alright.
BWAH!
Daddy – sorry, Danny, arrives and hands out cigars and a pep talk. Tom’s going to Germany to see Mark, but Lucy can’t go – they need her back at work on Monday. Take charge Danny is back (take-charge Danny is hot) – and everyone leaves the stage except Matt and Harriet who are still snogging.
(And in my head, they're together until they break up again, because they really really need some time apart and maybe to decide that the best thing for them is to be friends. I said that before, and I'm sticking to it.)
Matt (who is surely supposed to have crashed by now!) is pumped, and despite Danny’s exhortations to go home, leaps up the stairs back to his office to get a head start for next week. Danny’s heading back to the hospital, but can’t leave without telling Matt –
Hey, Matthew, don’t take this the wrong way, but I love you.
Okay.
Take it the wrong way?
I took it to mean that you’re gay and you want me.
Good.
I love you too, bro.
Okay.
(And the slashers go wild! Aaron – I thought we told you to stay away from the badfic?!)
Danny lights his cigar, switches off the light and leaves the darkened stage – leaving to the right, the same direction from which he entered with Matt back in the pilot.
I thought that was gonna be it, but no. Upstairs, Matt is still trying to make friends with the clock.
And that’s it.
So yeah, a satisfying conclusion on the whole, although I’m sure it wouldn’t have been happy endings all round if there had been a second season.
I read this on a message board somewhere, a sentiment I echo whole-heartedly.
Sorkin – you magnificent bastard.
As ever, you’ve made me laugh, you’ve made me cry, dammit and you’ve made me think. There’s no one else out there who writes like you do, and I sincerely hope that this experience doesn’t mean you won’t be back, because television will be the poorer without you.
I’ve been trying to write down some of my random thoughts about the show – what went wrong, what I liked, what I didn’t, stuff like that. I’m planning to post them if I can get them into some semblance of order, so if you’re up for a “wake” feel free to drop by with your own opinions. I’m doing it because, well, I'm obsessive like that and I won’t be able to rest until I’ve culled it all into some sort of sense!
Rambling comments and excessive fangirling will be more than welcome!
*switches off the light*
And this post might just be a little on the long side...
Studio 60 rides off into the sunset – or the sunrise, I guess – Danny’s a father, Matt and Harriet are back together (until the next time they break up), Tom’s brother is safe… and the show must and will go on.
The loose ends were neatly – maybe a little too neatly - wrapped up, but I guess I shouldn’t complain. The axe had fallen way before these final shows were written and I’d have been complaining a hell of a lot more if we’d been left with cliffhangers that would never be resolved. Sure, there are unanswered questions – Sorkin dropped the ball big-time in a few places (what the hell caused Danny’s relapse for example, and what happened to Matt crashing after he stopped taking the pills?) – which is frustrating, but the two main storylines in this final story arc were concluded happily, and I guess we did at least get a full season, unlike many of the other shows touted last Autumn.
First of all – I squealed with delight when I found out the title of this episode a few weeks back. I’d been hoping Sorkin would use that and it seems especially fitting seeing as the past five episodes all took place the same night. I don’t care about the recycling – it’s more of a trade-mark now, and I love him for it.
And it appears the lovely Mr Whitford has yet another string to his bow. I was so sure that Tommy Schlamme would direct the finale, and surprised to think it would be entrusted to a first time director. (Although Brad’s directed plays hasn’t he?) I’m not an expert, but I’d say he did a pretty good job – more than that actually; I thought there were some lovely shots there - but that might just be the fangirl in me talking!
As with last week, the episode was built around a series of ‘two-handers’ – Matt and Danny, Tom and Captain Boyle, Jack and Simon, Danny and Jack etc., and again the writing and acting were amazingly good. But interestingly (as a friend helpfully pointed out) all the “resolution” scenes – the Danny/Jordan one, Tom’s brother, the cast on the stage near the end – all had more than two people in. The doctor with Danny and Jordan and then the whole cast with Tom and later on the stage – Aaron likes his ‘families’, doesn’t he?
That first scene between Matt and Danny was wonderful – Danny the proud father (bragging already!), Matt clearly not wanting to say what he had to say about Danny’s having no legal rights to her if Jordan dies. I ran out of superlatives to describe just how good Brad is in every scene he’s in a long time ago, so you’ll have to take it as read. But I’ll still drone on about the fact that he looks fucking hot in that white shirt, the extra undone button and the stubble… guh. Yeah, yeah, I’m totally predictable.
Baby girl McDeere.
You’re hoping that she’ll become a stripper. Heh.
Danny insists Matt goes back to the theatre to keep an eye on Tom, Simon and keep everyone together. But before he goes Danny asks him to ask Mary whether Jordan’s signature would mean anything because she’s so doped up.
Tom has started the ID process with Trask. Captain Boyle isn’t impressed.
You guys hire your own security, your own detectives and now you’re hiring your own army.
Yes I am. ‘Cause the one I hired with the taxes I pay doesn’t seem to be working out.
Excuse me?
Captain –
No, excuse me, pal, but three thousand of my friends are dead - and about another fifteen thousand left some arms and legs pretty far away from home.
Ouch.
Captain insists that the last think Mark would want, as a member of the armed forces, is to be ransomed. Tom wants to do it anyway – that’s his parents’ kid.
Skippy McDumbass. Yeah! Don’t hold back, Aaron. Nice one.
Jack is still trying to get Simon to apologise – Simon wants in on whatever is going on to rescue Mark.
Five years ago, Matt is convinced there’s no way Wes will apologise on behalf of the show for the Karl Rove sketch.
Harriet – naturally – turns the argument around.
If Al Gore had won the election –
Al Gore did win the election, but go on.
Oy.
Did you say “oy”?
Yeah.
Don’t anymore.
If Al Gore had won the election, if President Gore had sent his top emissary out here, say he sent Bill Clinton out here to talk to leaders in Hollywood about how the entertainment industry could help right now – would you have had an objection?
Matt can’t deny that he’d have been there like a shot.
And you don’t find that hypoctitical?
I do. I think you’re making an excellent point.
So the difference is that you don’t like them.
I guess it is.
You’re okay with that?
I seem to have made peace with it.
Matthew – what?
You think I have comtempt for my government.
Harry, if I do, it ain’t nothing compared for the comtempt my government has for me.
Just... yeah.
Danny arrives to tell Matt that Jack’s spoken to Wes – and that he agreed to the apology. Matt’s pissed – but Danny tells him to get over it, and on with the next show.
At the hospital Matt calls Danny to let him know Suzanne’s on her way over with the papers for Jordan to sign.
I don’t understand why Suzanne keeps giving me the number of a payphone to call you - I didn’t know there still were payphones.
Cellphones aren’t allowed up here – they screw with the heart monitors.
Why?
I don’t know. Why don’t I go to medical school for six years to find out?
He tells Danny that, according to Mary, Jordan being out of it could be a problem if custody is ever contested – but that having her signed consent is better than nothing and says exactly the right thing -
I think Jordan would be counting on you to do this. Put a pen in her hand.
Back in the past, Matt tells Danny not to make a big thing out of it, but he’s quitting. Danny knew it was coming – and goes to see Jack, telling him that he needs to find a solution to this, because Matt has been the show for the past two years.
Great scene (we really should have had more “Jack and Danny shout at each other” scenes) – and the point at which Danny yells –
Screw friendship, screw honour, screw patriotism! We just lost the franchise!
- is the point at which he realizes what he’s doing – trying to appease the network and not giving Matt enough back up. Jack thinks Matt’ll be back, Danny knows it’ll take an extraordinary event to get him back. Yeah, like his best friend screwing up. Shame we never got to know more about that. Jack makes it clear that Wes isn’t sticking up for Matt at all –
What did you say to Wes?
Didn’t have to say much, Danny.
Harriet’s waiting when he gets back, telling him to rein Matt back in. But he tells her he’s quitting too.
You can’t make a decision like this in the two minutes it took you to walk back from the NBS building.
I didn’t need the whole two minutes. There it is. He tells Harriet what he said about ‘screwing friendship’ etc. That was his wake up call.
And now the zinger -
He’s been threatened by the network, compromised by me, browbeaten by you, gotten his heart broken by Wes and he’s still standing up. Why am I quitting? ‘Cause they’re going to start shooting at him. And I’m going to be standing next to him when they do.
(You know, I was almost expecting him to say something about taking a bullet for him if necessary! But I guess that would have been a bit too weird:))
Back in the present, Danny starts to quiz Harriet on why she and Matt can’t get it together and despite her protestations to the contrary, tells her they haven’t tried. She thinks Matt can’t forgive her for not quitting when he did, Danny tells her that Matt never expected that, and that he worships her. I could care less actually, so I just look at Brad, who is looking particularly gorgeous throughout, and don’t really listen to what he’s saying… moving along, Suzanne arrives and Danny gets to see Jordan, but not without one extra click up on the angst-o-meter. Nice shot there of Danny’s reflection in the glass as Harriet and Suzanne look on.
Okay, so now’s the part where my brain turned to complete mush (you’re surprised, I can tell.) *Listens to ovary explosion coming from most of f-list*.
Considering what she’s been through, I’d have expected Jordan to look a little more horrible, and hooked up to wires and tubes. But it was perfect that she’d had adoption papers drawn up in advance, although I have to say, I'm not really sure about the “I wanted you to propose since the first day I met you,” thing. Well, okay – on one level, I am – come on, it’s Brad! – nuff sed. But on others, I think it would have made more sense if she’d said “since we got stuck on the roof”, but, you know, whatever. It was sweet.
His face after he signed the papers? Killed. Me. Actually I died several times over during that scene. And you know, this might be the last chance I get to do some serious fangirling for a while, so just indulge me, okay? I may have even forgotten my name and where I live. GUH.
Also – Steven Weber is just fantastic. In the next scene, Simon comes right out with it and says that Jack has spent the last four hours trying to get him to apologise because really, he feels guilty about what happened to Matt and Danny. There’s a fabulous part where Jack almost breaks down and finally admits that he liked the Rove sketch and that he knew Wes was an empty shirt - he was trying to get rid of Wes back then, not Matt and Danny (at least that’s the way I saw it). He also admits that he doesn’t think Simon should apologise – at which point Simon of course says he’ll do it, and in typical Sorkin fashion, after all the angst, I’m now laughing at Jack telling Simon he’s going to beat him up.
Come on! Take your ass kicking!
Okay, but not on the face – I’m on TV.
But before blood can be shed, Suzanne races past to tell them something’s happening with Tom’s brother.
He and his fellow captives have been rescued by the military – Captain Boyle Asks if he wants to talk to his brother on the phone. And Nate Corddry just broke my heart again.
Matt leaves – thinking he’s alone Thank you, God
Matt and Harriet kiss and make up – he finally tells her he loves her and that he may have been wrong about their not being able to be together while they’re working together.
As the rest of the cast begin to filter on to the stage, Matt asks them if they have a problem with him and Harriet dating. Much like me, they could care less.
Jeannie: Can I still sleep with you?
Harriet: No.
Matt: No.
Jeannie: Then, Andy it’s your lucky day.
Andy: What’d I do?
Dylan: You get to sleep with Jeannie.
Andy: (looking singularly unimpressed) Alright.
BWAH!
Daddy – sorry, Danny, arrives and hands out cigars and a pep talk. Tom’s going to Germany to see Mark, but Lucy can’t go – they need her back at work on Monday. Take charge Danny is back (take-charge Danny is hot) – and everyone leaves the stage except Matt and Harriet who are still snogging.
(And in my head, they're together until they break up again, because they really really need some time apart and maybe to decide that the best thing for them is to be friends. I said that before, and I'm sticking to it.)
Matt (who is surely supposed to have crashed by now!) is pumped, and despite Danny’s exhortations to go home, leaps up the stairs back to his office to get a head start for next week. Danny’s heading back to the hospital, but can’t leave without telling Matt –
Hey, Matthew, don’t take this the wrong way, but I love you.
Okay.
Take it the wrong way?
I took it to mean that you’re gay and you want me.
Good.
I love you too, bro.
Okay.
(And the slashers go wild! Aaron – I thought we told you to stay away from the badfic?!)
Danny lights his cigar, switches off the light and leaves the darkened stage – leaving to the right, the same direction from which he entered with Matt back in the pilot.
I thought that was gonna be it, but no. Upstairs, Matt is still trying to make friends with the clock.
And that’s it.
So yeah, a satisfying conclusion on the whole, although I’m sure it wouldn’t have been happy endings all round if there had been a second season.
I read this on a message board somewhere, a sentiment I echo whole-heartedly.
Sorkin – you magnificent bastard.
As ever, you’ve made me laugh, you’ve made me cry, dammit and you’ve made me think. There’s no one else out there who writes like you do, and I sincerely hope that this experience doesn’t mean you won’t be back, because television will be the poorer without you.
I’ve been trying to write down some of my random thoughts about the show – what went wrong, what I liked, what I didn’t, stuff like that. I’m planning to post them if I can get them into some semblance of order, so if you’re up for a “wake” feel free to drop by with your own opinions. I’m doing it because, well, I'm obsessive like that and I won’t be able to rest until I’ve culled it all into some sort of sense!
Rambling comments and excessive fangirling will be more than welcome!
*switches off the light*
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no subject
Date: 2007-06-30 03:24 pm (UTC)Although it has also occurred to me that perhaps my discomfort has more to do my being used to the more glacial speed at which many other of Sorkin's romances have progressed (eight years, anyone?).
no subject
Date: 2007-06-30 05:13 pm (UTC)LOL!
All too true. But Sorkin is only guilty for 4 of those years, don't forget. Who here didn't think that season 6 was going to show big changes between Donna and Josh?
On a side note, the whole apology thing... you gotta wonder..... was Wes meant to represent John Wells with The West Wing? How much flak did Sorkin and Schlamme get and how much did Wells defend them (or not)?