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Message
Sports Night (98-00)
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:10 pm
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:10 pm
Any fans of this show? It gets talked about every now and then on here, but mostly by just a few people (I expect Baloo to chime in at some point).
For those not familiar, it was created and written by Aaron Sorkin, and it's basically a show centered around a SportsCenter-like show (called Sports Night) and the moving parts involved (the anchors, the producers, researchers, bosses, staff, etc.). While Sports Night is the main purpose of the show, it's not really the focus most of the time, if that makes sense. It's a very character-driven show. I remember watching it as it aired, but I had forgotten about a lot of the subplots and how it wasn't just a straight up comedy. There are some serious storylines strewn throughout the series as well (such as rape, divorce, etc.).
I'm rewatching the series now and I forgot just how good it really was. Sorkin really does write well, and honestly watching this makes me want to check out some West Wing and see what that's all about. The acting and dialogue is VERY fast-paced, and there is a lot of back and forth/repeating of things, and that can seem annoying at times, but it feels pretty true to life in how friends/coworkers messing with each other really sound.
For anyone who hasn't ever seen it, I'd definitely recommend you check it out. And if you've seen it but it's been years, it really holds up pretty well. And there are only two seasons (45 episodes total) at ~21 minutes apiece, so it's easy to watch quickly. I've watched the entire first season in about the last week or two, and expect the second season to take even less time than that.
Really fantastic show.
For those not familiar, it was created and written by Aaron Sorkin, and it's basically a show centered around a SportsCenter-like show (called Sports Night) and the moving parts involved (the anchors, the producers, researchers, bosses, staff, etc.). While Sports Night is the main purpose of the show, it's not really the focus most of the time, if that makes sense. It's a very character-driven show. I remember watching it as it aired, but I had forgotten about a lot of the subplots and how it wasn't just a straight up comedy. There are some serious storylines strewn throughout the series as well (such as rape, divorce, etc.).
I'm rewatching the series now and I forgot just how good it really was. Sorkin really does write well, and honestly watching this makes me want to check out some West Wing and see what that's all about. The acting and dialogue is VERY fast-paced, and there is a lot of back and forth/repeating of things, and that can seem annoying at times, but it feels pretty true to life in how friends/coworkers messing with each other really sound.
For anyone who hasn't ever seen it, I'd definitely recommend you check it out. And if you've seen it but it's been years, it really holds up pretty well. And there are only two seasons (45 episodes total) at ~21 minutes apiece, so it's easy to watch quickly. I've watched the entire first season in about the last week or two, and expect the second season to take even less time than that.
Really fantastic show.
17
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:12 pm to CocomoLSU
I watched when it came on and then a couple of times since then. Audiences weren't ready for a show like that. It was ahead of its time and brilliantly done.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:15 pm to CocomoLSU
I like it, but find it to be somewhat overrated on this board by the Sorkin fans
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:16 pm to CocomoLSU
I found it on Netflix one day before I had heard anything about it. I enjoyed it thought it was pretty good.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:17 pm to TulaneTigerFan
One thing about it that is kinda weird is that there isn't a laugh track per se, but sometimes you can hear some audience chuckling. But not all the time. It kinda stands out, especially since nowadays shows are going away from that formula.
It would be better if it were completely without it IMO. But it doesn't really bother me though.
It would be better if it were completely without it IMO. But it doesn't really bother me though.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:20 pm to CocomoLSU
The show started with a laugh track and over the course of the first ten episodes, they phase it out. The show is much better without it.
Looking back on it, I think it's much better than anything else Sorkin has ever done on TV. In fact, he's still stealing from SportsNight for gags and plotlines in Newsroom. It's one thing to do it for West Wing, but ten years later, he's still picking the carcass. I like West Wing, but I think Sorkin's a better comedy writer, and this is before he got full of himself. In fact, Dan often gets smacked for verbalizing Sorkin's liberal elitism ("No rich young white guy has ever gotten anywhere with me by comparing himself to Rosa Parks.")
This show, essentially, highlights the weaknesses of the rest of Sorkin's TV career.
Looking back on it, I think it's much better than anything else Sorkin has ever done on TV. In fact, he's still stealing from SportsNight for gags and plotlines in Newsroom. It's one thing to do it for West Wing, but ten years later, he's still picking the carcass. I like West Wing, but I think Sorkin's a better comedy writer, and this is before he got full of himself. In fact, Dan often gets smacked for verbalizing Sorkin's liberal elitism ("No rich young white guy has ever gotten anywhere with me by comparing himself to Rosa Parks.")
This show, essentially, highlights the weaknesses of the rest of Sorkin's TV career.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:25 pm to CocomoLSU
Didn't like the show when it came out. Don't really care for it now, but that's because I can't get passed the god awful laugh track. Maybe it gets less egregious later in the series, but the first few episodes are not funny at all and the laugh track only serves to emphasize that point.
Now I DO like the West Wing. That show is brilliant.
Now I DO like the West Wing. That show is brilliant.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:26 pm to CocomoLSU
i may have to order it from amazon in the near future
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:28 pm to CocomoLSU
Discovered it last year on Netflix and I couldn't stop watching it. Took me maybe two weeks to finish the two seasons. I loved it. That's what made me watch Newsroom.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:30 pm to CocomoLSU
That show was ok but it lost me on the episode with the black running back who was sitting out a game or something because the fans had rebel flags. At first it was ok cause there was actually discussion on why it was ok and not ok then finally the black guy who played the boss was like its racist and that's it and everyone was like ok you're right and I learned that it was just too liberal for me to continue. The worst part was the guy who was like arguing for the fans to have it sound articulate and then guy was like I'm black, it's racist end of story. Really turned me off as it was already a pretty average show.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:42 pm to Baloo
quote:
The show started with a laugh track
i almost stopped watching it because of this. it was terrible.
i enjoyed the show, but got burned out on it rather quickly. ive never gone back to finish it, mainly because I have been too busy watching his other series.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:53 pm to wish i was tebow
quote:
I found it on Netflix one day before I had heard anything about it. I enjoyed it thought it was pretty good.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:54 pm to CocomoLSU
I enjoyed it.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:56 pm to cigsmcgee
It's weird because the laugh track isn't as "in your face" as most sitcoms back then. It's like they'd only do it every few funny moments, instead of every time someone said something that was supposed to be funny.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 1:58 pm to CocomoLSU
quote:
makes me want to check out some West Wing and see what that's all about
I like Sportsnight, but the West Wing is soooooo much better.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 2:29 pm to PropJoe
i remember liking this show but i don't remember much about it. wasn't it the birth of the "dramedy"?
Posted on 1/7/13 at 2:29 pm to PropJoe
I watched about 10 episodes on Netflix recently, and just quit. It lost my interest quickly.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 2:30 pm to CocomoLSU
i fricking love sports night. i had seen some of west wing before but not much and am pretty much watching west wing because of sports night.
natalie is sexy. jeremy is awesome. casey and dan are awesome. this show is awesome to me.
natalie is sexy. jeremy is awesome. casey and dan are awesome. this show is awesome to me.
quote:
Isaac: Things that I say in my office STAY in my office.
Dana Whitaker: Natalie's my second-in-command, she's the only one I told.
Natalie Hurley: Jeremy's my boyfriend, he's the only one I told.
Jeremy Goodwin: I told many, many people.
This post was edited on 1/7/13 at 2:30 pm
Posted on 1/7/13 at 2:31 pm to Tiger in NY
I will say that watching the entire first season this quickly, the second half was better than the first. I liked it all, but it kinda seemed to pick up as it went along.
Posted on 1/7/13 at 2:33 pm to CocomoLSU
quote:
I'm rewatching the series now and I forgot just how good it really was
I remembered really, really liking back when it was on air, but I tried to rewatch it a few months back and it seemed pretty meh which seemed odd considering how much I remembered liking it.
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