"How did the baby get its head into the guillotine?"
There's a moment early on in this episode where Matt discusses that there's a sketch spoofing Cinemax softcore porn. First of all, I, as an expert of said porn, would have loved to see this sketch. Hey, remember when this show used to show us the sketches? Second, the scenario he describes (which is not at all how a Cinemax porno is told) happens: a tall, blonde executive with glasses walks into the office behind him, played by Kari Matchett. Kari Matchett, also known as AlienMommy from Invasion, is not a softcore porn queen, by the way.
She plays Mary Tate, a lawyer who is searching for witnesses in a case of a former writer who's suing NBS because "she's not one of the boys." Now, the reasoning for her being there were a bit confusing (how could Matt be a character witness if he wasn't working there at the time? Well, whatever, Aaron Sorkin says it is so, then it is so). But it was an interesting way to get into the past of this show. I think that sometimes Aaron writes things that may not make as much sense in real life, but are purely for character purposes, and I'm fine with that.
Meanwhile, something bothers me slightly. Harriet is busy filming the Rolling Stones movie that Luke is directing, and she keeps stopping the take because she doesn't understand her character's motivation or why she's there and it feels untruthful. Which is a fine thought, but a strangely unprofessional way for Harriet to do it. She doesn't seem like the kind of person to just stop filming to ask a question that she should have asked during the table reading. Whatever, though, Sarah Paulson sells it. Oh, and Harriet dumps Luke. In a kinda mean way.
And then we come to Danny and Jordan. Oh... remember when Danny was a recovering coke addict? Remember when Jordan was a rebellious studio head? Yeah, me too. I'm sure that this romance plot is a mixture of NBC interfering with the show creatively ("We need more ratings! Give us another love story!") and a way to mask Amanda Peet's pregnancy, but... a high school practice baby? That cost $600? I don't know. The wacky hijinx surrounding the practice baby didn't sit well with me, but I did like that Danny thought it was ridiculous also, and the thought of a baby getting the Marie Antoinette treatment is fun for me, a sicko who loves dead baby jokes.
I could appreciate Sorkin's diatribe on slipping ratings. Actually, I loved it. And I agreed. Ratings are completely irrelevant when it comes to quality. But, alas, such is the business. But I guess if Studio 60 was on CBS, it would have tons of ratings.
CoughcoughcoughcoughCBSisabunchofliarscoughcoughcough.
All in all: B
Until next time, same bat time, same bat channel.
- Cesar
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