Studio 60 Shelved

In other scheduling updates, NBC will shelve Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip which currently airs on Mondays at 10p for the time being, returning it sometime later this season.

Yeah, like, late June?

I think we just hit the end of the line for S60. There's no bigger fan of Sorkin's West Wing than me, but I gotta admit, I'm not sure I'm even unhappy about this.

It's sort of a mercy killing. There was a great show in there somewhere -- in fact, there were *several.* Oh, well.

I will say this. After West Wing, Sorkin could've created another hourlong set in the world of politics. Or perhaps a series version of A Few Good Men -- JAG, with brains. Something set in a newsroom, or a newspaper. The show would've been received with massive fanfare, and ratings to match. It would've run for 7 years and made all involved even more filthy rich than they already are.

Sorkin wanted none of that.

Instead, he pushed himself. His reach exceeded his grasp. And I will always defend that kind of risk-taking, without-a-net storytelling. So--Good on him!

Meanwhile, don't cry for Aaron Sorkin: he'll get an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for Charlie Wilson's War... and The Farnsworth Invention will very probably transfer to Broadway.

Update: I spoke before I knew what I was talking about (nothing new there). This was announced 2 months ago. Studio 60 will remain on the schedule for the remainder of February sweeps, but the final two or three episodes have not yet been scheduled.